Screen Printing Fabric

I created (what I thought) was a faux marble drawing, then made a thermofax screen out of it.
The photos above show my sample prints on cotton jersey (with a tiny bit of lycra in it).

I liked it, very much actually, so I proceeded to print the entire piece of fabric. My plan is to use it to make a shirt or tunic. Or use parts of it on a couple of shirts...I'll make good use of it for sure.

Here are a few shots of the yardage after it dried.

I love the areas where the paint left ghost prints! I don't know
if you can tell on the photo but in person, it is just beautiful.

I heat set it but now, according to the instructions for Pro Chem fabric paint, I have to wait 2 weeks to launder! I usually do not wash the fabric that I screen print as it is mainly for fiber art.
And, yes, I had to write it in on the calendar so I wouldn't forget...

My son suggested that I use this base for a 3D print- adding the appropriate blue and a little green. I'll bet it would look great but I will have to pass this time around. Sounds like too much work for me.
It would be cool to have a 3D shirt though...I'd have to carry around my 3D glasses for people to look through.
That might be a cool rainy day project to keep in mind (says the woman that had to write herself a reminder to launder fabric in 2 weeks).

I am also working on several other screens to create one of a kind yardage for making clothing.
I will try to get some photos as I create it.

Hairy Eyeballs

They're everywhere.
There.
Every where.

Mr. Fox

Perhaps it is a Picasso fox?

Oodles of Doodles

That is what I have.
Oodles of them.

Lines, Lines

Everywhere.
Women with hats.
In the woods.

More Line Drawing

A one eyed bird.
With antlers.
Very small ones.

Drawing Lines

And making them into a kitty cat.

Teaching Schedule Updated- May Classes In Virginia

Please check the "Teaching Schedule" tab to find out about my May classes in Alexandria Virginia at Artistic Artifacts.
I'm excited to be teaching a few classes this summer and hope that you will join me!

I'll be teaching the ever popular Bound By Heart, Made By Hand book class. Everyone is always so excited about the books that they make in this class,
It has started more than one addiction to book making...

Also on the schedule is a Reverse Applique Fingerless Glove class (what a mouthful!). This is an easy, yet oh so beautiful (mostly) hand stitching class. You will leave with the most beautiful pair of fingerless gloves you have ever had!
Class includes instruction in hand stitching, beading, reverse applique along with thermofax screen printing.

The last workshop is the Quarterly Journal Dress (published in the Feb-Mar 2013 issue of Quilting Arts magazine).
 We will create a dress inspired by an antique christening gown and learn to turn vintage (and other) papers into fabric collage sheets, tricks to stitching on paper and how to use acrylic mediums to your advantage.

Check out the Artistic Artifacts website for more details or email them at sales@artisticartifacts.com.

These are all post SAQA events. I do hope that those of you that are in town for that event will stay over for more play with us!
Book your spot before the classes all fill up!

Modern Hand Stitching

My friend, Ruth Chandler, has a new book on the market.

"Modern Hand Stitching" is a great primer to ditching the tedious, perfectly reproduced (yet beautiful) embroidery of yesterday and allowing your creative muse to take over!

The table of contents is broken down into six different categories of stitches from the embroidery dictionary.

Straight stitches, Building Stitches, Cross Stitches, Knots, Chain Stitches and Couching & Wrapping.

Ruth has included tutorials on 38 stitches from the embroidery dictionary.There are step by step photos illustrating the traditional way to create each stitch.
Then she offers a plethora of free-form variations for each one, often showing completed pieces of artwork to showcase the stitch or combination of stitches.

While I do think that experienced hand stitchers will benefit from this book, it's the person that is wanting to approach free form stitching that will really get the most bang for the buck.
It's full of "food for thought" to get your muse up and running.

Check it out here and be sure to leave a review on Amazon after you receive it!

Love Affairs

As women, we have many love affairs in our lives.

What?!
You haven't?

Oh but you have, my friends!

Let's not limit ourselves to love affairs with people in this conversation, shall we?
Think of all that you love - reading, drawing, painting, sewing, gardening, writing, our female friends...we have a multitude of things that we love, that we share a passion for.

One of mine is sewing.
I have sewn since I was a young girl. My mom taught me to sew when I was, oh maybe 7 or 8.
I did create a few doll dresses by hand before that (albeit crude ones).
I loved them though.
They actually laid the foundation for a fire that has burned for decades (she said demurely) and is still flaming today.

The love of creating something beautiful.
The love of creating with my hands.
The love of creating.
Period.

It is difficult for me to allow a couple of days to pass without puttering around in my studio.
It may be on seemingly mundane tasks but they fall within the realm of "creating".
Making.
Doing.


I have made a few pieces of apparel through the years and always had the desire to make more.
What held me back, you ask?
Skill, single-mindedness, level of desire....to name a few.
The biggest one was an early failure.


But I have continued to purchase patterns in a sporadic manner throughout the years, fantasizing about the next shirt I sew or the beautiful lines of a dress.
Just to have the pattern sit there, collecting dust (and my guilt).

The last few weeks have changed all of that!
I signed up for a FANTASTIC Craftsy class that reset my brain in regards to making clothing.

If you have any interest in  making a shirt for yourself (a knit one) you MUST take this class!
(I do not receive any compensation from Craftsy)

Katheryn and Marcy Tilton are such wonderful teachers!
You receive a pattern with your class fee and they walk you through, step by step, the entire project.
You can ask questions in the class format and they answer them within a day or two.
Their instruction assisted me in creating a sample tee (I used the first shirt as a sample to learn new techniques and not worry about making it "perfect")
(who am I kidding - none of my projects will be "perfect" but they will be close enough for me!)

I found a Groupon deal for the Craftsy site.
You can purchase up to three classes for $45.
Again, I do not receive and compensation if you purchase anything. I'm just passing on a good deal.
Which, by the way, does not last much longer.
The regular retail price is $50 for the class, so this is a great deal.

I don't have any photos of my finished shirts but I do have a sketchbook page showing how I decided which fabrics to use.

The Tilton sisters often use three (or more) fabrics on each shirt. I love this idea and fully embraced it when making my shirts.
But I couldn't decide which fabrics to use (or remember them after I auditioned numerous ones) so this way worked great for me.

The pattern is for a shirt length top but I added more length to one of mine making it tunic length. The one on my machine now is long enough to be a dress.

I am really enjoying making a few items of clothing this time around thanks to Marcy and Katherine Tilton (and Craftsy).

Allowing Nature To Have Her Say

I've had a few emails inquiring if I am okay since I haven't blogged much lately.

I want to say "Oh yes, I am fine!" but truth is -

I'm not.

I've got a bad case of the winter blahs...I'm ready to be playing around outside, aren't you?

I did go on a short bike ride (about 18 miles) with my husband this week.

I also went sledding with him and a few friends (and family members) in the great snow that we had.
And wasn't it wonderful to see 8-10 inches of snow in upstate SC??
I loved it!

I've been reading a lot (mostly in my Kindle).

Watching movies.

Moving supplies around on my studio table.

Looking at patterns (apparel!).
I am going to try to stitch up a few pieces of clothing.
I haven't sewn apparel in years (with the exception of fingerless gloves and scarves) and am itching to get started. I thought that I would start with a simple knit tee shirt.

What I would LOVE to have is a sewing group to bounce questions off of...
Any takers?
Maybe I'll search for one or create my own.
Email me (or comment below) if you're interested in being a part of a group like that.
It would be so much fun to sew the same thing together!

I must say that just jumped out of my fingers onto the "page". I never intended to broach that but now that it's out there- it sounds good.

I have done a little tiny bit of art work...teeny tiny bit for sure.
I've created a sample book for a project that I am putting off doing.

You can also see the turtle shell full of buttons
that I made from shed deer antlers.
Oh, and the sample (duct tape) book.

Yep, that same project that I have written about before.
I have completed reinforcing the spine of the signatures and punched the stitching holes.

I figured out the closure and I LOVE it! I can't wait to see if it is going to work the way I hope it does.
I've got the cover completed and just need to tweak one little thing before I attach it (after the signatures are in).

Tonight (or tomorrow) I am going to stitch the signatures in.
I am, I promise!

Here's a sampling of the pages just waiting to go in.

Here's a peek or two of the rusty threads, fiber, and cloth on the cover.
The cloth that is not rusted is naturally dyed.

I've allowed Nature to have her say on this one.

There you have it - a quick synopsis of the past few weeks.
Without all of the hot tea, coffee and chocolate of course...

Check Your Calendar

Sunrise In The Studio

I had to run and grab my camera this morning when I walked into my studio.

The sunrise was spectacular!

I have a small stained glass piece hanging in my window that I made years ago.

It depicts a sunrise with the sky above it and land/water below it.

I was totally surprised when the rising sun lit the panels up to make it really look that way.

Now you can be amazed as well, since I took pictures of it as it happened.

Here comes the sun...
You can see the tail feather of a bird mobile that I have
hanging in my window.

This really shows the beautiful movement in the piece of glass
that I chose for this panel.
 I love the way that the sun is illuminating the glass.

I thought this looked the same way that water does
when the sun ripples off of waves (the lower left panel
with the sun behind it).

The illumination of this glass is truly spectacular.
(excuse the line on the right-hand side- it's the cord from the blinds)

Amazing how the sun is right at the sun on the glass!

I might get up early just to see this every morning.

 I have always enjoyed the sunrise from this window but I've never seen it through the stained glass panel this way. You can be sure that I will notice it from now on.