Like I Had 'Em Painted On

September 04, 2013

Like I Had 'Em Painted On

Well they were painted on, my grosgrain ribbon look stripes.

This is a detail I added to my handmade dropcloth Roman shades. Click here for how-tos for that project. And click here to see the look I was going for. You could also try it on store bought shades. Just make sure you slip plastic or wax paper between the front fabric and lining so the paint doesn't seep through.

Here are some things I ued. Sorry for the out of focus shot. That's Golden Fabric Painting medium. I mixed that with some navy blue paint I had in the basement. I used a stencil brush to get the paint on the fabric, but a small foam roller would probably work wonders and save time.

The stripes were painted on after I sewed together my Roman shade out of a drop cloth. That's one 9x12 drop cloth that turned out three lovely shades. Only $15 for all that fabric.

To paint the stripes, I used a T square as a guide for the width of the stripes, placing painter's tape on either side . Make sure you press the edges of the tape down to keep the paint from running outside the lines.

It looked like this once I got all the tape on. Smooth out the fabric as best you can.

Now all I need is a little paint!

I mixed the fabric medium with the latex wall paint in a jar. I'd say it was about a 1:3 ratio. Of course, you can use fabric paint if you have that. I just like to work with what I've got.

I painted a similar stripe on the valance, too.

I draped the shades out on the balcony for about 2 hours. It was super hot and dry that day. If you dry them inside, you may need to wait longer.

Then I brought them inside and started assembling the shades.

Complete list of supplies needed for painting:

Your shade

Fabric medium (I got mine at Michael's)

Latex wall paint (or fabric paint)

Stir stick

Stencil brush

Painter's tape

Scrap paper to go underneath the shade (prevents the floor or table from getting painted)

A T-square or ruler that is the width of the stripe you want to make

Damp rag or paper towels for cleanups

Here are some tips:

Practice on some scrap fabric first.

Press the painter's tape down so it sticks to the fabric. That keeps the paint from bleeding.

Put something (paper, cardboard, a drop cloth you won't be turning into a shade) underneath where you'll be painting. The paint will seep out the back and get on your floor if you don't. If you wait until the paint dries, the paper underneath will stick to the shade.

Be VERY careful when removing the tape after painting. Unlike painting a wall, you can't just easily wipe off a smudge from your fabric.

A damp cloth is handy for wiping off wet paint fingers while you remove the tape.

When you first get the paint on your stencil brush, dab it on a scrap of fabric so it's not dripping with paint.

Put your brush down the first time in the middle of the stripe, away from the tape edges. Then dab, dab, dab closer to the tape edges. That way you'll be less likely to have bleeding edges. I did this and had no problem getting nice clean lines.

Take your time. Put on some good music and get comfortable. You'll be staring at your shades for years hopefully, so a few extra minutes of stenciling is worth it.

*Note: these instructions are for an unlined shade. If you are making a lined shade. You would paint the fabric before you sew in your lining, but before you glue on battens (wooden dowels).

Oh and 10 points to anyone who got my post title reference. Make that 100 points. What I can't believe is that this commercial was from 1980! And I remember it!