Help With Drawing on Fabric
 

I am trying to decorate a pocket to look like a ladybug. I have red fabric that I can use to make the pocket. I want to draw the head, wings, and spots onto the fabric. I am wondering if a black Sharpie marker would make a permanent design on the pocket. Will it work? If not, what else can I use. I do not have an embroiderer so it has to be something that I can draw or paint on.

I also thought about using a paint pen, but I do not know how well they work on fabric as far as lasting through hand washing.

Have you thought about applique? You could fuse black material where needed and then stitch around it to secure it. I don't know about Sharpies.

I just checked the Sharpie web site and here is what they say, "We also do not recommend the Sharpie for use on cloth as it may fade or bleed in the wash. Also, over time a yellow halo may appear around the marking."

Ask at your LQS or fabric store if they have any permanent markers.

Go to youtube and put in drawing on fabric, painting on fabric, etc. I just made 2 blouses dying the fabric with Sharpies following the instructions from a woman who had a booth at the Houston Quilt Show. I heat set the ink and plan on washing by hand. So far no problems.

"also thought about using a paint pen, but I do not know how well they work on fabric as far as lasting through hand washing. " This is what the pens were made for. For this small amount of color, you could use regular acrylic black paint. For a larger area of fabric you would need to add fabric medium to the paint because regular acrylic by itself will dry stiff but nothing will wash it out ever. Fabric medium makes it flexible like the fabric.

Sharpie now makes permanent fabric markers. I have not used them so cannot say how good they are. There are a number of different fabric paints that come in small bottles that you can use a small brush to put the details on with. One I use often is by Tulip and is called SOFT fabric paint, another possible solution.

I went to a craft store, and I bought a permanent fabric marker. It went on very easily, and hopefully it lasts well!