Foil Instructions

By Laura Murray

Select appropriate fabric -- Cotton, silk, ultra suede, synthetics, sheers and velvet (low nap) -- are suitable. Complex, detailed designs work best on smooth surfaces such as silk or acetate. High pile or fuzzy nap fabrics such as fleece or wool can be foiled, but images will be blurry, so it's best to use very simple shapes and accept some raggedness around the edges.

What you'll need: Fabric, protected surface (old towel works great), foil adhesive, foam or brush applicator, design stamp*, foil product, iron (preferably one with a Teflon bottom -- which repels gunk -- but any iron will work).

*Stamps can be rubber, acrylic, foam, etc. Stencils are another great source. Basically, any flat surface with interesting impressions -- potato masher, bottoms of sneakers, trivets, cookie cutters -- let your imagination roam wild!

Note: It's always a good idea to experiment with the technique by making samples to ensure best results.

Step one -- Applying adhesive

• Apply a light, even layer of foil adhesive (with foam applicator or small brush) to a stamp. Stamps can be purchased, hand carved from erasers or any object with a flat, interesting design, such as cookie cutters, mashed potato utensil, etc. -- be creative!

Step one tips

If using light colored sheers for window treatments, you still may see adhesive color (gray) showing through -- This can't be helped.

To produce crisp stamped images --Try the design on silk, acetate, ultra suede or a fabric with a smoother finish.

Step two -- Stamping your fabric

• Place fabric right side up on a slightly padded surface, such as an old towel. Press the stamp -- adhesive side down -- on the fabric in a straight up and down motion. Reapply adhesive each time for even images.
• >Wait for adhesive to dry -- about 2 hours. You can hurry this up with a hair dryer, heat gun, or simply let nature do the work. Once dry, apply foil any time -- months later, if desired.

Step two tips

Adhesive appears uneven -- experience soon illustrates how heavy to apply the adhesive. If too light, foil may not adhere; too heavy, foil will adhere in ridges (which is just another design element!)

Adhesive seems too thick -- add small amount of water until adhesive is consistency of cake batter.

Step three -- Ironing on the foil

• Working with pieces approx 12" square is most convenient. Place the foil on the fabric with shiny (color) side facing up -- next to your body. Color is actually underneath the cellophane, so resist the natural impulse to place the color next to the fabric.

With iron on cotton setting -- no steam, apply foil using a rubbing motion with the side edge of the iron, as shown. The idea is to use the iron as burnishing tool, which means you need to exert some pressure for the foil application.

• I highly recommend using inexpensive, Teflon coated irons for this purpose. If flecks of foil get on the bottom of the iron, a "drag" is created when you go to press fabric. So, best to avoid this problem. Also, the inexpensive irons tend to be lightweight, thus easier on your wrist and arm.

• Note: Foil can be used until very little color remains on the cellophane. As your piece becomes more 'used', each application with the iron will leave small openings on your designs. These open areas can be filled with another color to achieve dimensional appearances.

Step three trouble?

Colors appear to flake (aqua and red are especially prone to this) -- Turn down the setting on your iron, and rub off the flakes with your fingers.

Additional colors won't stick -- Try rubbing off base color by gently scratching with your fingernails.

Foil doesn't seem to stick -- Make sure the foil color is UP (facing you). Press harder with the point of iron (just in case you weren't pressing hard enough). Try turning up the heat of the iron. It's also possible that adhesive coverage is too light, so try a heavier layer of adhesive.

Foil melts -- Turn down iron heat.

CARE

• Wash in cool water, gentle cycle. Air dry -- DO NOT use dryer (foil will rub off, leaving adhesive only).
• Press from back side of fabric, or use a pressing cloth.  Never put hot iron directly on foil (unless you want to remove the foil on purpose).
• No dry cleaning.

OTHER METHODS

• Fusibles can provide the same function as adhesive. Use products such as Wonder-Under, Aleene's (avoid Heat N Bond -- it doesn't work with foil because of chemical make-up different from all other fusibles -- plus it may gunk up sewing machine needles). Simply cut out a shape, bond it to the fabric and apply the foil as shown in Step 3 above. Note: you must recut the shape again if you want multiple images.
• Screen Printing --use the adhesive in the same manner as you use textile paint or ink, wait to dry and apply foil as shown in Step 3 above.
• Air Pen (about $140) -- place the adhesive (thin with water) in the cartridge and draw. This method allows a very fine level of detail.
• Brushesuse artist paint brushes and paint adhesive directly on the fabric, wait to dry and apply foil per Step 3 above.
• Squeeze bottles with fine tips -- place adhesive in bottle -- thin with water and force the adhesive through the tip to create designs. Apply foil per Step 3 above.
• Fusible thread -- Cut 1- 2" lengths, watch them curl up, and place them on your fabric. Cover with parchment paper, or pressing sheet, and iron for several seconds. You can also stitch with the thread (such as satin stitch), and foil as usual.

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