A guide to Fabric Markers - Simple Sew Blog

We now have a great selection of Fabric pens available from the brand Giotto! So we thought you might like to know a little more about what you can use the fabric markers for.

What are Fabric Markers?

Fabric markers are marker pens that contain fabric paint in a really easy to apply way. The pen gives you way more control than if you were using liquid fabric paint and a brush and the great thing is there are no brushes or paint pots to tidy up when you’re done. You can use them to colour in areas you have stencilled, create your own original drawings or even use them with stamps. You can customise, clothing, duvets, curtains, cushions or any fabric items you have in your home or wardrobe.

What kind of fabric should I use?

The smoother the fabric the better when it comes to fabric marker pens. You don’t want rough fabric as it will be difficult to create clean lines. As you are drawing onto the fabric be careful not to linger for too long as the paint may start to bleed into the fibres of the fabric. If possible do a test before you paint on the final piece.

We love this video which shows how well Giotti markers work for coloring in designs on fabric! Just think of all the items you have that could be customised!

What kind of projects work best for Fabric Markers?

Stencilling – Fabric pens and markers are great for using with stencils. Be careful with the position of the pen if you are using the stencil to create an outline, you don’t want the line to go under the stencil, an upright position is best. if you are colouring in the stencil you can either do with the stencil in place or remove and colour in. For very large areas of colouring you may find fabric paints a better option.
Stamping – if you have rubber stamps you can colour the stamp surface with the marker pens then stamp, you don’t need to have additional fabric stamp pads, just work quickly so the ink doesn’t dry out.
Lettering – fabric markers are ideal for lettering as they have a brush style nib which is perfect for creating thin and thicker lines for calligraphy style writing.
Free Drawing – you can lightly pencil in your design and then use the pens to create original masterpieces on your fabrics. Take time to position your drawings, you could always draw on paper cut out and then try seeing where they work best before starting on the final piece.