How To Emboss Velvet

Wool in winter, cotton in spring, silk for summer, I love how each season brings with it opportunities to play with new fabrics and textures. When it comes to fall, there’s one fabric I crave above all the rest: Velvet.

Soft, supple, and deeply hued, velvet adds a richness to your wardrobe and decor more than any other textile – it’s the perfect accompaniment to crisp fall days. As you prep for the season, try experimenting with this gorgeous fabric by creating embossed designs using a modern version of a technique that has been around for centuries. With just a rubber stamp and an iron, you can create iridescent patterns that add even more texture and beauty to this incredible fabric.

Materials:

Velvet fabric (a rayon/acetate blend works best)

Flat rubber stamp

Iron (without steam holes works best, but you can also cover the plate with aluminum foil)

Water

I used peel and stick stamps for this so I could create my own repeating pattern. To create the stamp, I used double-sided tape to adhere the stamps to a block of wood. Traditional rubber stamps work as well. With the steam turned off and the reservoir emptied of any water, heat the iron to the ‘cotton’ setting. If your iron is one with steam holes, cover the plate with aluminum foil before heating.

Next, place the stamp image-side up on an iron-safe work surface, dampen the stamp with water, and place the velvet soft-side down over the stamp.

Place the heated iron over the velvet and press down, moving the iron side to side.

After a few seconds, remove the iron and allow the velvet to cool before lifting it from the stamp. Repeat until you’ve created the desired pattern. Well-embossed velvet should stay throughout wear and tear, however it is best to hand wash the item gently in a mild detergent if you need to clean it.

More DIY ideas from the BLDG 25 blog.