Fiber Junkies - Paper Fabric

Tuesday, we met at the home of Val M for our monthly gathering of Fiber Junkies. Gen came up with the idea for this months meeting - a technique she had already tried and one we were anxious to experiment with - paper fabric -  collages built on top of a layer of fabric.

 We all contributed to the pile of supplies - magazine pictures, pretty napkins, maps, tissue paper, script and dress patterns to name a few. Kate had been saving tissue for years as a result of something her daughter needed years ago. It's amazing what collectors we become when we let ourselves get hooked on surface design. You'll never know when you can use it has become our motto and how often it has paid off.

 We worked on a base piece of fabric which could be anything as it was to be completely covered. The fabric sat on plastic for easy transport. Denny was smart and ironed her fabric to freezer paper.

 And Kate thought to bring some trays....Since our pieces wouldn't be dry when it was time to leave. This was really thinking ahead.

 We all did some previewing to get an idea of color and placement. Next, we removed all the papers and using a foam brush applied a very watered down solution of white glue and water on the fabric. Then back to laying the papers and applying more glue on top.

 It was better to start with the more opaque materials and do a second layer of tissue like materials. One of Mary's pieces was such a happy piece I loved the colors and especially the polka dot tissue.

 I think this was Gens. I liked all the text she incorporated in her piece.

 Denny used coffee filters which had some of the grinds left behind giving it a wonderful texture.

 We mixed up color washes using inks, dyes, paints - anything that could be watered down. This was applied with a foam brush while glue was still wet.

 I used a sepia ink and applied it to this piece....

 which looked like this after the wash. It will dry a little lighter but I liked the way the wash toned it  and blended it together.

 Kates pieces before the wash...

 and with a bluish wash of color on top.

 The last piece I did was after lunch and we were running out of time.  I put absolutely no thought into the placement of papers and decided to go for thin and use just tissue and one layer napkins.

 and then a sepia wash on top. I liked this one the best, so go figure. Sometimes putting no thought into something pays off.
This was the perfect technique for this time around. I was tired from doing the fair all weekend and this didn't take a lot of mental energy, just fun. I am linked to Nina Marie Sayre's Off the Wall Friday.
Til next time...