Hand Painted Bedsheet

I had some baby pink coloured soft cotton fabric in my closet for around five years till I finally figured out what to do with it. I decided to make a bedsheet with matching pillow covers. This is the close up of the hand painted bedsheet with matching pillow covers.

I bought this design from a store and they did the tracing on to the fabric too. He even taught me how to transfer the design to the fabric. ( Carbon copying the design often leaves black/blue marks here and there on the fabric and it looks ugly. Also I was using transparent dyes, so the carbon paper marks would show through the design). Another advantage was, since this was a repetitive design, just imagine carbon copying the entire design..it would have taken ages. Through this method you copy the design just once.

To transfer design to fabric:

Things needed were cotton wool, kerosene, solid boot polish ( or even blue powder, the powder used to whiten white clothes). I used boot polish.

- First the design is traced on to butter paper.

- Place the butter paper on a piece of foam or cushion and using a needle/pin poke holes throught the design, even this lines and curves.

- Place the slotted butter paper design over the fabric where you want the design.

-Dip cotton wool in kerosene and squeeze well. Touch this lighlty over boot polish.

- Rub this over the slotted butter paper.

- Now when you remove the butter paper you can see the design on the fabric as grey dots.

- Keep the the same butter paper wherever you want and repeat the procedure, for transferring the design again.

Different color combinations were tried and I finally stuck to this. After painting, I let it dry for 24 hours and then ironed on the reverse to let it set.

I have yet to get the edgings done for the sheet and the pillow cases and I hope it won't end up as another 5 year plan...;) !