Sherry Posted January 17, 2010 Share Posted January 17, 2010 I can't find any suitable wall paper, so I got to thinking about fabric and have a couple of questions for those of you who have done this. 1-Do you prewash the fabric? I always do before I sew with quilting cottons because of shrinkage. But it would be easier to hang with the factory sizing still in it, if that doesn't cause any problems. 2-Have you tried the double faced fusible interfacing with it, the kind you can use to adhere an applique to fabric before stitching it? Seems like that would be a good way to adhere it to the template, but maybe not. 3-and last! Do you just cut the edges even with the template or turn the edges at the room corners under for a clean edge, or leave an extra edge to tuck under the next piece the way you do wallpaper? Thanks for any advice, in advance! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chattycathy66 Posted January 17, 2010 Share Posted January 17, 2010 I used fabric with my BH- I didn't wash it first.... I glued it with tacky glue to a template and used double faced tape to adhere it to the wall....turned over fabric to give clean edge. I liked the way it came out....I was thinking about using fabric for my Willowcrest Girls School.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lynette Smith Posted January 17, 2010 Share Posted January 17, 2010 I don't think washing is necessary unless it is not colorfast (red is particularly bad). The sizing actually helps keep it straight during application. I've used Heat n Bond in my playscale house. Its been on the walls for over 10 years with no problem. I don't really care for fusible webbing such as Stitch Witchery - in my experience sewing it just doesn't hold up. For best results with Heat n Bond, I'd recommend applying fabric before assembly, because the tight spaces is awkward with a regular iron. If you have a specialty iron used in some forms of needlework with the small surface the size of a AA battery it wouldn't be as much of an issue. You could also apply with wallpaper type adhesives. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audra Posted January 17, 2010 Share Posted January 17, 2010 i used it in the living room of the madison. i did not prewash and put it up with mod podge. trim covers any fringe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elicia Posted January 17, 2010 Share Posted January 17, 2010 ditto Audra's comments except I used Elmer's white glue.....wish I had put it on a board so it could be removed if I wanted to change.....hind sight.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caseymini Posted January 17, 2010 Share Posted January 17, 2010 Did you know that you can use old fashioned starch if you think that you will want to change it? Just soak the cut fabric in the starch, squeeze it out and smooth it on with a damp paper towel or kitchen towel. When you tire of it, just pick at a corner and peel it off. I have even used this method on the real cabinet doors in my bathroom. It was on for a few years. When I tired of it, I simply pulled it off and rinsed away the residue with a damp sponge. The cabinets looked as if it was never there. It stays until you want it off. I also use watered down by half Emer's white glue if I want it to stay. One of the first rooms that I ever did over 25 years ago was done this way. It is still as bright as the day I finished it. With that, I brush the glue on the wall and smooth the fabric over it. There is a photo of that kitchen in my gallery, in the "unusual containers" album. It's not a great photo because of the reflection bouncing off of the glass, but you can see what I did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Color Me Holly Posted January 17, 2010 Share Posted January 17, 2010 I used fabric for wallpaper in my DC Madison and Shenandoah (what I am working on) I didn't wash the fabric. I did use spray starch to stiffen the fabric for patterns that have a lot of straight lines. I use modge podge to adhere it to the wall. I paint the wall with MP put the fabric up then paint more MP on top. I use one piece of fabric and go all the way around the room if I can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starfire Posted January 17, 2010 Share Posted January 17, 2010 Using fabric and put on with starch is a simple and cheap way to do any walls. Highly recommend it. lol!!!!!<He He> did my first apartment walls that way with a nice but cheap cotton print when landlord would not ledt us paint and walls were a horrible battleship gray. When we left simply pulled it down wiped the walls and you would never know we had done it. Washed the cotton and made curtains for our next place!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macography Posted January 17, 2010 Share Posted January 17, 2010 I did fabric in bettween the ceiling beams in my magnolia, you just have to use scissors, mark the corner of the fabric which needs to be cut with a sharpie, and use titebond to seal it on, it doesn't yellow with age. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherry Posted January 17, 2010 Author Share Posted January 17, 2010 Well, I will think on it, will probably still do it on a template just in case! I'd like to have coordinating fabrics for walls and curtains, upholstery, etc. Thanks for all the ideas! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smallhouset Posted January 18, 2010 Share Posted January 18, 2010 I've used the starch method on a few houses. I put it in a house I made for my 6 year old neice to play with. She's now 18 and its still on and no problems with it sticking. I also did it on my Tennyson. I did 2 rooms that way. I cut the fabric a little larger than the height of the room and several inches longer than the width, and did the whole room in one piece, including the bay window. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted January 20, 2010 Share Posted January 20, 2010 I used Casey's diluted white glue with the back wall of the travel Trailer's bedroom: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mygrommi Posted February 7, 2010 Share Posted February 7, 2010 Has anyone ever had problems with bugs/insects being attracted to the starch? I've read many times about not storing vintage textiles that have been starched since they can attract insects who like to eat the starch and leave holes in the fabric. I'm re-doing a dollhouse I did in the 1980's. I used wallpaper in some rooms and did not know to prime the walls first and the wallpaper developed dark brown spots. The two rooms where I used fabric for wallpaper still looked great, but I have removed it since I am changing the decor. I did not use starch on the fabric and I have long since forgotten what kind of adhesive I used to adhere the fabric. Thanks mygrommi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starfire Posted February 7, 2010 Share Posted February 7, 2010 I never had a problem with my real life walls but we were not in a humid area that seems to have the kind of bugs that would cause a problem. Anyone else have a problem? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elsbeth Posted February 7, 2010 Share Posted February 7, 2010 This has been a fascinating thread for me to read - I think I will actually try out the fabric-as-wallpaper method, and I'll try the starch (since it's easily removed). I love this place!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted February 7, 2010 Share Posted February 7, 2010 Not with regular laundry starch, but you sure don't want to use the boiled sugar-water starch they used to use on crocheted doilies 'way back! BTW, I made the mistake of using rice & sesame seeds to decorate a mini piece of furniture, painted them GOLD and submerged them in three coats of polyurethane, and the roaches ate every last one!, paint & all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elsbeth Posted February 7, 2010 Share Posted February 7, 2010 and the roaches ate every last one!, paint & all. OMG !! That makes me squirm in my seat. WHat a horror story. (but I also giggled imagining them eating the paint) (and then I shivered again) !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathieB Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 What's really depressing about the roaches eating paint is that their iron constitutions probably didn't flinch ... not even tiny puffs of flatulence. I have to believe the scientists who predict that when the world comes to an end, the last sentient being will be a roach. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just One More Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 That made me laugh. Years ago when I sold it we used to joke that the last remaining things would be cockroaches and Tupperware. I get a creepy feeling just thinking about cockroaches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corwin Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 i used grandma stovers, it was a a dark fabric, but it didn't bleed through. Trim Will hide the loose bits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 I just used plain ol' white tacky glue to hang fabric. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starfire Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 The nice part of using starch is that removal is easy and the fabric can be used again after a rince out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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