Updated on October 23, 2025
If you’ve ever wondered how to paint fabric, you’re in the right place. I love a good DIY that makes a big impact without spending much. I’ve painted everything from furniture to walls, so it was only a matter of time before I tried painting fabric too!
What started as a painted tablecloth project turned into a full on obsession. Since then, I’ve painted a pillow cover for my living room, more tablecloths, and café curtains for my kitchen. It’s such an easy, affordable way to customize fabric you already have. The best part? You don’t have to be an artist to do this.
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Why Paint Fabric?
Fabric paint can completely transform the look of your home decor. Its perfect for:
-Updating plain pillow covers
-Giving old textiles a second life
-Adding pattern or personality to neutral spaces
-Testing out color or print before committing to a new fabric
I started with a plain beige tablecloth and turned it into something that looked hand blocked and expensive. I love creating a nice tablescape, especially for the holidays so this is the perfect way to have your setting stand out.
I then applied the same method to café curtains for my kitchen. So many were asking where I got these curtains from when I shared 4 Clever Ways to Use Bathroom Accessories in Your Kitchen.
What you’ll need:
- Paint (any acrylic paint and color of your choice)
- Tablecloth, Café Curtains, or any fabric you’d like to paint
- Fabric painting medium
- Stencil (any option)
- Paint sponge (I used a cosmetic wedge to apply my paint but it got a little messy on my fingers)
- An Iron
Pre Wash Fabric
Make sure to pre wash the fabric with softener before painting. I just threw my fabric in for a quick wash and let it air dry overnight. This is recommended before painting.
You can purchase any solid color cotton fabric you would like. For budget friendly options try the dollar store, clearance items at department stores or Amazon. I went with this cotton tassel tablecloth that I found adorable. I also found these cafe curtains which I love! Some now come in pretty patterns too!
Choose Stencil
There are so many stencil options online. I knew I wanted a floral designs and so I purchased this stencil set to choose from for the table cloth. For the cafe curtains, I went with a smaller stencil.
Mix Paint With Fabric Painting Medium
This fabric painting medium is the star of this DIY project. Follow the direction on the back of the bottle and mix 2 parts paint to 1 part medium.
Mix it well and voila!! Now your acrylic paint is ready to be used on fabric!
The fabric medium comes white but dries clear and it does not change the color of your paint! It’s washable and prevents paint from cracking, peeling, or fading! It’s also water based and non toxic!
Apply The Paint
I used some cosmetic wedge sponges I had at home but the paint saturated through and got messy on my fingers. I recommend getting some actual paint sponges to apply your paint.
Initially, I was applying lots of paint onto my fabric but I wanted a softer, more vintage feel so I lightened up the amount of paint and left some parts faded.
The particular stencil I used didn’t have boarders that would easily allow you to continue the pattern. I didn’t really care much for this. My only recommendation when painting on that stencil is to be careful not to get paint on the edges as it’ll transfer onto the fabric. I also overlapped the placement of the stencil so there wasn’t a ton of space in between each pattern.
Heat Set The Paint
Once the paint was all set. I used an iron and set the paint with heat as instructed for 30 seconds.
Now your painted fabric can be washed without any issues! It’s that easy to do a DIY painted tablecloth!
Tips and FAQs
Practice painting your stencil onto a sheet of paper first to see how you like the pattern and color(s).
When using a small stencil, tape around the boarder to avoid getting paint outside of it. More details on my Instagram reel.
Can I wash painted fabric? Yes! Use cold water, and hang to dry. Avoid bleach and harsh detergents.
What kind of paint works best? Mixing any acyclic paint with fabric painting medium or already mixed fabric paint is best.
Does it make the fabric stiff? A tiny bit, depending on the paint thickness but using thin layers helps keep it soft.
Do I need to seal it? No sealer needed! Just heat set it properly and your design will last wash after wash.
My Thoughts
Painting fabric is one of those DIYs that feels way more complicated than it actually is. Once you try it, you’ll want to paint everything! Curtains, pillow covers, napkins, even table runners!
So grab some paint and give your fabrics a unique, one of a kind look!
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