Sunday's Stitches - March 29th

Last month (?) Quilting Arts had a great article about glue gel resist batik-style dyeing. Considering how much I love painting on fabric I thought I would give it a try.

I already had everything I needed in the studio - Kona cotton muslin and canvas, Dye-na-flow dye - all I needed was the Elmer's School Glue Gel. After going to Walmart, Target, CVS - I about gave up then it dawned on me to go to Staples - they had it. I bought two bottles.

I washed a yard of Kona cotton muslin (I LOVE Kona cotton fine muslin) in hot water and dried it without a dryer sheet. I then cut a square and I did two experiments: (1) I doodled right onto the cotton with the glue gel on one sample; and (2) I placed a quilting stencil over the other square and brushed the glue gel in to the holes of the stencil.

After letting the glue dry thoroughly (I used a heat gun because I'm impatient) I painted on Dye-na-flo fabric dye and let it dry. Once it dried I washed out the glue gel (which was really easy) with hot water and Tide in the utility sink for about 5 minutes and rinsed really, really good. I then let it dry overnight.

Both samples came out great. So vivid and what a soft hand the fabric still has (unlike when I paint it with Lumiere or acrylic - even with textile medium it's a bit stuff.)

I will say that the sample that I used the stencil on (the purple swirls) -- the colors washed out a bit as that upper left corner was not totally dry before I washed it. (NOTE TO SELF: Next time - don't be so impatient and let the dye dry overnight or, out in the sun for at least 3 or 4 hours before rinsing out glue.) I am happy with both samples even though the one is light as it just adds more interest.

After drying the washed pieces, I decided to use the freehand doodle as my Sunday's Stitches canvas and began my hand embroidery and beading. I am excited about the possibilities with making my own fabric with the glue gel and Dye-na-flow. I am excited by the possibility of not only embroidering and quilting my own art quilts, but to also color the fabric myself - well that's just pretty cool.

Things I will do differently NEXT time:

1. Definitely have MORE patience in allowing things to dry thoroughly;

2. TAPE the stencil down to the fabric and tape the fabric down to a glass;

3. Play with watering colors down and maybe "spraying" dye on to fabric with a spray bottle; and

4. Draw out the design to be traced with glue.

Expect to see A LOT MORE of this technique. I can see it quickly becoming one of my favorites for journal covers, quilt squares, and embellishments for larger pieces.

Have a great week. I'll be stopping by to see what YOU are up to!

Laugh as much as you breathe,

and love as long as you live.

What Iffing on a Gloomy Saturday....

Elmer's Glue Gel,

Dye-na-flo,

silk dupioni,

organza, heat gun,

embroidery floss,

and beads.

Results posted tomorrow along with the return of Sunday's Stitches.

P.S. Quilting Arts came today.

Can't wait to look at it tonight.

Back in the Studio.....

I know, I know - it's been over a week since I've posted and probably over a month since I've posted something substantial - and I'm not alone.

I don't know what it is - "it" seems to be affecting not only me, but LOTS of YOU, as well. I'm burned out. I don't know if it's just a lack of "blogworthy" material, or if we're in a creative funk, or we're suffering from spring fever - or a combination of all three + more!

I know I have been inundated with work (the real estate business in North Carolina is really picking up - yeah!), doctors appointments, we've have had a house guest, and to top it off - we've been working like maniacs out in the yard getting everything ready (the garden, the landscaping beds, the hill in the back, fertilizing, trimming, on and on) for the growing season. By the time the work is done - I'm too wiped out to even think about painting, or drawing, or sewing. No energy, no inspiration, no ambition - NOTHING, NADA, ZIP!

To lift my spirits - my love surprised me with an unbelievably extravagant present -- a Kindle 2. Oh yeah! Talk about a happy girl - I can now carry around 1,500 of my favorite books in a hand-held device that weighs 10.2 ounces and is 1/3" thick. I can request a book and receive it within 60 seconds while floating on a raft in the Atlantic, sitting on the hood of my Jeep in the mountains, or - in the carpool line while waiting for Sabrina. How COOL IS THAT?! I've been waiting for this to come out for over a year. Ever since I heard of the Kindle 1 I've wanted it. Blaise, being the wise soul that he is said, "never buy the FIRST generation of ANYTHING!" And I'm so glad I waited for Kindle 2 . It's the best invention since grilled cheese - yeah, that's right I said grilled cheese (I'm from Ohio, remember?) I bought my dad one for Christmas - and he absolutely loves his too. (and trust me - THAT is one hard man to please!) Oh, and did I mention - if I'm driving - Kindle 2 can READ TO ME! Holy Cow!

Anyway, yes I have been neglectful of my blog, yes I have been busy, but YES I am going back to the studio this week and have been squirreling away ideas on napkins, torn pieces of paper, the backs of envelopes, etc. That's a good sign!

Whatcha' working on???

Sunday's Stitches AND Carolina Mixed Media Art Guild - M4 Challenge

Sabrina and I participated in the Carolina Mixed Media Art Guild's M4 Challenge.

The Mission? To create a piece of mixed media art from a container of mystery items ranging from vintage lace and maps, to lightbulbs, mini circuits, housekeys and a glass bottle. The rules dictated that you had to use 31 of the 33 items, and were permitted to add two additional items - including your substrate. There were 22 participants of this challenge - each being provided the same mixture of items.

Here is a sneak peak of what Sabrina and I both came up with:
I personally found this challenge to be excruciating inasmuchas "mixed media" in this sense is not my forte'. But I really wanted to try it. Regretably, I starred at the box of objects for weeks before I finally deciding to just get it done. Sabrina on the other hand totally embraced the challenge -- diving with a smile into the box of "stuff" and emerging with a very clever, well thought out piece of art that WILL eventually end up on the wall of my office as it is absolutely the coolest.

If you'd like to check out some of the work of the other participants, all M4 Challenges are currently on display at Artist Alley (art gallery) in Southern Pines, North Carolina, and many of them are for sale. As for Sabrina's piece - well it's NOT for sale, as it's already been promised.... to me. Pricless!

Sunday Stitches - March 15th

I really am enjoying this exercise - of stitching once a week and posting the results every Sunday. I am getting more out of it than what I anticipated at the onset, for while I am learning the art of embroidery (to some degree,) I have found that I enjoy "preparing" the surface for the stitches as much as I enjoy the stitching process.

Week's Stitches: I used some old favorites - French Knot, Open Chain and Star stitch, while experimenting for the first time with the Tied Cross Stitch (really like this one,) Fern Stitch and Tête de Boeuf Stitch, which I also like a lot.

For the Background - I used a stiff white canvas and Dye-na-Flow fabric dye. I'm excited by the way the Dye-na-flow interacted with the canvas. Instead of getting sucked into it, the color laid nicely on and went only where I told it to go with my paintbrush - and that's it. (Unlike with the Neocolors that have a mind of their own!)

I am finding there are three elements in play during my execution of my Sunday Stitches: (1) the stitching itself; (2) the design and preparation of the background; and what I do believe is my favorite element of the project (3) the color-play between the stitches and the background.

I'm inspired to start a small project using all of the knowledge I have gained thus far in this endeavor. Any ideas?

Mosaic Monday - Montana...

Sunday's Stitches - March 8

Been playing around with stitches for a month now -- it's a learning process.

I've started to get bored with just "stitching" aimlessly so I decided to put this week's stitches to work by applying them to elements I will find useful in my art quilts.

Three of my favorite materials to work with: silk dupioni (flat or torn or shredded,) dyed or painted cheesecloth, and metallic threads. I dug those out and applied my Sunday's stitches accordingly.

This time I work with the blanket stitch, seed stitch, couching stitch, cross stitch, french knot and ermine stitch (I still have to work on this one as my ermine look like stars!) All four of these stitches are very useful in art quilting and I can see endless possibilities. I love the cross stitch on the cheesecloth, and torn dupioni silk often finds its way into my work.

Stitch ,

is a great resource

website.

Check it out.

EG also puts out a delicious magazine by the same name "Stitch" (which is United Kingdom based) that some chain bookstores (Barnes and Noble, Borders) carry here in the States. It's pricey, but exquisite and full of inspiration.

This week I will be working on Van Gogh Iris - trying to get it ready for the NC Quilt Symposium. I'm doing some free motion embroidery on the leaves and background, as well as adding some beads and hand stitching. I'm also working on a few skirts and dresses for Sabrina., and a bunch of other stuff.

It's good to be home. Thanks for the e-mails. I'll be around visiting blogs this week when I get caught up.

What are YOU working on this week?

Laugh as much as you breathe and love as long as you live.