How To Use Mod Podge On Fabric Tutorial

You can use Mod Podge on fabric, paper, wood, plastic, ceramics, terra cotta, and almost anything!  I love decorating furniture with fabric, and Fabric Mod Podge makes it easy. Mod Podge is both a glue and a sealer.

I’ve heard the term Modge Podge used to refer to Mod Podge, and that is perfectly okay!

There are so many formulas of Mod Podge and most of them are interchangeable, meaning you can use regular Mod Podge for fabric or paper or whatever. I’ve also heard Mod Podge pronounced as Modge Podge. Whatever works! 

Mod Podge dries clear and is permanent. My favorite thing to decoupage or Mod Podge is furniture, but the decoupage process is the same for home decor, etc.

Remember the $2.50 sewing machine I bought at auction? The makeover is complete. I transformed the piece into a desk and added a matching chair. I used Mod Podge ® and bold floral fabric to cover the messed-up top of the cabinet.

How to Use Mod Podge or How To Decoupage Fabric to Furniture

First, I will show you how I decoupaged the fabric to the top of the sewing table, and then I will show you how I prepped and painted the cabinet. Backward, but that’s me.

Select and Prepare Your Fabric

The fabric is a remnant I bought a while ago. It was $2.67. You never know when a good find will come in handy. I try to ensure the remnant is large enough to cover one chair seat.

The first thing I do when using fabric in a decoupage project is to wash and dry the fabric, then coat it with Fabric Mod Podge. This is the perfect answer to the problem of frayed fabric ends.

I used my Mod Podge brush to apply a heavy coat of Fabric Mod Podge to the fabric on the top side. (It probably doesn’t matter what side you Mod Podge.)

Cut the Fabric

I let the fabric dry thoroughly, then cut it to the size of the sewing cabinet top. You can see the cut edge of the fabric in the top right bottom photo. No fraying.

Fabric Mod Podge is also great for fabric-to-fabric decoupage. It is permanent when cured, and the items can be washed by hand.

Decoupage the Furniture

I pulled the  Hard Coat Mod Podge formula from my product stash. The Hard Coat formula is great to use on surfaces that will be handled frequently or in high-traffic areas, like bookshelves and furniture.

I first brushed a heavy coat of the Hard Coat on the top of the cabinet and then brushed a heavy coat on the back of the fabric. I find it’s best to cover both surfaces with the Mod Podge before putting them together. More Mod Podge is better than too little. 

Remove Bubbles and Wrinkles

I worked any bubbles out using the Brayer tool. The fabric will be wet for a while. The drying time for the Mod Podge depends on temperature and humidity. The fabric dried to the top with no bubbles. Doing the happy dance.

Seal the Fabric with Mod Podge

After the Mod Podge dried thoroughly, I applied three coats of Hard Coat Mod Podge over the fabric to seal and protect it from damage. The Mod Podge needs to dry thoroughly between coats. I waited overnight to reapply.

The front of the cabinet folds down to reveal a small storage area. It’s just big enough for pencils, pens, and maybe a few small pieces of chocolate.

The Hard Coat Mod Podge cleans up easily when wet with soap and water. It can be sanded to a smooth finish, but I didn’t sand it. The finish has a slight texture but nothing dramatic.

Thanks to Fabric Mod Podge, the fabric edges are clean and straight, too. What young girl wouldn’t love this desk and chair? You could also use Mod Podge Glitter to add a little sparkle. 

How to Repair and Paint a Sewing Cabinet

The sewing machine cabinet had a lot of issues. I removed the machine myself. The JTS is always helping me, and

I gave him a break on this one because he wasn’t feeling well. I peeled off the veneer on the top of the cabinet because it was mostly loose anyway.

Attach Top to Base

The JTS screwed the foldup top of the cabinet to the base so it would not open. Now, it’s just a desktop instead of an opening for the sewing machine.

Sand the Wood

The top was rough where the veneer was removed. I used the electric sander to smooth it out. You can see all the dust from the sanding on the top edges. 

Select the Paint

Next, I found some white paint in my stash. Still trying to use the paint I have on hand. The only paint I buy these days is the oops paint at local hardware stores when I find a good color.

The paint I chose for the project is Delta Ceramcoat Chalk/Matte, color White Lace. As you can see in this photo, one coat of paint wasn’t enough.

Paint the Sewing Cabinet

I didn’t notice until I started painting the cabinet that there was a big hole where I removed some of the working sewing machine parts.

I had the JTS cut a piece of board to fill the hole, but I forgot to get a photo before I took it to the shop to sell. I’ll try to get a photo if the cabinet isn’t sold. I like to be thorough in my photo stories.

Distress the Paint

I lightly distressed the paint by hand using flexible 150 grit sandpaper. I think you are supposed to wax this paint, but I didn’t, and it’s fine.

Add new Hardware

The last order of business for the table was to add a pull. The front of the cabinet had a small drawer area that flipped down, but the knob was missing

.When I tried to put a knob in the hole, I found the hole didn’t go all the way through the wood. That’s not a problem. I just grabbed the drill and finished up the hole.

I found this knob at Hobby Lobby, and as you can see, it matches the fabric I used to cover the chair seat and decoupage the top of the cabinet.

That’s the paint stuff for the sewing machine cabinet, and I shared the decoupage tutorial at the beginning of the post.

Chair Makeover Before and After

I bought this chair, or the JTS did it at auction. I can’t remember, but I’m sure it cost less than $5.

Remove the Seat

Removing the seat is easy; flip the chair upside down and remove the screws to the seat with a power drill or handheld screwdriver. There should be four, one on each corner.

Select the Paint Color

I wanted a nice contrast to the cabinet, so I chose black paint for the chair.

The paint is FolkArt Home Décor Chalk, which covers in one coat. I use a quality paint brush and apply the paint going with the grain of the wood.

Distress the Painted Chair

I distressed the paint by hand using flexible sandpaper and sanding the paint very lightly.

Apply Wax Over Chalk Paint

I did wax the chair because a black chalk finish or matte paint is bad for showing chalky white fingerprints and other things when you don’t wax it. The wax I used is also FolkArt Home Décor.

Cover the Chair Seat

You guys have seen me cover a chair seat a bunch of times. If you need a tutorial, you can find it here….How To Re-cover A Chair Seat.

Only thing left to do is put the seat back on the chair.

Now you have all the details on the sewing cabinet makeover. I forgot to mention that I bought my fabric remnant at Hobby Lobby.

The difference between the before and after is like night and day. Maybe you don’t have anything to be painted or Mod Podged! What about the makeover? Do you guys like it? Did I inspire you to decoupage something?

The supplies for this project can be found on Amazon; click the pink links below:
Hard Coat Mod Podge
Fabric Mod Podge
Mod Podge Tool Kit
Professional Decoupage Tool Kit

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Plaid Crafts as part of the Plaid Creators program. All words, project ideas, and photographs are 100% my own.