Shiva Artist’s Paintstiks are oil paints in a crayon form. Made of wax, a low-acid linseed oil and pigment, they are suitable for use on fabric – and easier to control than liquid paint.

• The iridescent Paintstik colors are my favorites. They show up beautifully on dark fabric (due to the light-reflecting quality of the “shiny stuff”) and they glide easily over the fabric when making Paintstik rubbings.
• Titanium White (a matte color) is very useful as a base when stenciling on dark fabrics. The opaque white acts like a primer and makes it easier to achieve bright colors.
• Avoid the Colorless Blender when working on fabric, as it will yellow over the course of several years.

Rubbing Plates are sheets of fabric with a pattern embossed in the surface. If the design elements are spaced far enough apart, they can be used to make Paintstik rubbings on fabric.

• Cedar Canyon Textiles rubbing plates have been designed specifically for Paintstik rubbings.
• Some rubbing plates from other companies (Roylco) are also quite useful.
• Please note that the Cedar Canyon Rubbing Plate product line is now owned by Jack Richeson & Co.
• A myriad of textures from around your home, garage and studio can be used for Paintstik rubbings – you’ll be surprised what you find if you keep your eyes open to the possibilities.

Stencils of all kinds can be used for adding painted designs to fabric.

• Precut mylar/plastic stencils are available from a wide variety of sources.
• You can easily cut your own stencils from freezer paper and use a warm iron to adhere the stencil to your fabric.

A Grip-n-Grip is a silicone non-slip mat that prevents the things you are working with from sliding around on your work surface. The mats are particularly helpful for:

• Keeping rubbing plates from sliding around as you paint
• Keeping fabric in place when stenciling
• The Grip-n-Grip mat is made by Bear Thread Designs

Sticky Spray (temporary repositionable adhesive) is something I use a lot. I call this stuff Post-It Notes in a can, because that is exactly how it works.

• 404 Spray and Fix (by ODIF) is the product I use most often. It retains its “stickiness” longer than other products, but should be used in a well-ventilated area. Available from Artistic Artifacts and Sew-Craft.com.
• KK2000 (by Sulky) has the advantage of being non-toxic, but it does not stay sticky as long as 404. Available from Laura Murray Designs and many sewing machine dealers.

Stencil Brushes: When stenciling with Paintstiks, I prefer dense, short-bristled brushes for faster, opaque coverage. I prefer standard, longer-bristle brushes when I want to avoid brush marks.

• Jack Richeson & Co has a line of short-bristle stencil brushes that work very well with Paintstiks.

Cleaning Supplies: There are several cleaning products that I always keep on hand in my studio.

• Cedar Canyon Brush Soap (also sold as Jack’s Linseed Studio Soap) is an oil-based cleaner that works incredibly well for Paintstik cleanup tasks. It’s gentle on your skin, non-toxic and will even remove Paintstik color from clothing.
• Citra-Solv is a concentrated orange-based cleaner. It cuts through paint and sticky spray, but is not quite as gentle as the brush soap. (But it’s much nicer to use than solvent-based cleaners!)
• I also keep a sticky-spray-remover on hand. Just take care that you use it in a very well-ventilated area. The fumes are very strong.

Silhouette Tools and Supplies: I have found a number of tools and supplies to be better suited for fabric-related work with Silhouette Cutting Machines.

• If you are purchasing a machine, look for a bundle with tools and some Oracal 651 bundle. The new Cameo 3 machine will be shipping in August 2016.
  Silhouette Cameo 3 Bundle with Guide Books, Vinyl and More!

• Extra Blades are always a good idea. The regular blade (black casing) is identical to the Fabric Blade (blue casing). I have not tried the Premium blade, so I can’t offer an opinion on it.
  Silhouette Replacement Blade

• A 12″ x 24″ mat is very helpful when you want to scale projects up to a larger size. Silhouette Cameo 12-Inch By 24-Inch Cutting Mat

•  Of all the Silhouette tools, the hook tool is the one I use the most. (If you purchase a machine with a tool bundle, the hook will most likely be included. If not, the hook is included in the tool set listed here.)
  Silhouette Cameo Digital Craft Cutter Dust Cover and 4 Tools

• Designer Edition Software
  There are a number of good features in the Designer Edition version of the Silhouette Studio software. The least expensive way to upgrade is to purchase an upgrade card on Amazon. (Designer Edition Plus allows you to open machine embroidery files.)
  Silhouette Studio Designer Edition Upgrade Card
  Silhouette Studio Designer Edition PLUS Upgrade Card
  

• Press-on / Peel-off stabilizer (or freezer paper) will stabilize fabric for cutting when you don’t want to use fusible web. (This is OPTIONAL for class.)
  Pellon Fuse-N-Tear Stabilizer – 12-Inch by 12-Yard Roll
  Sulky Totally Stable Stabilizer – 12-Inch by 12-Yard Roll

• 7-mil stencil plastic is good for cutting permanent stencils (if 25-pack is not available, check availability of other sizes or 4-packs)
  Grafix Clear Craft Plastic 7mil 12-Inch by 12-Inch, Pack of 25
  Grafix Clear Craft Plastic 7mil 8.5-inch x 11-inch, Pack of 25

• Outdoor/Permanent vinyl works well for Renegade Stenciling on fabric. (The removable vinyl is not sticky enough. Look for Oracal 651 or something similar.) Choose gray or a neutral color for ease of judging color while you are stenciling. (Or grab a color assortment that makes you happy!)
  Expressions Vinyl 5-pack of adhesive vinyl – 12″x12″ permanent – Grey (glossy)
  For large amounts, I purchase Oracal 651 in 12″ rolls from HH Sign Supply.
  Oracal 651 Vinyl 12″ x 25 yards

• UPDATE: The new Silhouette Glossy Vinyl is suitable for use on fabric. My side-by-side comparison with Oracal 651 showed no significant difference between the two. Make sure you are purchasing the Glossy vinyl. The matte (premium) vinyl does not work well.
  Silhouette Glossy Vinyl 9″ x 10 feet
  Silhouette Glossy Vinyl 12″ x 6 feet

• Transfer tape (or transfer paper) is used to move vinyl stencils from the backing paper to fabric.
  Oracal Transfer Tape with Grid – 5 12″x12″ sheets
  For large rolls, I purchase Clear Choice High Tack tape from HH Sign Supply.
  Clear Choice High Tack Transfer Tape 12″ x 100 yards