Which materials can I use with Powertex?

Have you wondered what materials, embellishments and bases you can use with your Powertex? Here’s what you need to get started so you can reuse, recycle and get crafting with what you have at home.

Use natural materials with Powertex

Powertex works best with natural materials. Think about cotton fabrics, cardboard, heavy papers, glass, metal. wood, cork, string and natural yarns. Powertex does not adhere well to soft plastics as it can peel off. If you want to use a plastic item such as a pot or toy as your base, it’s recommended that you prime the surface first. You can do this with masking tape or Gesso.

Use natural materials with Powertex

What to use as a base

There are plenty of options from mdf kits to and canvases to items you can find at home. Bottles, jars and boxes are an easy place to start for any Powertex addict. If you’d rather create on a flat surface how about a notebook, wooden picture frame or even a mirror? Styrofoam pieces can be primed with Powertex and paper mache blanks can be worked on directly. Altered hats, shoes and even mannequins are popular too!

Fabric tips

Try different weights and textures of fabric for interesting results. 100% cotton fabrics will harden thoroughly and will be weatherproof when coated. Lightweight muslin, cheesecloth, t-shirt fabric, denim, cotton jersey, hessian, burlap and cotton lace trims are all popular choices because they add fantastic textures. Reuse old cottton clothes or bedsheets or raid your remnants.

Choose a variety of textures

You can coat synthetic fabrics with Powertex but they won’t harden as well and will not have the weatherproof quality of natural fabrics. The higher the percentage of natural fibres, the better your results will be!

Using glass

Bottles and jars are a brilliant starting place for Powertex beginners. Create vases and fairy houses from your empties with fabric scraps and embellishments. Glass can be slippery to work on so leave the labels on or use pieces of masking tape to add some grip for your fabric or Stone Art clay.

Use empty glass bottles and jars
Photo by Aserusainhuu on Unsplash

Using organic materials, leaves flowers etc

Using organic materials such as leaves, flowers, seeds is possible with a few things in mind. Plants, leaves, seeds etc contain moisture and if you add Powertex, that moisture could cause the materials to rot or decay underneath. However you can use dried pieces to ensure your project lasts.

Using leaves, flowers and seeds
Photo by Diana Akhmetianova on Unsplash

Adding embellishments

Whatever you’ve got, Powertex it! From wooden and clay shapes to metal treasures, Powertex will glue pretty much anything. However, it’s slow drying so hold your pieces in place until it starts to set. Powertex is a strong glue so will even hold heavier embellishments in place. Prime plastic pieces before use with Gesso or masking tape.

Powertex mixed media tag by Tracey Evans

Steampunk hat by Crafting with Love and Fairy Dust

Texture mediums

Add your favourite Powertex textures such as Stone Art, Easy Structure, 3d Sand, 3d Balls, mdf shapes or Powercotton and you will have lots of different gorgeous texture! Use Powertex to prime, paint, coat your textures and glue your layers together. When it’s dry you can add colours in your favourite products.

Powertex art by Tracey Evans at Powertex UK

If you’ve been inspired to start a new Powertex creation, join us in The Powertex Studio on Facebook to see what Powertex Addicts have been making and share your own. You can also follow us on Instagram where we love to share Powertex creations from all over the world. You can get your Powertex supplies from Powertex UK online.

Here in the magazine we have hundreds of tutorials, makes and tips to get you crafting. Take a look at these project ideas by UK Powertex tutors Shell and Donna to inspire you.