Stretching and Priming Soft Goods 201 fields of color when working on unprimed goods. The prime coat seals the fabric from the paint and sets up an even painting surface. To prepare a drop for painting, it must be shrunk into the final shape and given a surface that accepts the controlled application of paint. This sizing usually is done with a primer coat that also prepares the surface for painting. The process is similar to preparing a canvas for painting with gesso. No priming is necessary with a drop constructed out of velour or duvetyn. However, these fabrics must be squared and stapled down as they will shrink. Once mounted on a frame or a deck, the fabric is ready to paint. Velour and duvetyn are somewhat resistant to dye, paint, and other water-based products in general. Adding a wetting solution to the paint or dye will help it penetrate the fibers. Leather stores sell wetting solutions as a preparation for dying leather evenly. Add a small amount, about one ounce per gallon, to all of the paint or dye to be used in the paint treatments. Wetting solutions are particularly useful with dyes, as they will not interfere with the color. If the fabric still resists paint, add laundry detergent to the paint to help it penetrate the fiber. If suds are a problem, add a defoamer (from the carpet cleaning section of the grocery) to the detergent. into the wood, they will be easier to pull out when the time comes. Load handheld staplers with chisel-tipped staples for use with wood and Masonite. Always set the staples about 4 inches apart around the entire piece of soft goods for a secure hold. The most important aspect to stretching, or laying, a drop on a frame or deck is to keep the bottom and the top edges parallel. Unfinished sides of a drop may not be completely square (that is, perpendicular to the top of the drop and parallel to each other). These can be squared and finished later. If the sides of the drop are finished, they should be mounted as straight and square as possible; although there may be wrinkles and puckers, these will stretch out when the drop is primed. It is important to make sure that the drop is not torqued to one side or pulled at an angle, as this will cause any verticals on the drop to warp out of square. Working on a Deck Follow this sequence when stretching a drop with an unfinished side on a paint deck for best results. First, snap a chalk line the full width of the goods to align the top edge of the drop. Use this line as a guide for the layout of goods and a reference line for the height measurements. Attach the top edge of the drop with