Painting on Fabric – Coloring in a Design

I’m embroidering a picture on fabric. I found the design on an American website, and after I finish embroidering it, I’ll color it in, just like in a coloring book.

Does anyone know what kind of paints to use for this? The finished piece should be washable.

What kind of paints are used to paint the faces of crocheted dolls? Maybe those paints would work. 

So is this crosscrafting? You really always do interesting things 👍🏻😃.
I haven’t painted on fabric very often... but I’ve had good results with Marabu fabric paint. It’s easy to apply, sets when ironed, and holds up to 60 degrees when washed.

Hi Karola, I didn’t find what I’m looking for with Crosscrafting.

But I think Marabu fabric paint will probably be too bold. I’m imagining something very delicate with pastel colors. 

Why don’t you check out “Amazonas,” Petra? They have washable fabric paints, including pastel shades.

Do you want to color in the designs only after you’ve finished embroidering?
I imagine it would be hard to do that without getting paint on the thread.
I now have various liquid paints that you apply with a brush and set by ironing.
Most of the time, I only needed a single color, so I just used whatever I had on hand. I’ve also mixed them together… and that worked, too.
So you could make your own pastel colors using plenty of white and a drop of colored paint.

I also found a set of fabric markers at a discount store once—these are ironed on to set the color, and that worked too. They just run out very quickly.
And there’s a type of wax crayon for textiles; these are also ironed on to set the color. They’re great for drawing rosy cheeks.

I once painted a doorstop with acrylic paint. It’s lasted for years, though I don’t think it would survive a wash. That’s not necessary for my doorstop anyway—I just wipe it down. Although—my craft T-shirts also have paint stains, and those have held up through several washes without fading 🥴

Dear Petra, you can also “dilute” and mix the Marabu paints.
I’m really looking forward to seeing your result.

Thanks for your tips.

I’ll definitely show you my finished piece and what I decided to use for my first attempt. 

How about silk paint? It comes in pastel shades, too.


1. Tried using wax crayons. I gave it a shot before Claudia wrote, and yes, I ended up coloring over the embroidery threads too. I couldn’t avoid it.


I’ll keep you posted.... 

My bonnet is finished. Now I’ve colored it in with colored pencils. Will it survive a wash? I’ll find out the next time I wash it—which I hope won’t happen for a long time.

And if the color does wash out, with such a small design, it’s easy to color it in again.

Thanks again to everyone for all your great ideas. 

I think your idea with the bonnet is great, and I really like the finished product. 👍
I could imagine that it might get a little lighter when washed.

Hi, have you tried using regular wax crayons? And then ironing them on? It does look a bit pale afterward, though.
By the way, I really love the idea, and I’m a big fan of that nostalgic vibe, too.
Speaking of which, your post reminded me of my fabric paints—you’ve actually inspired me. I’ve just sewn some pumpkins out of a shiny, smooth scrap of fabric that keeps pulling threads while I sew—I’m going to paint those next. Let’s see how they turn out.

@Claudia, I’m curious about that and would love to see a picture. 

Sewing pumpkins is also on my to-do list. And I’d like to try making little apples. And pumpkins out of old sweaters. 

Crafting has become so incredibly exciting in recent years.