“But … can you wash it?”

“Can you wash it?”

That’s a question I hear a lot when teaching students about textile paints in my surface design class. Usually I don’t really care if I can wash something I’ve painted, because it’s going to hang on the wall, and not go on a bed. But this week, I’ve been painting a shirt, and I’m sure I will eventually need to wash it!

I started out with a black-and-white linen shirt I purchased at a discount store on sale at the end of the season for an amazing $10. I thought it would be fun to paint it pink and green, just like “Pink Petal Party,” the quilt featured in my new book, Appliqué Petal Party. I’m going to be autographing copies this Sunday at Quilt Market in Houston in C&T Publishing’s booth, and thought it would be fun to wear something that tied in with the quilt.

I used Jacquard Textile Color, since I already had it in the hot pink and green I wanted. I mixed the hot pink with some white to make the paler pink. When I was done painting, I started ironing it (Jacquard recommends heat setting for 5-10 minutes with an iron.) Then, realizing I didn’t have time to hang around and hold the iron for 5-10 minutes on each section of the shirt, I put it on the drier on the hottest setting for about 20 minutes. Then I put it in the wash, using regular detergent and cool water. I threw in a dye magnet just in case.

But I shouldn’t have worried. It came out perfect. The color was just as strong as when it went in, and there was absolutely no color on the dye magnet. So now I know how to answer my students who ask, “Can I wash it?” If you use Jacquard Textile Color, the answer is yes. As I experiment with the other textile paints I use, I’ll post my results here.

If you are going to Quilt Market or Festival, come see me (and on Sunday, see my shirt)!

I’ll be autographing copies of Appliqué Petal Party in C&T’s booth on Sunday, Oct. 11 from 3 to 3:30 p.m.

I’ll be doing two Open Studios sessions on the floor of Make it University demonstrating wholecloth painting techniques and machine quilting and thread sketching on Friday, Oct. 16 from 12:40 p.m. to 2:40 p.m., and on Saturday, Oct. 17 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Next week, I’m going to try to take lots of photos at Market and Festival to share with you. If I can get a good internet connection at my hotel, I’ll be posting during the week!