Stamping on fabric

Fabric is such a great surface to stamp on!

I use natural or white coloured linen, calico or muslin. Muslin has an open weave and it is not easy to get a clear impression, it does give a vintage look to it. To give calico and linen fabric a vintage look you can dye it with tea or coffee. I sometimes add some vanilla for a nice fragrance :)

A huge advantage of stamping of fabric is that you can use the stamped pieces in many different projects. Cards, altered art pieces, fabric collage / books and so on. It is my favourite technique!

Draw string bag materials used:

Coffee dyed Calico 

Tim Holtz Cling Stamps - Classics #1

Tim Holtz Distress Stains - Broken China, Musterd Seed, Peeled Paint.

Front

Back

Inside

Fabric card / book materials used:

Calico fabric, lace and other fabric pieces

Tim Holtz Distress Stains - Broken China, Mustard Seed

Cosmic Shimmer Mist - Peacock Green

Ranger Archival Ink - Jet Black & Coffee

Tim Holtz Cling Stamps - Classics #1

Indigo Blu - Honeycomb Background

Lost Coast Designs -  Wish Upon A Star

Materials used:

Coffee dyed Calico

Ranger Archival Ink - Coffee

Stampendous cling - Bluebird Branch (CRM285)

Crafty Individuals - Chicken (CI-289), Seagull  (CI-344),  Robin (CI-357)

Materials used:

Rangel Archival Ink - Coffee

Coffee dyed muslin

Crafty Individuals - Praying Angel (CI-056)

I had some questions about this technique, this is what I keep in mind when stamping on fabric:

• It is easier to colour the images with (distress) inks on a thinner fabric but the ink is most likely to bleed.
• When using distress inks your project is not washable.
• Acrylic paint is more opaque and can cover the lines, project will be washable.
• You get the best impression when using a foam mat (for example mouse pad) as stamping underground. 
• Contrasting colours like black on light fabric give a good and clear stamped image.
• The tighter woven the fabric, the better the stamped result.
• Most stamps are suitable for stamping on fabric, rubber stamps however give the best result.
• Ink that can be used to stamp on fabric are Ranger Archival inks or Stazon.
• To enhance the image you can outline with a black marker (I use Faber-Castell Pitt Artist pen).

Do you remember?

Need more space, finding new storage solutions… you might recognise this challenge with our ever growing stash. I started a sort of (stash) spring clean with the aim to reorganise and clear out. No need to mention that I was not able to let go of anything! When you are a crafter, every piece of material is a possible – future – project.

While reorganising I found my very first purchase ever… 2 stamps I bought at The Stampman in 2000. I was not actively crafting back then… it actually took another 9 years. Once bitten by the bug.. there was no hope for me and I thought... when did it get so out of hand he he...

Can you remember your very first purchase?

Got to have them

You know what it is like when you find something that is so good that you can't live without it anymore.... well today I found it!

Have you heard of Lily Chilvers and her work at The Octopode Factory? I never had before today and I tell you... if you like different, humour and unique... I'm sure your will love it too.

Her work is available as digital stamps in her etsy store and I purchased some today - something I never thought I would use. Will show you soon what I made with it.

UPDATE:
Wooohooo I found the place where you can buy the rubber stamps, it is lily's blog at Frilly Underware (love that name!). Just click on the link rubber stamps!