This week, I wondered what would happen if I used a white tone ontone as a base fabric and layered on some Neocolors.
I was hoping the "tone" on the tone would act as crisp resist -- it did.
Originally I was going to use the resist theme for stitching, as it really came 
out nice and clear. However, turning the fabric over, I decided I liked the backside better for what I had planned for it. I colored a pretty good sized piece of fabric and have tucked the rest of it away for future use - to experiment with the resisted side.
For now though, I sprayed my little piece of sunset (saturated it actually) with spray starch and scrunched it up into a teeny tiny wad. I loosely rubber banded it and put it on top of a heater vent in my bathroom with the door closed so Gizmo wouldn't eat it! I left it there for a day until it was totally dry.
out nice and clear. However, turning the fabric over, I decided I liked the backside better for what I had planned for it. I colored a pretty good sized piece of fabric and have tucked the rest of it away for future use - to experiment with the resisted side.
For now though, I sprayed my little piece of sunset (saturated it actually) with spray starch and scrunched it up into a teeny tiny wad. I loosely rubber banded it and put it on top of a heater vent in my bathroom with the door closed so Gizmo wouldn't eat it! I left it there for a day until it was totally dry. 
This morning I undid the rubber band and check this out - a nice little wrinkled, (but not crinkled as I had hoped) sunset - a perfect foundation for Sunday's stitches. Some of you may recognize this "starch and crinkling" technique from Nellie's Needles blog. I have a big fan of Lake Michigan series quilts in particular, and decided I wanted to try this out for myself.
Typically I just stitch into the fabric, but I put a piece of batting behind my little sunset piece before stitching. This worked out well because pulling tight as I draw the needle up, really accentuates the crinkling effect.
I played with this using different weights of perle cotton, various strands of embroidery floss, and some hand dyed variegated threads. I can see possibilities here - with practice.
Learning Curve:
For next time.....
1. Use less water next time and don't put the piece on a towel while painting (the towel wicks moisture AND pigment) which I believe will avail better color saturation;
2. Saturate fabric entirely with heavy spray starch next time. (I don't think I used enough spray, AND I used a light starch);
3. Wad the fabric tighter and smaller in an effort to create teeny tiny stiffer wrinkles.
This week - take chances, experiment, step outside of your comfort zone. It's okay if things don't turn out as you've planned. Sometimes that's the best part.
These are really cool!
ReplyDeletewow! the sunset colors are stunning and that crinkle technique gives it such great texture.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful colors Girlie!!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea you came up with!
Thanks for sharing!
Andrea.
You are so amazing with the techniques that you use and the results you get! You are not afraid to try anything! I see lots of possibilities here, girl! You should just go into the clothing industry. I bet you could make fortunes.
ReplyDeleteHey Horsie - it is really Nellie's idea, I just tweaked it a bit for my own purposes. Nellie stuffs hers in her coffee cup with her fist and a wooden spoon for a day or two. I wadded mine up in a ball and put it over the heat register - I'm impatient:) Do check out Nellie's Needles blog and see her crinkle quilts - they are so cool. I am now trying to figure out what to do with all these little crinkley stitched up squares. I think they would make a really beautiful baby quilt.
ReplyDeleteI love playing with Nellie's crinkle process. This looks like tons and tons of fun. Spent this afternoon getting all the mag articles and pics I liked copied. Am now assembling some thank you goodies to go in the package will let you know when it's in the mail.
ReplyDeleteWhat fun to see the results of your playing with paints and "crinkles". I've not tried stitching patterns on my crinkle quilts...just random meandering lines to confine the wrinkles into tighter spaces.
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of using the tone on tone design as sort of a resist part of the dye process. Baby quilt sounds great for the stitched crinkle pieces.
ReplyDelete*love those colors!!!!*
ReplyDeleteOh man... those colors and the texture are spectacular!
ReplyDeleteWise words for the week too, thank you - it's a good reminder
Beautiful! I can see a lovely art quilt from all your stitchery "samples".
ReplyDeleteCathie...what a fun technique and I love the texture of the crinkles. The colors and stitching look fantastic on this square! I adore the picture of all the squares together...beautiful colors and they would make a *gorgeous* baby quilt!
ReplyDeletexo~Lisa ;-)
Great tips and I like how you interject how the experiments go in your comments. I agree with you, sometimes the missteps lead us in directions we would never have contemplated had we not tried. That's a good thing in most cases :)
ReplyDelete