1. © Folens 2009 Learning ladder You must: recognize and name a range of different methods for decorating fabrics. compare techniques to decide which is best to use. You should: consider the user and end product when choosing techniques. design products that include a variety of decorative techniques. You could: annotate technical drawings to describe how to do decorative techniques. describe how each decorative technique is carried out in industry, along with names of machines. Decorating fabrics

2. © Folens 2009 Decorating fabrics (1) Fabrics can be decorated in a range of different ways. Some techniques such as appliqué add texture to the fabric as well as pattern. As well as adding to the aesthetic qualities of a product some forms of decoration also have functions, e.g. adding warmth and protection. When decorating a fabric you should consider the purpose or function of the technique, where it will be used, the fabrics and components that will be used, if the product will need to be washed, who the user will be, manufacturing considerations, aesthetics and the effect you are trying to achieve.

3. © Folens 2009 Decorating fabrics (2) Quality control tip: press each technique as you complete it, as this will give your product a better overall finish. In your exam you might be asked to use notes and annotated drawings to explain how to decorate fabrics. Preparing samples of techniques and writing notes as you do them will help you revise this.

4. © Folens 2009 Appliqué (1) Appliqué is where one fabric is attached on top of another using either hand or machine stitches. It is a good way of using up scrap fabrics and can also reinforce areas that might get a lot of wear and tear, or cover up damage to a product. To do appliqué one fabric shape is applied on top of another or alternatively a shape can be cut out of the top layer and another layer of fabric put behind it so that the appliqué is in reverse. Appliqué is often interfaced to give it body and strength. Bondaweb can also be used to hold appliqué in place while stitching.

5. © Folens 2009 Appliqué (2) The mountains in this appliqué are applied in reverse and the skier is applied on the surface.

6. © Folens 2009 How to do appliqué (1) Lockstitch the fabric shape into place (interfacing can be used to add body and strength). Bondaweb can be used to hold it in place. Machine a row of tight zigzag stitches close to the edge of the fabric.

7. © Folens 2009 How to do appliqué (2) Quality control tip Make sure corners are covered and keep stitches on top layer of fabric not half on and half off. 

8. © Folens 2009 Appliquéd products Appliqué spots on a bag Appliqué design on a hat Reverse appliqué on a jacket

9. © Folens 2009 Quilting Quilting is the sewing together of a sandwich of several layers of fabric to produce a 3D padded effect. Wadding is usually used in the centre of quilting but fabric can also be used depending on the padded effect that is required. Quilted fabrics provide insulation and are often used for coats and clothing. They can also provide protection. Traditionally, quilted fabrics were used under suits of armour to protect the wearer.

10. © Folens 2009 Quilted products Quilted jacket Quilted oven glove Quilted slipper

11. © Folens 2009 Patchwork Patchwork is a technique where fabric shapes are cut out and sewn back together to make a new fabric. This is a good way of using recycled fabrics. A variety of different fabric shapes can be cut out and sewn together. Coloured and patterned fabrics can be used to create images and patterns.

12. © Folens 2009 Patchwork products Cathedral window patchwork cushion Patchwork quilt Football made from hexagons patchworked together

13. © Folens 2009 Embroidery Embroidery refers to the use of threads and stitches to decorate the surface of a fabric. It can be carried out by hand or by machine. There are different types of hand embroidery but they are all time consuming to do. If hand embroidery is done on a product to be sold in the shops this can add to the costs considerably because of the labour costs. French knots Chain stitch Blanket stitch Satin stitch Couching

14. © Folens 2009 Types of embroidery Cross-stitch embroidery is made from small crosses Smocking consists of pleated fabric with embroidery stitched across the pleats CAM embroidery

15. © Folens 2009 Other embellishment techniques Shisha work An Indian technique where small mirrors are embroidered onto fabric. Beads and sequins Can also be used to decorate products. As with embroidery they are time consuming to sew on and increase the cost of a manufactured product.

16. © Folens 2009 Printing and dyeing Printing is the application of a dye to the surface of a fabric to create a coloured or pattern finish. Dyes used for printing tend to be of a thicker consistency than the watery dyes used for dyeing. Dyeing is where fabric is immersed into a dye bath and all the fabric changes colour. The fibre, yarn, fabric or product can be dyed: fibre dyeing being the most expensive and product dyeing being the cheapest method. A product can also be dipped into dye but not fully submerged with the dye being allowed to absorb into the fabric unevenly. This is called dip dyeing. Both printed and dyed fabrics are fixed with heat so they are colourfast and don’t run when washed or rubbed. Dip dyeing

17. © Folens 2009 Natural or synthetic dyes? Originally dyes came from natural sources such as plants, and so on, but now synthetic dyes are used in most cases. Any vegetable or plant that stains can be used as a dye, e.g. onion, beetroot, blueberries. Although natural dyes are sustainable, very large amounts have to be collected and energy costs for collection and preparation can be high and production rates slow. Synthetic dyes are chemical based but a wider range of colours is available and their production can be more precisely controlled.

18. © Folens 2009 Smart dyes ‘Smart’ dyes react to heat (thermochromic) or UV light (photochromic) by changing colour. Phosphorescent dyes store up light energy and transform it into visible light. They are used for fun fashion products and can also be used medically to indicate temperature changes or as a sun warning in children’s clothing. The dyes can be used on fabrics, sewing threads and beads.

19. © Folens 2009 Sublimation printing Sublimation printing is where a design is printed onto special paper and then heat is transferred by a press or heated rollers onto a fabric. The heat causes the dye to turn into a gas, at which point it diffuses onto the fabric. It can only be done on fabrics with at least 50% synthetic fibre content. Sublimation printing

20. © Folens 2009 Transfer printing Transfer printing uses a similar process to sublimation printing but the heat melts dots of wax- based ink that have been printed onto the paper and these stick to the fabric. In school you might use transfer paper. This is a specialist paper you can put through an ordinary printer. You iron the paper onto fabric and peel it away and the design transfers onto the fabric. Transfer printing

21. © Folens 2009 Block and roller printing (1) Block printing is the traditional method by which fabrics were printed. Wooden blocks were carved with designs and these were then coated with dye and stamped onto fabric.

22. Block and roller printing (2) Industrial roller printing uses the principal of block printing by using an engraved roller which rolls across fabric, transferring the image. A separate roller is needed for each colour. © Folens 2009

23. Screen printing (1) Screen printing Screen printing uses screens across which a fine gauze fabric has been stretched. The fabric is blocked off with special gum or a UV reactive solution so that the dye will only penetrate the areas of the screen that haven’t been coated. A different screen is needed for each colour. The screen is placed on the fabric and dye placed along the bottom. A squeegee drags the dye across the screen pushing it through the unprotected areas.

24. © Folens 2009 Screen printing (2) Flat bed screen printing In flat bed screen printing the screens are lowered onto the fabric and dye is applied, and the screen is then lifted and the fabric moves forward to the next screen, then the next, and so on. Photo Courtesy of Lawson Screen & Digital Products

25. © Folens 2009 Screen printing (3) Carousel screen printing In carousel screen printing, items such as t-shirts are stretched over arms on a circular machine. The screens/squeegee and so on, process works the same as flat bed screen printing. The carousel moves around allowing the worker to access the product more easily.

26. © Folens 2009 Screen printing (4) Rotary screen printing In rotary screen printing the screens are wrapped around cylinders rather than being flat screens. Dye is pumped into the middle of the screen which rolls across the fabric transferring the print.

27. © Folens 2009 Other types of printing (1) Digital printers Digital printers look like ordinary printers but they print directly onto fabric. The machines are expensive but they can significantly increase production as the fabric printing stage is quicker. Digital printers can also be used for rapid prototyping where pattern shapes can be printed with the fabric design ready for manufacturing.

28. © Folens 2009 Other types of printing (2) Discharge printing Discharge printing refers to the printing of a paste/bleach that removes colour from an already dyed dark fabric, e.g. white spots on a black fabric. Flock printing Flock printing refers to a fabric that has been printed with a glue to which fibre snippets are applied. This produces a fabric with velvety areas.

29. Continuous dyeing When larger amounts of fabrics are being dyed, continuous dyeing systems are used, where the fabric is fed through a small dye bath and then through rollers that ensure the dye penetrates the fabric. The fabric then passes through a fixing machine. This is one continuous process with completed dyed and fixed fabric being produced. © Folens 2009 Industrial dyeing (1) Batch dyeing When dyeing batches of fabric/products the items are placed in a dye bath and moved around by winches or pushed around by high-pressure jets.

30. © Folens 2009 Industrial dyeing (2) Semi-continuous dyeing Semi-continuous dyeing works in the same way as continuous dyeing but the dyed fabric is put onto a roller and is fixed by being placed in a heated docking station. Continuous dyeing machine

31. © Folens 2009 Resist dyeing – tie and dye (1) Resist dyeing is where something is applied to the fabric to ‘resist’ the dye. Tie and dye involves fabric being tied with string, elastic bands or in knots and then dipped in dye. The way the fabric is tied and folded changes the pattern that is made.

32. © Folens 2009 How to do tie and dye

33. © Folens 2009 Tie and dye products

34. © Folens 2009 Resist dyeing – batik Batik is a resist technique that uses wax to resist the dye. Hot wax is applied to the fabric using a tjanting tool and when cool the fabric is dipped in the dye. When the fabric is dry the wax is ironed off with absorbent paper. A characteristic of batik is the cracking of the wax which gives a distinctive fine line cracked effect on the fabric. In industry, rollers can print wax onto fabric. Silk painting uses Gutta as a resist is similar to batik. Batik resist Source: http://www.batikguild.org.uk/index.asphttp://www.batikguild.org.uk/index.asp

35. © Folens 2009 Revision tip Remember the different methods of decorating fabric by making a word and phrase from the first letter of each technique heading. PDQ PEAS – Pretty Damn Quick PEAS Printing Dyeing Quilting Patchwork Embroidery Appliqué Sequins and beads

36. © Folens 2009 Extension (1) The manufacturer would like to put colour and pattern onto a fabric. Name two different methods they could use to decorate the fabric. Use notes and diagrams to describe how to do appliqué.

37. © Folens 2009 Extension (2) Explain why appliqué would be a suitable technique to decorate a textiles product with. Revision tip The wording of this question could be changed to include any method of decorating a fabric.