Monochromatic

Some weeks ago I decided I'd get some fabric and stuff out and make something without having a clear idea of what.  I couldn't decide what to use as a base but I bought some cheap cleaning cloths made from recycled materials, not for this project but ended up using one for the base.  They were soft and a reasonable thickness but had stitching all over.  I decided to take all the stitching out, as they were that type of 'chain' stitch that undoes easily it didn't take long.  However that was when I discovered the reason for the stitching - the cloth was very much like cotton wool with a gossamer thin fabric enclosing it; the stitching basically held it together :-/  So decided to felt it on my much underused Embellisher (needle-felting machine) and add bits and pieces using the embellisher - organza, tulle, angelina, shimmery polyester fabric, lace and some handmade paper.  I did some random, free motion machine stitching all over then added beads, hearts made with angelina fibres and sequin type butterflies and leaves.  The fabric still isn't very robust but I intend to use Bondaweb to fuse some fabric on the back.

I had another little play with fabric and paints, this time using transfer paints.  These are great, you paint them onto copy paper then iron onto fabric.  You can paint a design or picture onto the paper then iron that onto fabric or do as I did just painted randomly onto paper.  Then I got some leaves, placed them onto the fabric and put the painted paper over the top and ironed over it.  This left the leaf design on the fabric.  On another piece I cut out some paper shapes and placed them on top of the fabric before placing the painted paper on top and ironing.  Transfer paints are meant to be used with polyester fabric for best results but I've used cotton fabric with the leaves, the other with cutout paper shapes is polyester.  The plan is to add some machine stitching to these and do something with them.






This shows the painted paper and the cutout shapes after ironing - (the paint having been transferred onto the paper shapes)  The paint is darker on the copy paper than when it's ironed onto fabric.

Sun Printing on Fabric

Thought I'd share my little piece of sun printed fabric.
(I was just trying out some fabric paint to see if they worked).  There are specially produced paints for this; Pebeo Setacolor Soleil being one; but I'd read that you can use other paints.  The yellow I used is Dylon Fabric Paint and the green (though it looks more turquise here) is Colourcraft Opaques Fabric Paint.  If you've never done this before it's very simple.  Just wet your fabric (don't saturate it) then brush paint on.  Place a stencil, leaves/grass, cut out paper shapes, anything you like really that will create a pattern, on top and leave it in the sun till the fabric is dry, et voila!


Also sharing a card I've made for my friend.  I printed the greeting on the computer using the 'glow' facility in Word which adds a little glow round the letters, added a bit of distress ink to the centre of the card then stamped the owl with black ink.

366 Journal July. No Olympic Torch!

Nice and early with my 366 Journal :-) I'm not too happy with the colour scheme for July but decided to leave it.  I used Ecoline inks and salt (if you want more info about these and how best to use them check out this blog http://stampingmathilda.blogspot.co.uk/2007/02/ecoline-and-stamping.html; while you're there have a look round her blog, she does fantastic stuff) For more about the 366 challenge pop over to Kate's and find out.

On Monday I watched the Olympic Torch passing from Dewsbury on it's way to Wakefield.  I managed to get quite close to the carrier (sorry don't know who it was even though I've looked online as several people carry it through each town) I had to stoop and squeeze between people and got a really good close-up.

This is the picture, no, really! - it's just that she happens to be behind this lady who walked past just as the shutter on my phone camera went off unfortunately it's a slow shutter speed
 :-(

Then I tried again and got the policeman.

Some of the crowd lining the street.

EDITED: Oops the eagle-eyed amongst you may notice I've got the dates wrong :-/ I have amended them now.