How to Dye Fabric with Paint

Step 1) Dilute your paint

We advise mixing your paint with water in approximately a 1 part paint to 8 parts water ratio, however this is not an exact recipe. You can play around with it as desired. Make sure it’s well mixed before you continue.

Step 2) Wet the fabric

To help get an evenly colored finish, it’s best to dip your fabric in clean water and wring it out before dyeing.

Step 3) Dye the fabric

We recommend wearing gloves for this step!
Although our paint is and very safe, it’s a good idea to protect your hands to avoid messes and getting paint stuck under your fingernails.

Dip your damp fabric into your diluted paint mixture and stir gently to ensure every inch is covered. Once you’re satisfied with the coverage, wring the excess out and hang to dry.

Step 4) Wash your fabric

After your dyed fabric has fully dried (2-3 days), put it through the washing machine before using it.

Painting & Stenciling on Fabric

Step 1) Pour off some paint

Fabric painting is very versatile; you can use stencils like Rosanne has in this tutorial, or you can experiment with stamps and free-hand painting.

It’s a good idea to start by pouring off a small amount of paint onto a disposable plate or container before beginning so you don’t accidentally contaminate your whole jar of paint.

Step 2) Lay your fabric out

Lay your fabric out on a flat surface. To protect your table tops, add a piece of cardboard or some newspaper underneath your project. If you are using a stencil, lay it out on top of your fabric. For small stencils like we are using in this tutorial, you won’t have to worry about adhesive; you can just use your hands to hold the stencil in place.

Step 3) Dab on your paint

We like using our wax brushes for stenciling, but you can also use a foam brush as Rosanne does in these pictures. If you are free-hand painting, you can use any synthetic-bristle brush you’re comfortable with.

For stenciling, you don’t want too much paint on your brush it can bleed underneath the stencil. Dab the paint gently onto your stencil, and as soon as you’re done you can remove the stencil. You can now hang your project to dry.

Step 4) Wash your fabric

Before you wash your painted fabric, we recommend waiting at least 2-3 days so the paint has a chance to fully dry.

The finished look:

Don’t you just love fabric painting? There are so many options, so get creative!

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We would love to hear what projects you’re working on, so make sure to leave a comment or post a picture of your project to our Facebook page or Instagram (@countrychicpaint)!