I learned it's not like 3D fabric paint.
After using 3D fabric paints for months, I tried using soft touch fabric paints for the first time. I mistakenly assumed "soft" implied that it was puffy, but I learned I was wrong.
Supplies and Stuff
My Dad handed me several pouches of Imagin8 Soft Touch Fabric Paint and asked me to give them a try. I was curious to see how these compared to the Crafts 4 All 3D Fabric Paint I've already been using for months.
I pulled an old backpack out of my closet to try my new paints on. The backpack was riddled with tears, so I thought a large icing design would be a great way to make it look better.
In addition to the packets of fabric paints and an old backpack, I also used the following to paint my design:
Lint roller
Parchment paper
Paintbrush
Popsicle stick
Jar of water
3D fabric paints
Before I started painting, I used a lint roller to clean the front of the backpack I planned to paint over. I probably should've washed the backpack first, but I worried it wouldn't survive a machine wash at its old age. It never crossed my mind to hand wash it which is why I didn't do so before starting.
I placed parchment paper inside the backpack and front pocket in case paint bled through. I used some parchment paper as a palette for mixing a couple paint colors.
Painting the "Icing"
I only used two colors, pink rose and white, to make a lighter pink color. I initially applied a thin coat of the paint with a paintbrush.
At first, the paint didn't seem to adhere to the backpack. I found myself painting over the same area multiple times because the paint appeared thin.
I accidentally got paint on the zipper. I should've masked the zipper before I started painting. Fortunately, the zipper continued to function properly after the paint dried.
I used a lot of the two colors for this part of my design, but I still have plenty left in the packets for another paint project. The $3 USD my Dad likely spent on each packet seemed to be worth the cost for the paint I had to work with.
My Mistake Using This Soft Touch Paint
I made several mistakes while painting, but my biggest mistake was not researching "what is soft touch fabric paint" before starting. I incorrectly assumed it was like puffy paint.
Because of my incorrect assumption, I started applying the paint on thick. I thought it'd do like my 3D paints and maintain its texture after it dried.
However, I later learned soft touch fabric paint is just flexible paint that's soft to the touch and won't crack or crumble. It dries flat and thin, which I realized after letting it dry overnight.
Bubbles formed within the paint and popped overnight. The popped bubbles left dimples and thin spots on my backpack.
I tried to mask the dimples by applying a couple thin layers of paint over it, but my attempt was a failure.
It was a lesson learned and I went ahead and moved on to the next step of my design.
Painting "Sprinkles"
After seeing my mistake, I decided against using the soft touch fabric paints to add sprinkles. I worried I wouldn't get the raised, textured effect I wanted over the light pink icing design.
I used my 3D fabric paints to add multiple colors of short, straight lines over the icing design. Unlike the soft touch fabric paints which takes many hours to dry, the 3D fabric paints dried within an hour.
My Thoughts
The Imagin8 Soft Touch Fabric Paint truly was soft to the touch after I left it to dry for a day. It was thin and easy to paint with right out of the packet.
The back of the packet said the paint would be dry to the touch within four hours, but the thick layer of paint I used took much longer to dry. Multiple thin coats seem to be necessary when using these paints.
The colors by themselves looked vibrant, but a review on Michaels' website claimed the "color washed out." Username MamaTRex shared the following comment:
I saw these and instantly became excited because of the colors. I should’ve known that they weren’t going to last when washed because when they dried the colors faded, especially the white and grey. Very disappointed and it ruined my projects!!
I haven't washed my backpack yet to see if the colors I used fade. The instructions on the back of the packet suggested waiting seventy-two hours before washing. I'll wash this backpack by hand and see if the colors remain vibrant that way.
Overall, the soft touch fabric paints were pleasant to use. I was surprised how much paint I had left over considering how heavy I applied it to my backpack.
I wished I did my research on soft touch fabric paint beforehand. I would've used less paint if I knew it was simply going to dry flat and thin. I don't like the dimples in the design.
However, my mistake of using too much paint on the backpack showed me that there's a lot of paint packed into a single packet.
What's Next?
I have more soft touch fabric paint I want to try on other fabrics. I just need to dig through my closets to see what I can paint on.
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Thanks, and have a great day!
Simply Jelly Jam
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