Surface Design on Clothing

Surface design on simple garments, like tank tops, is a great way to combine creativity and practicality. (..and...if it does not go according to plan, you have not wasted a lot of fabric) Lately, I have been creating a few new summer tops. This grey jersey has a lovely feel but it is a little boring so why not dress it up with some stencils, paint, thread and maybe even a few beads.
With this top, I started by drawing the pattern outline shape so that I would have some guidelines to work within. I used stencils I designed and cut myself
(I used window film to make the stencils, you can see how I do this in an earlier post here )

I used a stencil brush to apply the textile paint. The fabric is pinned onto a piece of foam core to keep it from slipping about and also provides a good surface for stenciling

Once I had completed stenciling, the paint was heat set with a hot, dry iron to make it permanent. Next I began adding some "outline" stitching.
With the hand stitching done, I then cut out the top and partly assembled it because I wanted to add a few beads and did not want them to be in the way as I machine stitched the shoulder seams, neck and armhole bands. I left the side seams open for easy access allowing me to continue with hand stitched details and beading

I tend to do the hand stitching and beading in the evenings while watching TV ( Netflix) A piece of felt glued into a small margarine lid makes a terrifically portable beading tray.

I have more of that same grey jersey, so this time I am adding dots. Now, because it would be rather difficult to hand cut consistently perfect dots, I used a commercial stencil for this.

This time, I cut the top out prior to stenciling. I stay-stitched the neckline and armholes to keep the bias edges from stretching out of shape while I manipulate the fabric.

In order to make sure the dots would flow nicely across the bottom, I stitched one of the side seams partly closed near the lower edge to ensure that stencil design would be unbroken

I will post the finished top once I get back to the sewing machine.

Rather than putting up a separate post, this one has been updated to include a photo showing how this top with the stenciled dots looked once completed (with a close up of the stitch detail)