This weekend my friend Rosalia asked me to show her a technique I use to incorporate scrap fabrics, paint and ink on canvas. Since it was a sleep-over, we stayed up extremely late in her awesome art studio and got creative!
Supply list:
- Fabric scraps and trims
- Canvas size of your choice (4″ x 4″ shown)
- pencil, thin Sharpie or other permanent marker
- sharp scissors for detail cutting
- iron & board for pressing
- HeatnBond and/or ModPodge
- paint brushes, paints & related supplies (paint pallet, water, paper towels)
- To find inspiration ideas for a pet fabric painting click here.
- Select the perfect scraps for your project.
- Arrange them “puzzle style” on HeatnBond . Example above shows 1 yard of HeatnBond with scraps ironed in place.
- Sketch design on paper & trace onto fabric (with the HeatnBond ironed on back) OR use reverse side of HeatnBond .
- Remove backing from top layer only of design. This secures the small scraps to each other before applying to canvas.
- After tacking down design details (cat face with attached details & bow tie), remove backing and iron in place on canvas.
- Once paper is removed from your overall background shapes, a nice template(s) remains for future use- so hold onto those.
- Any edges that are not secure with HeatnBond can be touched up with ModPodge to insure image is flat on canvas.
NOTE: Some fabrics are too thick to adequately secure without use of ModPodge. Avoid stretching canvas with hot iron by applying ModPodge to loose edges or stubborn fabrics.

- Draw on your “whisker shadow dots” and pouty/fun/playful kitty lips with sharpie.
- Select fabulous acrylic paint color as background for painting.
- White acrylic paint and fine paint brush create “purr-fect” ear fur and highlights for eyes, or spectacles.
AFTER: Fabric cat portraits with details and background.
- To protect fabric art, apply one or two coats of ModPodge.
- To find inspiration for your fabric pet portrait painting click here.
- For pet portrait ideas – I love Hanna-Melin’s creative genius. Her cats & dogs with glasses and hats are adorable.