A Cool Little Technique

Years ago when I lived in Marietta, GA, I used to shop for art supplies at Pearl, very well known on the east coast....Unfortunately after many years, they closed, but in the interim, it provided many happy hours for finding new things to experiment with. I was into dyeing fabric so anything with the word "cotton" caught my attention. 

There were rolls of canvas for painting....cotton and one in particular seemed rather thin. It was a 7oz single fill (I had no idea what that meant) but it was COTTON...so how bad could it be. It was also a great price $3.00 a yard which ran 72" wide so really only $1.50 a yard. I bought a yard...drove home happy as a clam....and immediately dyed  this treasure that same afternoon...(Off the subject, the minute I laid this fabric down to photograph, Molly was on top of it!)

Well guess who was heading back to Pearl the next day for more....

Yup....10 yards this time. I still have lots left; it is a bit heavier than quilter's muslin but it's a wonderful fabric and I've used it many times in smaller pieces.

I always microwave dye it to add some visual texture to the fabric and take away the flatness. The process I use is quite easy...1/4 tsp. each of soda ash, mx dye and table salt in 2 cups of water for 2 yds of fabric. Microwave (in a designated microwave) for 4 mins on high if you have settings. It doesn't matter if fabric is dry or wet to start...each creates a different effect. You can halve the recipe if 2 yards is too much. Above, I used Havana Brown mx which is a dye that splits and gives off a grayish brown along with a greenish color...so pretty. After placing some of the appliques on top, I realized the background needed some more "personality" so I went to my stamp and silk screen drawer.

I mixed up some textile paint to make a brownish gray which I thought would work well on the background fabric.

I love stamps with words...I use this one a lot....and my favorite....not a stamp but something

I found when our house was being built (top left) used as a base for tiles in the bathroom. It creates a wonderful and subtle effect on fabric....just a touch here and there.

There are several size grids...this one above is a little larger than the yellow grid. I like the additonal stamping etc. on the surface.

And now onto the tulle. Tulle, like ballerina tulle is a great "tool" - pardon the pun, in your studio.

There are many times when you have an applique with many parts and you want to try it out on different areas of your quilt...so time was when I had to pin each little part to another area of the quilt until I discovered how to use tulle. So here's what I do...make 2 copies of your applique...one as a reference and the other as a pattern to cut up. Number each part with the same number in each applique....Petal #1 in the cut up is the same petal #1 in the reference and so on......

Lay a piece of tulle under the applique which serves as a reference. The applique pattern is used to cut up and make each part in fabric. Lay each piece on the reference piece on top of the tulle, pin or

use a glue stick to hold in place. Next you are going to iron the pieces onto the tulle using a fairly low setting. Use an old cotton hankie as a pressing cloth and also to protect the tulle from disintergrating. It can happen very quickly...Ask me how I know this.....see bottom right. Now if you're wondering why I just don't use the glue stick and skip the ironing....I've had it happen far too often where the pieces fall off with a glue stick...so ironing holds it better.

Even little fabric dots can be added to the tulle.....Now it is so easy to move the applique anywhere on the quilt to see the best placement for it. The tulle on the lower pictures is very light colored and hard to see....

When you have the right placement, it's time to iron the applique down permanently. Do this a little bit at a time by gently pulling off the tulle, ironing that section, pull off more tulle, iron...etc...It's a great little technique I've used time and time again....
Have fun...til next time.

Mushrooms

I've been grabbing moments in my studio to finish up this piece. I thought it might need a touch of red somewhere and decided a circle shape would fit with some of the other circles.

 I also decided to add just a thin line of couching thread along the side, it's very subtle.

 I tried the circle on the other side but it still doesn't feel right.

My son suggested a small, random splash of red rather than a specific shape, think I like it better.  

I added a top piece in white with a little Shibori on it and bound the edges in a navy-ish color, so it's done. I really liked working with these colors and hope to do more.

Mushrooms

I started another piece a little while ago with the hopes of using some of the deconstructive screen printed fabric I have.  I love the fabric, it's just hard to work with.

 It's very busy but I thought of using just parts of it making it more do-able.

 I also found some mushrooms I had screened some time ago and thought they would work in the piece.

 And as luck would have it, there in my stash was some Shibori fabric I created a couple of years ago. I had the great luck of getting into a one day class with Yashiko Wada a couple of years back and am still finding treasures.

 Another piece of Shibori. - this one I created by using a smocking pleater.

 The above piece was created by placing a bean in the fabric and tying around it.  I used a heavy cotton thread and kept it in one continuous piece as I went from bean to bean, so now I have some Indigo dyed cotton thread also.

It's going together without too much fuss. I'm still working on the top area and hope to finish it up this week. Til then......Happy Creating.

Layered Nature-scapes

I've been working on a sample for a new workshop I'll be teaching at Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival in February. I've always loved working with layers - especially when it includes sheers so I thought this might make into a fun workshop.  I wanted an easy theme and one where the organza would lend itself  to an overlay.   A foggy night along with a spooky old tree kinda came to mind.  I started with the moon and my stash of fabric which might lend itself to a moon. This wonderful batik below just didn't do it. 

 I found an old piece of painted canvas - a 7oz single weave which is very light weight and one I've used often in quilts. It was already painted but had possibilities.

 By adding some additional paint, think I turned it into a pretty cool moon.

 Next I painted the background using Dye-na-Flow paints along with painting the organza.  The nice thing about these paints - they are the consistency of water, go on beautifully adding no stiffness to the fabric.  An added plus - + - they also work on any fabric - synthetic or natural.

 When I paint organza, or any sheer, I like to scrunch it up so the paint will fall into nooks and crannies and valleys, leaving dark lines and light areas. I think it gives more texture to the piece and it's just  fun to watch happen. You have to let it dry completely before moving or you'll lose all the wonderful darks and lights.

 So here is the background fabric layered with the organza and the moon on top.

 I wanted a tree silhouette on top but my largest and most favorite screen was too small.  All my screens are screened on clear plastic (see the shiny plastic below). This is so I can preview a screen first to see how it will work before committing to fabric.

 I knew I needed to make a larger screen.  I have a Thermofax but it has limitations size wise and often I have to divide the screen into parts to get the size I need. I started with clear plastic - laid over the background and moon.

 Using my original clear image of this screen below....

 I laid it on my overhead project to enlarge it. By flipping it over, since it's transparent, I could get the mirror image. On another note, this overhead projector hasn't been used in 20 years - a very long ago Christmas present which is now back in my studio.  I didn't know if it would work or the bulb would be any good but I held my breath, turned it on and there it was - good as new!

 So I was able to make another larger image, by flipping and enlarging.  I usually wouldn't go to this much trouble for one screen, but I do love trees and know I'll use this over and over.

 I had to make this screen in 3 parts on my Thermofax below.

 My intent was to screen on the first layer - opaque fabric, do some quilting and then lay the sheer layer on top.  I wanted to screen on that also to create a feeling of depth;  the organza will tone down the first layer considerably making it appear as though it's at a distance.  A lesson I learned very quickly, when silk screening on a sheer fabric - the fabric can hold only so much paint. It needs something underneath to absorb the excess or it will smear. Ask me how I know this.  So now when I screen on sheer fabric, I lay a piece of muslin or other "unwanted" fabric underneath to absorb the excess paint (below) HINT some of these "absorbing cloths" make into the best things!

 And the finished piece....This is representative of what we'll be doing. Students will be creating a small piece, first painting the opaque layer, then the sheer layer of silk organza and creating imagery for layering.  Quilting with metallic threads on both layers will add a lot to the finished look.

Think it will be lots of fun.

Coloring Photos

I use a lot of photos in my work and many of them are older and black and white.  When I use newer photos, I sometimes turn them into black and white or sepia, I just like the look.  Sometimes it's fun to add just a tad bit more color on a black and white photo - not the whole thing but in a couple of places.  In the photos below, green was added behind the mailboxes and more green on the rocks.  That's my mom in the middle picture - a little bit of coral was added.   The drawing of a hand on top was printed on fabric and a tiny bit of fleshtone color was added to it. 

 There are many things you can use. One of the products I love is the Memory pencils; they're really not intended for fabric but for books, but since I don't wash my art quilt pieces, I'm fine with using them.  They are lightfast and fade proof.  Paintsticks would also work; when allowed to dry for a week, they are permanent and washable. But I love the feel of working with colored pencils - like being a kid again

Til next time....

Herbie the Handsome Parrot

A while back, I was working on new samples for upcoming workshops at the Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival in 2013.  I've taught this workshop before - as "technique" orientated, this time, there will be a choice of projects. The latest sample was put on hold since our little granddaughter entered this world.  Life is back to semi-normal and back to my studio. Here is sample # 2, using bobbinwork and couching threads.  When working with couching threads, I usually prefer to use a decorative stitch;  the threadwork is more prominent on the edge.

 I used some of my hand marbled fabric for his tail feathers.  Marbled fabric is fun to quilt as you have a natural line to follow.

 Parrots are such beautiful birds; looking online for color ideas was overwhelming and amazing.  Their color combinations are endless. I like to keep the couching thread the same color as the fabric.  I use Candlelight from YLI which is soft and very drape-able. Stiffer threads don't lay on the fabric as nicely; when using so much thread, this can make a difference in the overall feel of the piece when finished.

 A little frog for interest - he is embroidered from the top with Burmilana thread and a size 16 topstitch needle.

 I also love Burmilana for surface embellishment.  My favorite stitch using Lana is the machine buttonhole stitch.  It makes such a pretty, clean edge.

 Lana is also a very dull (non-shiny) thread resembling wool which provides a nice contrast when used with the very shiny Candlelight. The leaf below has also been shaded with paintsticks - another favorite of mine.

 And here's the finished piece - Herbie - the Handsome Birdie.

Til next time....