Friday, November 20, 2009

November's Tart Lesson: Painted Fusible Web

In this month's kit, you will be experimenting with coloring fusible web to use on the surface of your art piece. Instead of using the fusible web as a bonding product between two pieces of fabric, you will color it and leave it exposed to add color, texture and depth. The fusible will be a bit sticky when it is first applied to the surface but will lose that tackiness over time. However, remember that any time heat is applied to the fusible web, it will once again become sticky. Protect your iron!!

In the kit you have a piece of Wonder Under which is the fusible web with a paper backing. You will paint the web with a watery mix of acrylic paint. As the glue layer (the web) becomes wet it will partially lift off the backing and ripple. This is a good thing! Try painting two or more colors and see what happens when they bleed together. When the paint has dried, you will iron the web to a piece of background fabric. Cover with parchment paper and iron with a dry iron. Let it cool a bit and remove the backing paper. The results will look like the photo below.

To use the second piece of fusible web, you will be working with Misty Fuse which is the web without a paper backing. You can color Misty Fuse by immersing it in diluted fabric paint (Setacolor, Dye-na-flow, etc.) or diluted acrylic craft paint. We have included a jar of Pearl Ex Powder to add glitz to the Misty Fuse. Put a small amount of the powder into a ziplock bag, add a piece of Misty Fuse and shake the bag to adhere the powder to the web.


Take the Misty Fuse from the bag and lay onto your piece of fabric. With a pressing sheet over the top, fuse with a dry iron.

Try adding a small amount of water to the powder in the bag before you add the Misty Fuse and agitate to color the web. Take it out of the bag and let dry. Fuse to fabric. This gives a more spotty, but shinier look.
You can add foil to the fusible web that is adhered to the fabric in two ways. Lay the foil pretty side up over the fusible web and iron very lightly with an iron to get an overall foiled look. Don't use too much pressure or you will lose your painted web. Protect your iron!

Or iron the foil with the side of your iron to get stripes.

Try trapping fibers and snippets of stuff under the fusible web. Write, draw, or stamp on the fusible web. Mix Pearl Ex Powder into the acrylic paint to add sparkle and shine.