Method of decorating a fabric article

Abstract

A method of decorating a fabric article such as a t-shirt or sweatshirt. The method comprises the steps of first creating a design upon the surface of the article, for example by applying a heat transfer to the article, then coloring the design using a washable ink and finally washing the fabric so that the ink is removed from the fabric article but the colorable design is retained. In this manner the present invention provides a method of providing a fabric article with a design that may be temporarily colored, washed, and then re-colored in a substantially different manner if the user so wishes. The method is particularly suitable for use with cotton fabric articles. Washable ink pens are preferred for colorizing the design.

Description

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION[0001]It is often desirable to provide a fabric article with a colorful decorative design. For example, t-shirts and sweatshirts are often provided with colorful decorative designs on their front. Designs may be provided on fabric articles using any of a large number of well-known and well-understood methods. For example, heat transfers may be used to permanently apply a design to a surface of a fabric article.[0002]Currently, only permanently colored designs are applied to fabric articles. That is, once a design has been applied to an article there is no available method or means for easily and temporarily altering the color of a design. If a fabric article with a differently colored design is desired, the desired design must be applied to a separate fabric article. Therefore, there is a need for a method of decorating a fabric article that enables a temporarily colored design to be provided upon a surface of the fabric article and wherein the coloring of the...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0004]The present invention is particularly advantageous as it allows one to provide a design upon a fabric article that may be colored as is desired. That is, a design may be colored in a first manner on a first occasion, the fabric article may then be washed to remove the initial coloring and then re-colored in either the same or a different manner depending upon an individual's preferences at that time. This process may be repeated as many times as is desired. Furthermore, the method of the present invention provides entertainment. In particular, the process of coloring a design according to the method of the present invention is an artistic and entertaining activity.

[0009]As will be understood by a person skilled in the art, a colorable design may be created upon a surface of a fabric article according to the present invention using any suitable conventional method. However, it may be preferred that the design is provided using a transfer. This may be advantageous as it is a simple, consistent, and well-known method that allows white or light-colored regions to be created easily upon black or dark-colored fabric articles. This is beneficial as white or light-colored regions are easier to color using a suitable washable ink. If a transfer is used to decorate a fabric article according to the method of the present invention it may be further preferred that the transfer is a heat transfer. If a colorable design is created using a transfer it will be understood that the transfer should comprise a material that can be easily colored using a suitable washable ink.

[0010]It is preferable that the design created upon the surface of the fabric article comprises a plurality of demarcated colorable regions. This is advantageous as any such design may be simply and easily colored by coloring in each demarcated region a suitable, possibly different, color. In this manner, a pleasing colored design may be created even by relatively artistically unskilled individuals. In particular, the presence of demarcated colorable regions may make it easier for children to color in a design. The colorable regions should be a light color, e.g. white, that allows them to be easily colored using suitable washable ink. Preferably, any white colorable regions will be demarcated by darker outlines. For example, these dark outlines may be black.

Problems solved by technology

That is, once a design has been applied to an article there is no available method or means for easily and temporarily altering the color of a design.

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