Dryer Sheets are a fun and interesting way to add texture or other special effects to your art quilts.
The Warning
First of all the warning.
Most dryer sheets are toxic because of all the stuff they put in the perfumes. The toxins can permeate your skin when you wear clothes that have been dried using dryer sheets, and toxic fumes can be inhaled when you iron dryer sheets.
The Safe Way to Use Dryer Sheets
The safe way to use dryer sheets for your clothes, is to make your own or alternatively use dryer sheets that contain natural products.
The Safe Way to Use Dryer Sheets for Your Art Quilts
Dryer sheets when used in your art quilts must be used. So if you’re going to use commercial dryer sheets, when ironing them either wear a respirator or at the very least work in a very well-ventilated area so you’re not breathing in the toxic fumes.
The very safest way to use dryer sheets for your art quilts is to wash them in the washing machine in order to remove all the perfumes and detergents. I generally throw a bunch of dryer sheets in the washer with a towel and wash them on a normal wash cycle. After washing, they still smell a little, but I’m sure most if not all the toxins are gone. Even still, make sure you iron in a well-ventilated area.
Now That We’re Safe, Let’s Have Some Fun
Ok, so you now have pre-used or pre-washed dryer sheets and are ready to paint them. There are a couple of different ways you can paint dryer sheets.
The first is the soak method which will result in solid colors. Mix up a solution of paint and water in your favorite colors. Make the solution as strong or as weak as you want the color to be and the paint can be fabric paint or acrylic paint. I use both types. Then place a bunch of dryer sheets in the solution and allow them to soak. You can leave them overnight if you like.
Once they’re done soaking remove them from the solution, wring them out by hand and allow them to dry. Once they’re dry, set the paint according to the manufacturer’s instructions (usually heat set) and iron.
You can also make multi-colored dryer sheets by removing a sheet from the solution, wringing out most of the paint and then adding other colors using a paint brush, blending the colors together.
An alternate way to paint your dryer sheets is to simply add paint using a paint brush. I like to use this method when painting with Jacquard Lumiere Paints or when I’m painting blended colors.
First soak your dryer sheets in some water so that they’re soaked through.
Remove a sheet, wring out most of the water and lay the sheet out flat on a protected surface.
Then simply apply your paint.
Whichever way you paint them, dryer sheets never looked so yummy!
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Thank you Linda,I knew there must be another method to coloring these little darlings besides using the ‘glimmer mist’ method…looking forward to trying it.Cynthia
Hi Linda your post on dryer sheets inspired me so I have been experimenting with ways to paint them.’
After I finish a painting if I have any lefover acrylic paint I have been painting them onto used dryer sheets. Fisrt I taped down a sheet of freezer paper shiney side up. Then I just laid the dryer sheet on top and painted them. Since I was working on a painting with metallic paints I tried those 1st. I had to use more than the left over paint but when I heavily painted the sheets with the mettallic paints and left them to dry on the freezer paper overnight I found that when I peeled the sheets off the frezer paper the side of the dryer sheets that had been facing the freezer paper had the most beautiful metallic shiney effect. Almost like an sheet of shiney copper. The sheets are quite flexible and now I am wondering if I need to iron them yo set the paint or just use them the way they are. Bronze looked great too and the sheets painted turquoise first then dabbed with copper were quite beautiful.
Hi Laura, It’s great to hear that you’ve been inspired! Using dryer sheets is one of my favorite things. I also love to use metallic paints because they result in such a lovely soft metallic effect. As you discovered, if you use too much paint it puddles on the underside and results in a beautiful shiny sheet.
For setting the paints, acrylic paints won’t need to be heat set, but if you’re using fabric paint then check the setting instructions; normally they are heat set with an iron.
This sounds like fun!
Great, another use for those used sheets to keep them out of the landfill.
I have been using dryer sheets for applique projects for a while. By sewing the sheet to the right side of the applique fabric, then make a small slit in the dryer sheet and then turn right sides out, I have “finished” edges without turning then under.
Hi, I was wondering how well this would work for used dryer sheets. It seems like a waste how many end up in the garbage. I’d imagine they’d have less toxins, so perhaps safer for use? Either way, I’m interested in trying this. Thanks for all the great and interesting tutorials!
Hi Gillian, this only works with used dryer sheets; you wouldn’t want to use new ones.
Linda
Thanks. I’m starting to collect my dryer sheets now ;D