How to Stamp on Fabric with Rubber Stamps

Want to add a personal touch to your fabric projects? Stamping is a great way to do it! You can use rubber stamps and special fabric ink to create unique patterns and designs on all sorts of fabric materials.

Materials Needed

• Fabric (T-Shirts, bandanas, tea towels, napkins, white canvas shoes...etc)
• Rubber Stamps or Clear Stamps
• Fabric Ink or Fabric Paint

When it comes to choosing a fabric for stamping, you really can't go wrong. Any type of fabric will work, but some might give you better results than others. You might want to experiment with different materials to see what you like best. In general, lightly colored clothes work best at showing off your fabric ink colors. Cotton t-shirts, banadanas, and linens all stamp well, but stay away from synthetic fabrics and glossy textures.

Recommended Fabrics

• Linen
• Canvas
• Cotton

Pick a rubber stamp or clear stamp that has a design, pattern or monogram that you like. Make sure the stamp is clean and free of any ink before you begin. Try creating a custom stamp from RubberStamps.com to personalize your design so it will come out the way you envision it.

Before you start stamping, it's important to prepare your fabric. Wash and iron your fabric to get rid of any dirt or wrinkles. This will help your stamp design look its best. Remember, once you stamp, you can't go back, so take your time to ensure your fabric is clean and ready.

There are two popular ways to stamp on fabric. First, use pigment ink with your stamp by evenly coating your stamp with ink. To ensure you are stamping properly, follow this tutorial on how to stamp. Once your stamp is coated with ink, stamp onto your fabric and repeat! Once done, heat set your impressions with a heat gun tool or iron. Heat setting will ensure the ink remains permenant on your fabric and can withstand washing.

The second way is to use a foam applicator or brush to evenly apply fabric paint to your stamp. Make sure the entire surface of the stamp is evenly covered, then simply stamp and repeat the process for every other or for every new impression.

Pro Tip: In order to know how much ink to put on your fabric stamp try a few practice runs with a piece of paper or spare fabric you are not using.

Once you feel you are ready to apply the ink to your fabric, unleash your creative side and have fun!