How to Create Your Own Fabric Prints: A Beginner's Guide

Fancy making your own one-of-a-kind fabric prints? Printing creative designs onto fabric is a fun way to personalise sewing projects, soft furnishings, and more to match your own unique style. The best part? With just a few key materials and some simple techniques, you can create custom fabrics in no time. 


We walk you through a few project ideas that you can easily try at home. 


Technique 1: Fabric Painting

Textile paints allow you to hand paint freestyle designs directly onto fabric. This versatile printing method is easy to do at home.

What You’ll Need:  

  • Plain cotton or linen fabric – try canvas, poplin, or muslin

  • Masking tape

  • Pencil

  • Textile paints 

  • Soft paint brushes

  • Iron

Steps:

  1. Wash and iron your fabric to remove anything that could prevent paint absorption.  

  2. Secure the fabric corners to your work surface with masking tape.

  3. Plan your design on a piece of paper first, playing around with patterns and shapes.

  4. Lightly sketch your design in pencil directly on the fabric.

  5. Use fabric paints to trace over your pencil markings and then fill in your design. Apply multiple layers to make colours opaque.  

  6. Allow the paint to dry fully. Then, heat-set it with an iron using the highest setting.


Technique 2: Block Printing

This method allows you to hand stamp repeat motifs in graphic designs.

What You’ll Need:

  • Plain cotton fabric 

  • Masking tape

  • Fabric paint or block printing ink

  • Ink or paint tray

  • Brayer (a type of roller)

  • Printing block (see below for details)

  • Iron

Making a Printing Block:

  1. Cut out a simple shape like a circle, triangle, or square from linoleum, soft wood, cork, or foam. 

  2. Glue it securely to a wood block handle for grip.

Steps:  

  1. Wash and iron the fabric, then tape it tightly to your work surface.

  2. Pour your paint or printing ink into a tray.

  3. Using a brayer, roll the paint or ink thinly and evenly onto the printing block. Too much ink will cause blotchy prints.

  4. Press the block firmly onto the fabric, then lift it straight up in one motion to print the motif.

  5. Repeat across the fabric. You can overlap prints in the same or different colours to form patterns. Just allow each layer to dry before adding the next.

  6. Leave the fabric flat to dry, then heat-set with an iron. 


Technique 3: Stencil Printing

Reusable stencils let you repeat the same designs across fabric easily.

What You’ll Need: 

  • Plain cotton fabric

  • Stencil cardstock/plastic sheet

  • Marker

  • Stencil cutter or craft knife

  • Masking tape 

  • Fabric paint

  • Paint tray

  • Stencil brush

  • Iron-on adhesive sheet

  • Iron

Steps:

  1. Draw your motif onto a stencil sheet. Keep your design simple for your first project.

  2. Carefully cut out the design using a sharp blade.

  3. Secure your stencil over washed, ironed fabric with masking tape.

  4. Use a stencil brush to dab fabric paint over the stencil opening, being careful not to apply too much paint or move the stencil. 

  5. Carefully lift the stencil straight up. Let the design dry. 

  6. Repeat your stencilled designs across the fabric.

  7. Once dry, cover the painted design with an iron-on adhesive sheet before ironing it to heat-set the design.


Technique 4: Sun Printing

Sun prints have an ethereal, delicate beauty. It involves arranging objects under UV paper to let the sun expose designs.

What You’ll Need:  

  • Plain light fabric – natural fibres like cotton, linen, or silk work best 

  • Masking tape

  • Any small objects – leaves, flowers, or lace are good options

  • Sun Printing paper

  • Baking paper

  • Heavy books or board

  • Fabric fixative (optional)

Steps: 

  1. Lay your fabric outside in the sun on a flat surface. Tape the corners if it’s breezy.

  2. Creatively arrange your objects on top of the fabric. 

  3. When you’re happy with the arrangement, completely cover the objects with sun printing paper, putting the coated side down.

  4. Next, lay baking paper over the sun printing paper.

  5. Place a heavy board or books on top to flatten the layers. 

  6. Remove the board or books, careful not to shift the fabric and paper.

  7. Leave the fabric in direct sunlight for 30 minutes to 1 hour until the paper is fully yellow.  

  8. Rinse the fabric gently under cold water to reveal where the UV light passed through.

  9. You can apply a fabric fixative to prevent fading.


Fabric Printing Perfection Starts with I Want Fabric

With these simple projects, even beginners can produce beautiful, handcrafted textiles that reflect their unique style.


At I Want Fabric, we understand the joy of creating something with your own hands. That's why we offer a wide range of sewing and crafting supplies, like threads, trimmings, and tools to support your fabric projects. Most importantly, we have a variety of quality and affordable fabrics that make the perfect blank canvas for your printing creations, including cotton, linen, and canvas. 


Browse online today to find the fabrics, tools, and inspiration you need to start creating your custom printed fabrics!