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How to Pick a Silk Stretcher

Choosing a silk stretcher for your silk painting project is not as difficult as you might think. The size of your silk helps determine what kind of stretcher you need. You can buy a stretcher specifically made for stretching silk or other fabrics, or you can create a stretcher using objects you may already have around the house.

Things You'll Need

  • Embroidery hoops
  • Stretcher bars
  • Push pins
  • Safety pins
  • Rubber bands
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Instructions

    • 1

      Use wooden embroidery hoops for small projects. This method is good for painting small areas of silk.

    • 2

      Choose wooden stretcher bars for larger projects. You can attach the silk directly to the stretcher with push pins.

    • 3

      Suspend silk between stretcher bars by inserting safety pins every 4 inches to the edge of your silk and attaching rubber bands between push pins on the stretcher bars and the safety pins. This method is good for painting items with finished edges, such as silk scarves.

    • 4

      Purchase an adjustable silk stretcher system. These are recommended for artists who plan to do large silk paintings or large quantities of silk paintings.

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