Encasing Fabric in L&P

[Eni]

As some of you, I'm a seamstress as well as nail geek (as well as a teachers assistant).....and I've been sorting out my fabric stash and I have a bag of fabric scraps that I simply cannot get rid of. These are some of my favourite fabrics I've used and I always figured one day I would make a crazy quilt...until I took a bunch out and realised that hey, I can encase these in L&P on my nails.

Here's the thing - I'm trying to figure out the best way to do this. I don't have a silk/fibreglass system here anymore so I have to punt, so to speak, with what I do have (L&P). It's been a dogs age since I've done wraps, keep that in mind please.

I figure I should adhere the pre cut fabric with a very thin layer of adhesive (gel bond) to the entire nail plate, smooth it, encase in clear acrylic and then trim the fabric at the sides and free edge. Or should I just adhere it at the free edge and work at adhering it with the L&P (working wetter, but then again that would be a shrinkage issue no?). Help!

Thoughts?

Nancy

ps. I'm asking for advice instead of my normal "to hell with it, just do it" mode, cos some of this fabric I have is teeny tiny (as in one nailplate worth). Mostly Silk and Rayon too. Thanx

 

[akaza]

Hi,

I would do it exactly how you mentioned on pre existing enhancements, although I do find it much easier to apply fabric when doing a new full set with tips. Size tips, cut the fabric out to the shape of the tip, glue down and apply to the nail, and finish nails as normal.

hth x x

 

[bralynstudio]

there is an article in the july 2009 nails magizine about how to do this very thing on toenails!!, however i dont think they used acrylic, i think it was fabric wrrap resin. the aritcle should be available online at nailsmag.com

hope this helps you out.

kristi

 

[marioned]

Hi,

I would do it exactly how you mentioned on pre existing enhancements, although I do find it much easier to apply fabric when doing a new full set with tips. Size tips, cut the fabric out to the shape of the tip, glue down and apply to the nail, and finish nails as normal.

hth x x

This is the way I've done it with fabric on the tips, usually ribbon. Then finished with l+p as normal.

For a whole nail plate, I think I'd cut to size and apply with adhesive before using l+P. Try a similar weight of materal than one of your most teeny tiny ones first, to see if there is any shrinkage xx

 

[Eni]

Kristi: I don't see it on the website and god knows where I'd get the mag here in NZ.
Thanx though

Marion: Thats what I was thinking.....I'm actually going to try to encase between to layers of clear for a full nail and do it on the trainer first. I have some bufugly fabric, same weight. I am also going to try to do it with straight of grain and bias cut pieces to see how the shrinkage thing works.

You guys rock! I'm just glad no one told me I was insane for even thinking of it). I"ll keep you all posted

 

[marioned]

You guys rock! I'm just glad no one told me I was insane for even thinking of it

Nah!!! Somebody on here will have either thought it or tried it already no matter what you come up with! Maybe we are all a bit insane! Let us know how itworks out for you xx

 

[angel fingers]

if you are going to do it on the whole nail, definately cut it on the bias otherwise you wont be able to get it smooth on the curves. i think i would cut the width of the nail and then roughly the length[leaving enough to hang on to] and then trim the shape for the eponichium end. adhere the fabric to the nail and then trim to length before applying l/p.

you really would be better with a resin rather than a gel glue because you want to make sure that the fabric is penetrated thoughly so that is perfectly adhered to the nail plate. otherwise if its not making a really good bond, your l/p will not have a firm foundation as its not actually making proper contact with the nail plate itself.

i dont think shrinkage will be an issue as this usually occurs in high temperatures rather than moisture alone. rayon is manmade and wont shrink, silk is very unlikely to shrink. woolens and then some cottons are the worst culprits for shrinkage. [here speaks an ex textiles teacher]

it would be far simpler to do just the tips.:lol:

 

[Eni]

Hi,

One of the bits of fabric I'm thinking of is an old Liberty print so that would def be a bias situation (wider than needed, same as when cutting blocks). I'll encase the fabric in L&P over L&P. Sort of a clear sandwich.

I'm not 100% sure of the colourfastness of some of this, when exposed to the L&P. Everything has been prewashed (of course). Especially the older Rayons (Cupro as opposed to Viscose).

I've sorted them out to full nail cuts and tip cuts. I'll keep everyone posted.

 

[NoLimitNails]

Ok WOW another fun thing I hadn't though about ( well have encased small pieces of fabric though)

What I'm thinking now, is if you wanted to do fabric toes, would a wrap-system be sufficient for this? I know wraps isn't as long lastning as gel or l&p, so wouldn't it suit toes?????

Or how would you do if you had Brisa? would the gel adhere if the first two layers was wrap resin? Maybe a uv topcoat on top of the wrap??

And on fingers I guess you would have to use both the silk that comes with the system and then your own fabric?

I am not familiar with wraps, but have thought about learning it for a while now (and if you could have fun with it too then now is the time..)

Or anyother ideas for this one (guessing it would be faster than l&p...

Sorry for hijacking, but this sounds like such fun.....