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    Home » Decoupage » How To Use Mod Podge On Fabric Tutorial

    How To Use Mod Podge On Fabric Tutorial

    This post may contain affiliate links

    You can use Mod Podge on fabric, paper, wood, plastic, almost anything! I love using fabric on furniture and Mod Podge makes it easy. My favorite thing to decoupage is furniture but the decoupage process is the same for home decor, etc. You might think it's hard to mod podge furniture but it's not. There are so many formulas of Mod Podge but to me most of them are interchangeable, meaning you can use regular Mod Podge for fabric or paper or whatever.

     

    chair-and-sewing-machine-cabinet-make-a-nice-student-desk-when-decoupaged-and-painted.jpg

    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.

    First I'm going to show you how I decoupaged the fabric to the top of the sewing table then I'm going to show you how I prepped and painted the cabinet. Kind of backwards but that's  me.

    How To Use Mod Podge On Fabric Tutorial

    Mod Podge or Decoupage Fabric To Furniture

    The makeover took a couple of twists and turns before getting on the right track. That’s how I roll.

    how to decoupage furniture using mod podge and pretty floral fabric

    I have this pretty roll of wrapping paper I wanted to use for the project. I painted the chair and started to cut the paper to go on the top back of the chair. I immediately realized cutting the paper just right for the curved and angled chair back was going to be difficult. My middle name is “lazy” so I moved on to fabric and covering the chair seat instead of decoupage for the chair. Don’t focus on what doesn’t work…move on….it might be the better option.

    fabric remnant for decoupage furniture project

    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 make sure the remnant is at least large enough to cover one chair seat.

    How To Use Fabric Mod Podge To Decoupage Furniture

    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.)

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    I let the fabric dry thoroughly then cut it to the size of the sewing cabinet top. You can see in the top right bottom photo the clean cut edge of the fabric. No fraying. Fabric Mod Podge is also great for fabric-to-fabric decoupage. It is permanent when cured and the items can be hand washed.

    Hard Coat Mod Podge Formula

    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 those in a high traffic areas, like book shelves and furniture.

    decoupage tutorial

    I first brushed a heavy coat of the Hard Coat on the top of the cabinet then I brushed a heavy coat on the back side 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. I worked any bubbles out using the Brayer tool. The fabric will be wet for awhile. Drying time for the Mod Podge depends on temperature and humidity. The fabric dried to the top with no bubbles. Doing the happy dance.

    Hard Coat Mod Podge on Fabric

    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 over night to reapply.

    How To Use Mod Podge On Fabric And Furniture

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

    How to mod podge furniture using Hard Coat Mod Podge on furniture and Fabric Mod Podge on the fabric for the project

    The Hard Coat cleans up easily while wet with soap and water. It can be sanded to a smooth finish but I didn’t do any sanding. There is a slight texture to the finish but nothing dramatic. The fabric edges are clean and straight too thanks to Fabric Mod Podge.

    Cover a chair seat with pretty floral fabric and use Mod Podge to adhere fabric to a desk

    What young girl or any girl wouldn’t love this desk and chair. It brings a smile to my face. I decoupaged a night stand with girly fabric, changed the knobs and the nightstand isn't even close to what it looked like before the makeover. You have to see it to believe it. Take a look here......Furniture Makeover: Change Drawer Pulls | Paint | Decoupage With Fabric

    Sewing Machine Makeover Part 1 - The Repairs And Paint Job!

    I’m going to show you the paint I used on the sewing cabinet and tell you why I had to drill a hole for the knob although there was a hole there already but it didn’t go all the way through….and more details. Oh, and I also have the tutorial for the desk chair makeover including where to find the fabric.

    Oh, and I appreciate all of the great comments on the “Chock” Paint makeover!

    vintage sewing machine cabinet

    The cabinet had a lot of issues. I removed the sewing machine insides 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.

    use an electric sander to sand funiture smooth

    The JTS added two screws to the top of the cabinet so it would not come open. Now it's just a table top or desk top instead of an opening for the sewing machine.

    The top was really 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 edges of the top. Now the top is ready for the fabric and Mod Podge.

    Delta Ceramcoat chalk matte paint in white lace

    Next I found some white paint in my stash. Still trying to use paint I have on hand. Just about the only paint I buy these days is the oops paint when I find a good color.

    white paint

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

    repairs need to be made

    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. If the cabinet isn’t sold I’ll try to get a photo. I like to be thorough in my photo stories.

    distressing paint

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

    drilling a hole for the new furniture knob

    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 gone. 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. Just grabbed the drill and finished up the hole.

    new drawer knob

    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.

    chair for project

    That’s the paint stuff for the sewing machine cabinet except for the decoupage which I shared earlier.

    remove a chair seat to recover it

    I bought this chair or either the JTS did at auction. I can’t remember but I’m sure it didn’t cost much, less than $5. Removing the seat is easy, just flip the chair upside down and remove the screws to the seat.

    FolkArt Home Decor Chalk

    I wanted a nice contrast to the cabinet so I chose black paint for the chair. The paint is FolkArt Home Décor Chalk and you can see it covers in one coat. Nice.

    Distressing black paint

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

    FolkArt Home Decor Wax

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

    how to recover a 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.

    chair seat replacement

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

    Sewing Cabinet Makeover With Paint I Didn’t Wax

    Sewing Cabinet Makeover

    Now you have all the details on the sewing cabinet makeover. Oh wait, the fabric info. I bought my fabric remnant at Hobby Lobby.

    Mod Podge for Fabric and Furniture

    Mod Podge For Adhering Fabric To Wood

    Fun, fun, project! The difference in the before and after is like night and day.

    Maybe you don't have anything to be painted or Mod Podged! Refresh your stained furniture with stain markers and wax. See how I easily refreshed stained furniture in the video below....

    Tutorial- How To Cover Scratches And Refresh The Furniture Finish

    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

    How to use rub on transfers

    How to use rub on transfers

    Find the blue desk with the Prima Transfer here. See another furniture and fabric project using Mod Podge here.....Changing Furniture Hardware For A Modern Look

    If you’re not familiar with Mod Podge, it’s America’s Favorite Decoupage Medium™. Over the past 50 years, Mod Podge has expanded from the original Matte and Gloss formulas and is now available in 21 unique finishes in a wide range of sizes, from 2 oz. to classroom size gallons.

    Thanks for being here and if you ever have any questions you can email me, [email protected] Have a great day, Kathy

    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.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Suzee B

      January 09, 2021 at 6:29 pm

      Prayers from New Mexico for your dad, and condolences to all on the loss of your mom. Your dad is a lucky man to have his “girls” taking care of him. God bless.

      Reply
    2. Martha

      January 06, 2021 at 10:10 am

      Hi Kathy,
      I am sorry for the loss your family has endured together, and the further difficulties that you are weathering. Eight years ago I was in the same place. You should know that there will come a time when you look back with gratitude that your family was one that could be made even stronger together by these shared weeks. Sad times are still part of the important times in the life of a family.

      I always enjoy your posts. Thanks for keeping it real. By doing so you encourage others (me) to believe in themselves and dive into a new project with confidence.

      Reply
    3. Megan H

      January 06, 2021 at 12:29 am

      You are amazing, Kathy. Sincere prayers for you and yours. Stay strong

      Reply
    4. Cecilia from Georgia

      January 05, 2021 at 11:20 pm

      This post came at a perfect time! I have been working on an old silverware chest and it is taking me forevvver! I finally got to lining the inside and wasn't sure about how to stick the fabric to the wood. Well, girlfriend you made my day! Mod Podge is the bomb!! I am finishing up with the lining and it looks great. Thanks for such a good tutorial. Prayers for you and your family on the loss of your mother and that your father continues to get well and strong. I'm so sorry your holidays were met with such sadness. Blessings for a healthy and happy 2021!

      Reply
    5. Denise

      January 05, 2021 at 5:23 pm

      Hi Kathy,

      I was so saddened to hear of the loss of your mom. My condolences to you and your family.
      I've also been really worried about your dad's health and have been wondering how he's doing. I was so glad to hear that he's out of the hospital. I think it's great that you and your siblings are taking care of him. Definitely the best choice for him.
      I always enjoy reading about your painting adventures. Very inspiring!

      Take care,
      Denise

      Reply
    6. Sharon GD

      January 05, 2021 at 2:16 pm

      I am sorry you lost your Mom and that your Dad has been ill. Sending prayers for continued healing.

      Reply
    7. Karen

      January 05, 2021 at 1:23 pm

      Did you notice the name on the fabric? "GET HAPPY".

      No wonder this project made you happy.

      Reply
    8. SharonFromMichigan

      January 05, 2021 at 9:35 am

      I never knew there was a Mod Podge for fabric! I always thought there was only one kind - I learned something new. My sympathy for the loss of your Mom. You are wise in keeping your Dad out of any traditional rehab centers now. We have lost so many friends that have contracted the virus inside of a rehab facility. I'll keep you and your family in my prayers.

      Reply
    9. Sarah

      January 05, 2021 at 5:55 am

      Hi Kathy,
      So sorry to hear about your mom and the difficulties your father is having. Good for you to be able to take care of him with your siblings. It is a great deal of work. But so worth it and you will have no regrets. I enjoy your posts and your joy from the projects. Thank you for sharing.

      Reply

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    Hi, I'm Kathy!

    The creator at Petticoat Junktion and I love decorating my home. My decor is an eclectic mix......

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