A Textile BluePrint

Has anyone heard of Cyanotype Fabrics? I hadn’t. Until about 10 minutes ago. The cyanotype photographic printing process used by photographers and architects to create blueprints is applied to fabrics like silk and cotton to create that cyan blue ground and white print that is so familiar to us all.  Apparently known as “sun fabrics”, they can be purchased pre-treated by the yard and, while always blue, harbor endless possibilities in terms of design. I imagine fashion and home furnishing designers alike utilizing the concept to create maybe not an entire collection, but definitely a signature piece or two.   I like the look.   It’s clean, rich, bold, and tends to add an artistic flair to anything from a garment or scarf to an upholstered chair or curtains.

As I mentioned, you can buy the fabrics pre-treated which makes the design process a lot less time consuming. I found Blueprints on Fabric, a company in Washington with an ecommerce sight for those of us in other parts of the world. According to their website all products are pre-washed, hand treated and sealed in u.v. protective bags, ready for printing. They include full instructions and are happy to work with you on custom treating.  I may be a bit behind as this process on fabrics is not a new thing by any means, but that’s okay.   I have in fact discovered it and, as a creative business owner, am looking forward to the possibility of implementing it into my own work.  How about you?