I think the idea for this gold paint splatter fabric was sparked by this insanely beautiful gold paint drip dinnerware. Can you imagine eating breakfast cereal out of one of those bowls? That would have to be some seriously chic cereal. I don’t think my lifestyle can live up to that, but what I can handle is some metallic gold splatter paint fabric, sewn into throw pillows.

Splatter paint fabric, in your mom’s favorite colors, sewn into a pillow, table runner, or even tote bag or skirt, would make a fun Mother’s Day gift for a hip mom.

Before I decided on the blush and gold color scheme, I was considering black paint on white fabric, for a monochromatic look that would add a graphic punch to a room. I still might do another round with those colors!

How to Splatter Paint Fabric

Materials

Craft paint
Textile medium – I used both this kind and this kind
Fabric – I used cotton, and a mystery fabric that’s probably a linen blend.

Tools

Paint brush
Mixing cup or jar
Spoon or stick for mixing
Iron (optional)

Steps

1. Mix up the paint with the textile medium. Follow the instructions on your bottle. I used two different types, and one said 2:1 acrylic paint to medium, and the other one reversed the ratio. Being exact isn’t super important here, however.

2. Now for the fun part, the splattering! This makes a big mess, so do this outside. Wear old clothes you don’t mind getting paint on, or a smock or an apron. Wear sunglasses or safety goggles so you don’t get paint in your eyes. You might get it on your face or any exposed skin, so be prepared to wash up when you’re done painting.
The basics are:
Load up a brush with paint.
With one hand, hold the brush over the surface you want to splatter, and gently flick or hit the brush with your other hand.

The amount of paint you have on the brush, how hard you hit the brush, how close it is to the fabric, and how thick your paint is will all affect the outcome. You can thin the paint with water or additional textile medium to help it splatter better.

So the best advice I can give you is to experiment on paper, or scrap fabric that you don’t mind if you can’t use (but maybe you’ll end up liking it). Practice until you figure out what type of splatter look you like the best, and how to achieve it.

3. When you’re finished splattering, let the paint air-dry for 24 hours. I left mine on the ground for a while, then hung it up on a clothesline, then brought it inside because it was threatening to rain. So just put it someplace clean and dry where it won’t be disturbed.

4. Optional step: Heat set the paint after it has dried at least 24 hours. Dampen a pressing cloth with white vinegar, cover the back of the painted fabric with it, and iron the damp pressing cloth and the fabric (paint side down) with a dry iron until the pressing cloth is dry.

Now you can use your splatter-painted fabric for whatever you want! To keep it really simple, you could avoid all sewing and just make it into a raw-edged table runner. Hemming the edges, or at least sewing around them to prevent fraying, is extra credit. I made mine into a couple of pillows. The smaller, square one doesn’t even have a closure–I just sewed up three sides on my machine, put in the pillow form, then hand-sewed the last side shut. For the bigger pillow, I used an invisible zipper on one of the short ends.

Have fun doing your best Jackson Pollack impression!