Denim is a true classic. Whether it’s a worn pair of jeans or a favorite jean jacket, denim garments have staying power. That’s why a denim jacket seemed like the perfect foundation for my latest project. The jacket is embellished with hand-painting and accented with cotton thread embroidery. It’s my first project using this technique but I suspect it won’t be my last—especially since this one was a gift and now I want one for myself! To that end, I decided to jot down a few instructions while it’s fresh in my mind. Today’s post will explain how to embellish a basic denim jacket with fabric paint and hand embroidery.
The starting point is a simple denim jean jacket. Be sure to choose one that’s comfortable and fits well. Look for a jacket back with a yoke and a back panel without a center seam. You’ll be investing a fair bit of time to turn this jacket into a one-of-a-kind garment so don’t skimp on the foundation. Once you’ve found the perfect jacket, be sure to wash it at least once before starting your project.
Take your time to choose a design and color palette you like. I selected a mandala design for my jacket and adjusted the pattern to fit the back panel. In hindsight, it would have been easier to select an asymmetrical design for my first attempt. Trying to mirror the design between the two sides, first when painting and then again when embroidering, was a challenge.
I purchased a set of Jacquard Textile Color fabric paints in 8 colors. This was ideal because any color can be mixed from the set of primary and secondary colors. I used matching gel pens to plan the design on paper.
Once I had an idea for the color palette, I made a color swatch to test the colors on denim. My original plan was to follow the colors of the rainbow. But when I saw the sample, I decided to narrow down the number of colors to the below palette of Yellow-Orange, Yellow, Yellow-Green, Green, Blue-Green, Blue and Blue-Violet.
To begin, find the center of the jacket and mark with a white chalk pencil. Then find the center of your pattern and align with the center line of the jacket and the bottom of the yoke.
Next transfer the outer edge of your design. Don’t transfer the entire design at this point—instead work in layers, tracing and painting, from the least detailed to the most detailed. This approach allows for flexibility as the work progresses. Originally, I used Saral Wax Free Tracing paper in white to trace the design but I found a white chalk pencil works better. Simply cut out a paper version of your design, carefully position it into place, and trace around the outside of the template with the chalk pencil. The chalk is much more forgiving than tracing paper since it can be rubbed off easily. This means you can recover more easily if you deviate from your design lines while painting.
After tracing the outline, block in your background with Jacquard Textile Color 123 White paint. Alternatively, you could use Jacquard Textile 200 Super Opaque White. The white base is needed to make the other paint colors show on the dark denim fabric. Block in the design’s outline with a small angled brush; I used a Royal & Langnickel gold taklon size 8 angular brush. Fill in with a larger flat brush such as a size 14 Flat. A wider brush reduces the number of brush strokes that will appear. Allow to dry. Add a second coat if needed.
The next step is to block in the major color elements. Cut out paper templates for these shapes, position carefully and trace around them with a dark-colored chalk pencil. Mark only the outlines for the major elements that will be painted different colors. Don’t trace the interior design lines as I did and as shown in the photos. The reason is twofold 1) the tracing paper lines can’t be removed and 2) it’s easier and more accurate to position individual design elements as the painting evolves.
Working in the same way as before, block in each color element using a small angular brush and then fill in with a larger flat brush. Take care not to smear painted areas as you progress. Allow paint to dry before starting the next set of color elements.
Continue until all color elements have been painted.
After all the major color elements are painted, it’s time to paint the details and add shading. Once again, use a paper template and chalk pencil to draw the design lines. You may wish to first test your technique on a sample. I used the piece of denim pictured below to try shading the outside edges with white paint. I applied a thin line of white paint along the outline with a small angular brush and then blended it into the base color with a dry flat brush. It took a little practice but worked quite well.
Here’s how the white shading turned out.
After all the paint has been applied and dried, apply a coat of Jacquard Textile Color in 100 Colorless Extender. This clear finish will help protect your work. Allow to dry overnight. Then heat set the piece as indicated on the Jacquard instructions “Heat set by ironing on the reverse side for at least 30 seconds at the temperature best suited for the fabric.”
Here’s how my jacket back looked at this point. I’m quite pleased with the color palette and the mandala-inspired design. The white shading around the outlines seems to work. But I wasn’t crazy about the painted design lines in the yellow section. It might have looked better to not paint those lines but I had to cover up the tracing paper lines. Luckily, I was able to disguise the painted lines with embroidery in the next step and it turned out fine.
The final step is to embellish the painted design with embroidery. I used DMC Pearl Cotton (Size 5) with a sturdy needle. Look for a slim needle strong enough to work through the denim fabric and an eye big enough for the pearl cotton. The heavy cotton embroidery adds dimension and volume to the design.
It may be tempting to skip the embroidery but perhaps this side-by-side comparison will convince you it’s worth the effort.
As before, I found the best way to transfer the design lines for embroidering was to use the paper cutout technique described above.
A row of French knots add texture and interest.
I tried several different stitches to outline the design elements. But in the end, a simple straight stitch made with very short stitches, positioned just inside the white shading worked the best.
A threaded straight stitch covers those painted lines in the yellow section that I mentioned above. And to finish it off, a few detached chain stitches accent the center orange petals.
In addition to the mandala design on the back of the jacket, I added small design elements to the flaps of the front pockets. I pulled a sub-section from the mandala design.
Then painted and embroidered them in the same way as the back.
Voilà… a simple, classic denim jacket becomes wearable art!
More Info
See the Jacquard Products website for more information about Jacquard Textile Color fabric paints. The site explains that “Textile Color leaves fabric as soft as possible and holds up exceptionally well to washing.” I’d recommend washing with care and using the delicate cycle.
Gathered.How, publishers of Mollie Makes and other fine craft magazines, provides helpful instructions in their Library of Embroidery Stitches for Beginners.
Today’s Takeaways
1. A classic denim garment can be transformed into wearable art.
2. Add personality and style with a design and color palette you love.
3. Combine fabric painting and hand embroidery for an impactful design.
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