The Next Fix

Painting and printing on fabric opens up a world of decorative possibilities. You can use special fabric paints to paint free-hand, transfer designs with crayons and inks, or try batik work. Printing with blocks and stencils are particularly easy ways to decorate fabric – the effects are almost magical. Any of these techniques can be used alone or in combination to decorate a variety of soft fur­nishings, including curtains, cushions, wall hangings, and bed and table linen.

As an introduction to painting fabric, why not try out your design first on paper with ordinary paints. Before you start to paint the fabric, stretch it tightly over a padded surface using low-tack masking tape (you should always do this when painting or printing on fabric), then transfer the basic outlines onto the fabric. A soft-leaded pencil – but not too soft – is ideal for this, and will wash out in the first wash. Now start painting!

If you are nervous about copying a very detailed pattern or creating one of your own in free-hand, transfer crayons and inks are a good alternative. They give you considerable control and are very easy to use. Draw or trace your design onto paper, then color it in with the transfer crayons or inks. As soon as the colors are dry, place the paper with the colored side down on the fabric and press with a medium-hot iron. Test out the colors on a scrap of the main fabric you are using first – they look posi­tively dull on paper but turn into brilliant hues once they have been exposed to heat.

Batik

The Javanese are the acknowledged masters of batik. This form of decorating fabric involves the process of resist dyeing, in which the design is first drawn in melted wax, applied to the fabric writh a brush or a tool known as a batik needle (this consists of a han­dle to which is attached a small metal cup finishing in a slender spout). The prepared fabric is then immersed in a cold dyebath: the wax resists the dye and the pattern is formed. The fabric may be waxed and dyed a number of times, building up layers of color in ever more complex designs. The decora­tion will not reveal its full glory until after the final dyeing, when all the wax has been removed.

Decorative wall tiles date back to hundreds of years B.C., when they were first used by the Egyptians to adorn their temples and tombs. Over the centuries, different countries developed their own particular designs, shapes and uses for tiles. In Holland, blue-and-white Delftware tiles were put behind beds, on staircases and around window frames, while in America; large tiles were used in the hallways of grand buildings. Italian craftsmen produced a very different effect by covering their tiles in wonderful transparent glazes. In Victorian Britain, it was fash­ionable to have individual family portraits painted onto tiles, while in France, seascapes, often in paint­ed in yellow with a blue background were pre­ferred. As well as being highly decorative, tiles are, of course, eminently practical. As they are adaptable, cool and easy to clean, they are particularly popular in hot countries, especially Spain and Portugal.

For practical purposes, tiles are often used as wall coverings between units in kitchens and bathrooms. An attractive idea for a kitchen wall is to dot single decorated or picture tiles at random among plain ones or to arrange a group of tiles to form a mural.

You can easily paint plain white tiles yourself, either singly or in a group to form a mural. However, it is important to remember that because they haven’t been fired in a kiln, your own painted tiles will not stand up to being scrubbed. Before you begin, clean them using a damp cloth. If you are not particularly confident about painting, use a stencil or create a simple pattern in spots or stripes, which can then be used as a border. If you intend to paint free­hand, draw the design in pencil before you apply the paint – the pencil markings can be rubbed out when you have finished. A clever idea for a kitchen is to paint individual tiles with objects that you or your family particularly like. This could be anything from a jar of jam to a ladybird. One of the most popular designs for painted tiles is the Delft look, which originated in Holland.

When curtains were first used in the seventeenth century, they were always hung from a rod by rings. Their decorative potential was completely over­looked. They were not hung as a pair at first, but usually consisted of a single length of linen, silk or taffetta, which served to screen out sunlight and no more. It was left to bed-hangings to provide privacy and insulation at night. These were made of the heaviest and richest material that each household could afford, and were lavishly dressed and trimmed. This treatment was eventually extended to curtains and, by the eighteenth century, pairs of cur­tains were a familiar sight. These were often fes­tooned or swagged and were finished with a decorat­ed pelmet or valance.

The humble curtain rod was transformed into a highly decorative item that was often carved, gilded and finished with finials based on classical motifs such as laurel wreaths and animal heads. These were draped with generous lengths of material in a variety of styles, and often included a second curtain of a lighter material. The Biedermeier period, which flourished in Germany between 1820 and 1860, adopted a much more low-key approach, and cur­tains were once again simply hung from brass rods. As a variant, fabric was sometimes casually wrapped around the pole and combined with a blind.

Curtain treatments

Today, poles are made from a variety of materials, including wood, brass, steel and iron. They are also available papered, painted and stencilled. Finials range from a plain ball to beautifully carved pieces such as spear and arrowheads, pineapples, artichokes, shells and flowers. When choosing a pole, try and match it to the style of curtain.

Tabs – loops of fabric attached to the top of the curtain – are one way to hang curtains; they can match or contrast with the main fabric. A tassel or other decorative device can be added at the bottom of each tab. A slot-heading consists of a fabric sleeve that is ruched up along the pole. Spotted muslin looks pretty treated in this way, although any light­weight material can be used.

Although any curtain heading tape can be used for curtains on poles, the easiest curtains to hang are self-lined and have ties that can be attached either to the pole or to rings. Make the ties from the same fabric or use a contrasting material or ribbon.

There are various methods you can use to decorate plain modern fabric or card lampshades. In the nineteenth century, lampshades were made of fabric trimmed with gathered silk or lace, or hung with fringes around the base. If you like this look, you can add a broderie anglaise or lace trim to a plain fabric lampshade or use a piece of lace to cover the whole shade. Tuck a very small hem of lace over the top of the shade and glue it in place. It looks pretty if you allow the lace to fall below the bottom edge of the shade. Alternatively, you can cover a bare strutted frame with lace lined in a plain fabric, which has been gathered with ribbon at the top and bottom. Secure the covering to the frame by sewing the inner lining fabric to the top and bottom rings.

By the 1920s, lampshades made of parchment or vellum were very popular. These were often hand-painted with landscapes or seascapes, or had a scenic print stuck centrally to the front of the shade. Modern card and card-backed fabric lampshades can be treated in the same way, using either acrylic or oil-based paints. As the project on the right shows, animal-skin markings are easy to simulate – you could also try tiger stripes or leopard spots. Alternatively, ready-cut clear acetate stencils are flexible enough to be used on the curve of a lamp­shade, and there are plenty of good designs around to choose from. An even easier option is to stick cut­outs onto the shade. This could be either a print or images taken from wrapping paper or wallpaper (remember that you can always increase or decrease the size of the image on a black-and-white or color photocopier).

Another easy way to transform a lampshade is to introduce some form of trimming at the top and bottom of the shade, such as a braid, rope or fringe. This can either match the color of the shade or you can use it to provide contrast. For example, if your color scheme is predominantly pale blue and you have chosen an off-white shade, a complementary pale blue trim will provide a good contrast.