Surfboard builders do this all the time. Most commonly it's done with a Hawaiian shirt type pattern, silk material, and on the nose of long boards. The material is laid under the fiberglass.

As already mentioned, you have an increased chance of delamination and it will most surely fade over time. I would only recommend tight weave, thin cloth like nylons or silk. Also, I would think an accent piece would be better than a large area, a large area is more likely to fail and have problems. Do a test on a piece of plywood and see if you like the result and how well it adheres.

Hope this helps,
Scott

: Greetings: I went into a clothing store Friday with the boss (aka Wife) and
: saw some cloth that would look good under the glass and epoxy on the canoe
: I am currently building. Has anyone tried this? Would you put the cloth on
: top of the glass? What fibers should I avoid to decrease the chance of
: delamination?
: Would a good spar varnish decrease the fading of the fabric?

: Karl