Taunton's Threads - For people who love to sew
Sign up for our eLetter for monthly tips and advice right from the editors
 |
|
|
From the pages of Threads Magazine Lush, Embossed Velvet Design your own unique fabrics with rubber stamps and an iron
There's nothing quite so luxurious as velvet, unless it's velvet with a texture. I've seen commercial velvets embossed with bold images, but I discovered how to do this myself completely by accident. While pressing the collar of a vintage velvet jacket, I left a perfect impression of my iron on that collar! Aside from being sorry that I'd messed up a great jacket, a light bulb went off in my brain as I realized that other designs could be applied to velvet the same way, using heat and moisture. I started experimenting with the rubber stamps that my company, Hot Potatoes, sells for stamping paint on fabric. My stamp designs are big and bold, because they developed out of my early work printing with potato carvings. But the beauty of embossing velvet is that your results can be bold or subtle, depending on what designs you choose. Bold, clear designs look like they've been carved into the velvet, while smaller, more geometric designs give a subtler, overall texture or work well as borders. Not all velvets are equal The velvets that work best for embossing contain a large percentage of rayon, so stay away from nylon or polyester velvets. I've found that rayon/acetate blends retain the deepest, most dramatic impressions, and are great for pillows and other home-dec items. For garments, I prefer the fluid drape of all-rayon or rayon/silk velvets, and both take embossing quite well. Whichever velvet you choose, the embossed results will stay put through dry cleaning but shouldn't be washed. It's always a good idea to test your stamp on scraps of the garment fabric before you begin stamping an entire garment. If you're in doubt about a fabric, buy a small amount first, take it home, and experiment on it with stamps. Then you can purchase the fabric you need for the project, knowing that you'll love the results. Stamps aren't equal, either To create clear impressions on velvet, I suggest that you stick with rubber stamps designed for printing on fabric. These stamps generally have the deeper, bolder lines that you need for good embossing results. Stay away from rubber stamps with shallow, fine lines and lots of detail, like many of those designed for stamping on paper. These tend to look muddy when embossed, and the details get lost in the velvet's pile. Be careful when you begin testing a new stamp, because some stamps won't hold up under high heat. The rubber in stamps has already been subjected to high temperatures, but not all foam cushions and glues can take the heat--some may melt. If you're buying stamps from vendors other than those recommended in Rubber-stamp resources, ask whether their stamps have been tested for this technique, and whether they can withstand the heat of an iron.
Embossing designs on velvet is utterly simple. All you need is fabric, stamps, an iron and ironing board, and a mister bottle of water. Preheat the iron to a medium-hot temperature (I use a dry setting between wool and cotton), then follow the steps in Embossing velvet -- as easy as 1, 2, 3. You can mist either side of the fabric, but I find it easier to spritz the back, after the fabric's in position. When pressing, take care not to move or slide the iron for the first five to ten seconds so you don't blur the image; press firmly for about 20 seconds, and lift the iron straight up off the fabric. If it's not completely dry, you may want to press again before shifting the fabric. If your iron's steam holes show up in the design on your test samples, either move the iron so the holes don't fall over the design, or glide the iron gently after the first five to ten seconds to remove the marks. A little trial and error will make you an expert.
Usually, I scatter the embossed designs evenly over a garment. I never measure or mark the design placement, but just eyeball it to create a pleasing arrangement. Sometimes, though, you may want to measure to make sure that you won't end up with, say, a perfect fried egg over each breast! Since it's easier and more efficient to emboss on smaller sections than on an entire length of fabric, I usually cut out the garment pieces first, then emboss them before assembly. That way, I can place the designs first around the face and neck, where they'll be noticed most, and then work down the garment section. Embossed borders look great, but I stay away from tight borders that have to be matched exactly; I just don't enjoy planning my designs that carefully. I know that there's nothing really new under the sun, but I felt as if I'd made a huge and wonderful discovery in my world when I began embossing velvet. You'll probably find that everyone who sees this fabric just has to touch it, and then wants some for pillows, scarves, clothing, picture frames, or boxes. You might also try embossing with materials other than rubber stamps (see Embossing with other materials). If you invent a new use for the process, let me know!
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
