Stenciling, batik, block printing, tie dyeing, freehand painting, silk screen printing, and a number of novelty decorations such as relief and ball point painting, flocking, and transferring pictures are all covered in this well-known introduction. If you have ever wanted to create your own fabric designs, from adding stenciled or printed details to creating overall designs with batik or tie dying, this book will guide you quickly and easily to the best techniques. Through over 350 illustrations and complete step-by-step explanations, the author leads you through every step of each technique from gathering materials and creating designs all the way through until the finishing touches have been completed. Along the way you will have learned basic design considerations — the way each technique creates its own design limitations, two- and three-color processes, the best inks and dues for each technique, the tools (including how to make many of them), the working area set up, and many unusual effects with basic exercises, specific projects, and the best procedures for using all the basic methods you are likely to use. With so many methods contained in one book, you can easily discover the ones best suited to your own time, budget, and needs. In addition, a number of illustrations of completed items give you a better idea of the possibilities of each technique and show the best examples of each. Artists, designers, students, and craftsmen will welcome this opportunity to learn a number of techniques for the hand decoration of fabric. By the time you finish you will be well acquainted with the most successful methods that you can use and can go on to design and decorate fabrics on your own.

Learn how to stencil with 35 bright and contemporary projects. Learn how to stencil with 35 bright and contemporary projects. Nicolette Tabram’s designs are inspired by her travels and textile designs of the world. She shows you how to work with a wide range of stencils, tells you all you need to know about repeating pattern, and includes tips for variations and how to develop your technique. Update your home with colorful pieces: create an inlay-effect painted cupboard; a graphic floral chair; a batik design denim apron; contemporary painted tiles; a Mexican-inspired canvas bag; a monochrome Dhurrie rug, and much more. Many of the projects would make great gifts, too, so why not make some Southwestern notebooks for all your friends, or Scandi-folk napkins for a dinner party. You will soon see the potential for embellishing surfaces with creative stencils wherever you go!

This sewing guide reveals a breakthrough method to simplify learning stitches of all kinds, with more than 100 stitches from the simple to the fanciful. As makers, we tend to learn different stitches over time without thinking much about how they relate to one another. But when Natalie Chanin and her teams at Alabama Chanin and The School of Making began to look at needlework closely, they realized all stitches are based on geometric grid systems. They also discovered that learning new stitches—even elaborate ones—became simple and easy when using grids as guides. In The Geometry of Hand-Sewing Chanin presents their breakthrough method, featuring illustrated instructions (for both right- and left-handed stitchers) for more than 100 stitches—from the basic straight and chain to complex feather and herringbone. Photos of both right and wrong sides are included, as well as guidelines for modifying stitches to increase one’s repertoire further. The book also offers downloads for two stitching cards with the grids on which every stitch in the book is based. These printable cards can be used as stencils for transferring grids to fabric.

Express your creativity all around the house by cutting stencils and painting them on fabric. Once you've seen your first stunning results, you'll want to display your handiwork in every room. The versatility and simplicity of stencilling make it perfect for decorating walls, floors, and furniture, as well as tablecloths and napkins, bed linens, bath towels, window treatments, and all kinds of other surfaces. It only takes a few minutes to learn the basic techniques and how to get the most out of your designs. Stencil a pattern onto fabric and leave it as is for a subtle effect. Or add basic stitching around the edges for a sumptuous, quilted look. Or stencil on needlepoint canvas to create a distinctly rich image. Whichever method you choose, you can apply any of the more than 50 striking patterns, including a Chinese dragon, a spring violet, a summer poppy, butterflies and bows, and more elaborate designs such as a classic cornucopia, garden of irises, and seven cats on a windowsill. 128 pages (all in color), 8 1/2 x 10.