How To Create Your Own Fabric Art

The first step in designing your own fabric art, wall hanging is to decide the colors, size and where you will be placing it. Once that’s done, you can choose a suitable frame and fabrics that will fit those criteria.

You will need the following items to begin your project:

1 Frame

Coordinating color solid (stiff) construction paper (for mounting)

1/8 yard of primary fabric

1/8 yard of secondary fabrics

Small pack of iron-on adhesive like UltraHold

1 pair of regular scissors

1 good pair of embroidery scissors (or manicure shears)

Masking tape

Tools: iron

1. Draw your rough idea on a sheet of paper. Remember a few basic composition rules: Try not to put the main subject in dead center, make objects compliment (not compete) with one another--this can be done using softer colors and smaller sizes on secondary subjects and leave enough bare space to give the viewer’s eye a place to rest.

2. Cut construction paper the finished size of your project. Cut fabric one inch larger around than construction paper and carefully pull fabric over back-side edges (squaring up corners) and anchor to construction paper with masking tape. I also cut an 11 x 14 piece to mount the finished project on before framing it, in lieu of using a mat.

4. My project includes a bird in flight set amid complimentary colors that match my bedroom. I ironed the heat and bond on the back of my primary fabric, placed my pattern on the front of that fabric and cut around the pattern (the bird).

5. Using alternative fabrics, press iron-on adhesive on the back of each piece of fabric you intend to use, following package directions.

6. Placing patterns on the bonded fabrics, cut out the rest of your design.

7. Place each cut out on your background fabric to compose your design.

8. Continue to do this with each object you want to add to your project. This is the fun part-- you watching it come together into an exciting design of your own. It is also extremely helpful because you can keep changing anything that you don’t like now.

9. I suggest leaving the project and moving on to something else for a few hours because you will see it differently when you come back.

10. When satisfied with your design, merely remove the white backing (exposing the shiny glue) and press the pieces on with your dry iron.

11. Congratulations! You have made your very own original, fabric art that will match your décor perfectly and last for many, many years but...

12. Your very last step is to discretely sign your work so that it may be identified as yours forever. I suggest you sign a small piece of fabric with an appropriate ink and iron it on at the finish. If you want to mount your project on more construction paper, simply measure the border where it needs to be placed evenly, make small corner marks. place folded masking tape on back corners of project and stick it onto the mount paper.

*Remember, if you use someone else’s fabric design, a license is necessary to re-sell it. If it is strictly your design, you can do as you wish.