More Fabric Paint/stamping Fun

As I started this post, I realized that there are still two other pieces that I haven't taken photos of yet.  Be sure they will show up eventually.

Thursday morning, I decided to do some more fabric painting/stamping. I started with a piece of print fabric that I had over-dyed.   I meant to use the front, but  I started stamping on the back before I realized it.  

I decided to use one of my favorite stamps (that I carved) and  make a checkerboard style pattern.  First I started with a yellow paint but it wasn't strong enough on it's own.  So I  poured some red on top of it and mixed - expecting orange.  Hmmm...that yellow wasn't strong at all, it is still red. 

So I stamped every other block with the red. Then I went back and stamped with a pale buff color. Hmmm...that is "weak" also.  So I added some blue to it and stamped  them again.  Some places you can see the buff where I didn't get it lined up exactly.  I like it!

The blue background is mottled with spots that are much lighter and much darker. There are no shadows on the cloth in the picture - those are the actual colors.  I think it makes the stamping that much more interesting. 

Next I took some plain white fabric and stamped in purples with two stamps that I carved.  Then I decided that more contrast and another color was needed. So I used the top of a glue stick tube and stamped red circles on it. 

I really like the result but I wish I had used a hand dyed fabric for the base cloth to make it more like a batik. 

There was some red paint and just a bit of purple left that needed to be used. So I grabbed an odd scrap of pink fabric (un-ironed)and put it on the table.  I used the brayer and rolled it through the paint - loading a thin bit on the brayer.  Then I rolled it diagonally across the cloth.  I did this until all the paint was gone.  

Here is that fabric.

This taught me the importance of ironing before adding paint.  Here is where there was a wrinkle in that fabric. 

The wrinkle is printed in and is very obvious.  There may be times that you want that effect, but the wrinkles will likely be cut away when I use this fabric since they are not consistent with the rest of it. 

It was a fun session...and I am sure more will follow.  I still need to stamp light on dark - and maybe play with some metallics too. 

Until Next Time,  

Stay Creative 

Comments are welcomed. I will reply when possible. Of course if you are a "No Reply Blogger"- I can not reply. Links in comments will result in the entire comment being deleted.

Fabric Stamping - A Sidestep

By now, most of my readers know that I will get "bored" doing one thing and need a change in creative direction. That is why I have so many creative hobbies - such as: painting, quilting, weaving, cooking, baking, and music.  And I like to combine them at times. 

Today the the squirrel I decided to chase was fabric stamping. Let me back up-- first I watched videos on screen printing without special equipment.  But you needed to make a screen.  The screen has to dry. Let's face it,  I was too impatient to do that today. 

I pulled out some supplies - honestly some of these were chosen while I was working on it. 

In the photo are three bottles of fabric paint, drywall tape, two hand-carved stamps, one commercial stamp,  a piece of rug backing (sometimes sold as shelf liner), a brayer and a medicine bottle.  I also used a sheet of a disposable paint palette and of course the fabric. Here is the fabric before I ironed it flat.

First I squirted some of the burgundy paint onto the palette paper (you could use freezer paper or a glass/plexiglass sheet) and brayered it smooth. Of course I stuck the stamp in before I remembered to take a photo.

The fact is that I didn't spread it smoothly enough with the brayer as you will see on the photo of the stamp and fabric print below.

But that was okay because it gives it a nice organic handmade look.  I like it. 

Then I stamped it several times in a random pattern. Once or twice I didn't reload the paint so I have ghost prints - and yes I did mean to do that. 

Then I got wild and just played with paint and stamps. I think I went too far.  But that is okay, because as one instructor said "Sometimes you need to go too far so that you know where to stop the next time."

If you decide to try this, be aware that you need to heat set the paint before you wash it. Read the manufacturer's directions. 
Also, be creative when looking for things to use as stamps. The edge or a corrugated cardboard piece will give you a nice design if you brayer the paint really thin first.  Check around your house or at a thrift store for old household or kitchen items that have a fun design - potato mashers, the end of a spool,  commercial stamps if you aren't selling what you make.  Just look with new eyes and you will see a world of possibilities.

Until Next Time,  

Stay Creative 

Comments are welcomed. I will reply when possible. Of course if you are a "No Reply Blogger"- I can not reply. Links in comments will result in the entire comment being deleted.

Two Quilted Sections

What can I say?  Yaaay!  There was  sun today so I took the section that I finished quilting today AND the previous section outside for photos.  Of course  the breeze started once I was out there- isn't that just the way it goes?

Here are the two sections - one at a time.

Somehow I messed up...so the second photo is taken on the floor - not in the sunlight. 

You can see the tag on it reminding me where it fits in the quilt. 

I also took a few quilting close-ups. 

Yes, if you look you can find "mistakes" or as I prefer to say "the hand of the maker."

They are perfect in their imperfections, right Gail? 

The truth is, I had fun doing it and that is what matters. 

This creative fun helps maintain my mental health and attitude

during these interesting times in which we are living. 

As I told my niece on a video call today, 

We are survivors - it may be hard, but we can do it. 

I challenge you to "Create with your hands and find joy."

Until Next Time,  

Stay Creative 

Comments are welcomed. I will reply when possible. Of course if you are a "No Reply Blogger"- I can not reply. Links in comments will result in the entire comment being deleted.

Starting Another Section

In case you are new here or have forgotten this quilt is being quilted in sections.  This is section six of eight sections.   I am quilting it at a leisurely pace but the progress has been faster than I anticipated.  Perhaps I am getting more confident in my quilting. 

Here are the first two squares I have quilted on this section. 

The second block quilted was this fun swirly flower.  If I have seen someone else to a similar design I don't remember it.  My idea started as something different. As I got going, I realized that this would be a fun way to do it.  I was right.

It isn't all "perfect and even" - but it is perfectly fun and adds great texture to this block. I have also quilted the sashing and border on this section.  

Yes, I am having fun with it.  I hope you are having fun creating in your creative space. 

Until Next Time,  

Stay Creative 

Comments are welcomed. I will reply when possible. Of course if you are a "No Reply Blogger"- I can not reply. Links in comments will result in the entire comment being deleted.

A Finish - and More Progress

I am happy to report that I finished the small art quilt that I started in 2015 ---and restarted in 2021.  

Several people asked if this jolly little fellow is a self-portrait.  I will say that it was not intended as one. But the face we all know best is our own. So it isn't uncommon for "fantasy faces" to resemble the maker.  

Confession - I still need to add a label and hanging apparatus (sleeve or something else.) 

Meanwhile, I have layered and basted another section of my large bed quilt.  I can't remember if I ever named this quilt or not.  In EQ it has the exciting (ahem) name of HST Quilt. 

As you can see it is right there at the machine ready for quilting.  I filled several bobbins with an off white Glide thread. I love how much Glide I can get on one bobbin - that means I can quilt longer without stopping. 

Until Next Time,  

Stay Creative 

Comments are welcomed. I will reply when possible. Of course if you are a "No Reply Blogger"- I can not reply. Links in comments will result in the entire comment being deleted.

Under the Needle

Here is an update on my little fellow.  He is under the needle getting quilted in this photo.

Three echo lines, then lots of pebbles for the background. 

I enjoy the effect of a pebbled background on an art quilt.

I used a wool batting for the nice loft it gives. 
I do love all that texture.

Until Next Time,  

Stay Creative 

Comments are welcomed. I will reply when possible. Of course if you are a "No Reply Blogger"- I can not reply. Links in comments will result in the entire comment being deleted.

Off on a Side Track - or - Squirrel!

The quilt that I am quilting is coming along beautifully.   But I decided to pull out an old project - Oh my, this one dates back to November 2015.   I had a "hankering" to do something in a different creative mode. And now I am not sure when I will be quilting that quilt again.  But I don't plan to let it sit for over five years like this did.   

In the post - way back then - I said "needs to sit and mature for a bit."    - I suspect that five years and two months was just about right.

I pulled out the beginnings and started doing some fusible applique.  It is a fact that I have a bin of pre-fused fabrics that were ready to cut and fuse.  Since I had a good start, it was easy to take off running.  Here is where it is now. 

I am not sure if he is a Jester or perhaps some sort of magical creature.  What I do know is that he is much changed from the original start that looked like this.

I removed those eyes and made new ones.  Then I added to the head piece 

to make it more three dimensional looking.  

Hair was added.  Then the eyebrows had to change also.  

Then the mouth and a nose. 

 He looked like a floating head, so I grounded him -sort of- with the circles and petal shapes.

I took him to audition backgrounds.  I even cut one piece, but it was too busy and distracting.

I finally pulled out a piece of hand dyed fabric - nearly perfect! 

I started to fuse him down - Oh no!  I can't leave that nose. So I pulled off the offensive nose

(it was too dark and drew attention directly to it.) 

I auditioned more fabric for noses. Finally, this piece looked "right." 

I added the nose and fused the entire piece to the background. 

I have lots of stitches to add to him to fasten the pieces securely.  

He needs batting and backing. Then I can quilt it all into one fun little art quilt. 

In case you were wondering, I did get the pieces of the quilt that are quilted joined into one piece. 

I have half a quilt. 

Perhaps you would like to see the back and look at some of the quilting from the back of the quilt.

Which project will I work on next? Who knows?  The muse can be fickle.  But when I am 

smart I listen to her and follow along. 

Until Next Time,  

Stay Creative 

Comments are welcomed. I will reply when possible. Of course if you are a "No Reply Blogger"- I can not reply. Links in comments will result in the entire comment being deleted.

Quilted Photos

The weather has been warmer and there is sun -glorious sunlight to make better photos.  The quilted section is just one piece.   I took two photos because it was easier.  

The first one  shows the sashing and what is actually the top of the quilt but upside down.

I did orange peel on one block, a funky feather on one,  a square flower, 

and beads on a chain (squares and circles.) 

You may notice my little pinned on tag. That helps me to put the quilt together

as it was laid out. 

The second photo is closer to the middle of the quilt.

You can see the sashing again. For the blocks, I did a meander, a feather flower, 

a design I do, but don't know what to call, and another funky feather. 

Except for joining the sections,  I have half of the quilt mostly done.  This half is all quilted. 

Now I have the other half - the remaining four sections -  to quilt. When it is all joined together

I will put on the binding and have a finished quilt.  I think it will be nice to have this one on my bed.

Until Next Time,  

Stay Creative 

Comments are welcomed. I will reply when possible. Of course if you are a "No Reply Blogger"- I can not reply. Links in comments will result in the entire comment being deleted.

A Bit of Painting

The muse called me into the room where my paints are stationed.  I had been working on a painting that just doesn't want to play right now.  So I took it off the table and set it aside.  I found another partially done painting that I was never happy with and just started playing on it.  I decided to use cool colors - blues and greens - to cover all the corners.  That got the muse in gear and I painted for a while longer adding bits and pieces,  brush strokes and line-work.  

This is where it is at the moment. 

At this point, I am feeling happy about this odd little abstract painting.  For some reason I get a "beach" feeling from it.  With the cold weather we have been having, the beach seems very appealing. I must say that the painting looks better in person than the photo. For some reason, the camera causes the colors to lose some of the depth - making them a bit muddy in the photo. 

I don't know if I will leave it like this or add more paint. For now, it is "resting" at this stage. 

The quilt is still going along slowly.  I have layered another section and have begun quilting it.   I didn't take any photos. I am waiting for a "pretty" day to take photos of the quilting.  

Until Next Time,  

Stay Creative 

Comments are welcomed. I will reply when possible. Of course if you are a "No Reply Blogger"- I can not reply. Links in comments will result in the entire comment being deleted.

Quilting a Section

Now that all of the sections are sewn, I finally got back to the quilting.  On Friday, I layered and basted the third section of the quilt and started quilting it.  I started in a solid block that is hand painted fabric. 

I quilted my version of "square flower" on it. Since I started off center, one side has an extra petal.  In the overall scheme of the quilt, it will not be obvious. 

Then I did a quirky pattern on a pieced block.

I think I am calling this one "feather flower."  I started with a circle in the center and then added a modified feather going around it until the block was filled. 

I also did another solid block with random quilting designs - I made it up as I went along.

I did another block with just meandering, but I didn't take a photo of it.  I also did all of the sashing/border areas.  That means that this section is more than half finished. 

But UPS came with my late "combination birthday/Christmas" present to myself.  I spent the rest of the evening playing with it and just being very happy. 

This is an Evoharp - an autoharp designed by Evo Bluestein.  I chose a diatonic that plays in the keys of "F" and "C."  Yes, that limits what you can play, but the advantages are greater volume and a nicer sound.  I  really love it. 

Until Next Time,  

Stay Creative 

Comments are welcomed. I will reply when possible. Of course if you are a "No Reply Blogger"- I can not reply. Links in comments will result in the entire comment being deleted.

Preserving Food - Kimchi

One of my "other hobbies" is preserving food and if possible making it taste better.   I love cabbage anyway, but when it is made into sauerkraut or kimchi, I love it more. Plus, I get those lovely probiotics that come from fermented foods.  

I will say that I have never met anyone who was indifferent to kimchi. It is usually love it or hate it. Many years ago, my brother-in-law was stationed in Korea.  My sister went to visit him there. She stayed a while and lived and worked there. Of course she learned about the culture and the foods.  When she told me about kimchi, I said "YUCK."  To be fair, she told me that they "bury it in ground and let it rot." 

Forward many years, but still a few years back.  A friend took me out to eat.  He said, "Let's go to the Korean cafe. I am sure you will enjoy something on the food bar."  By this time I had become adventurous in my food choices, so I said "Okay."   One of the things I tried was kimchi - I don't remember if  I knew what it was when I put it on my plate, but I do remember that I went back for more at least twice on that visit. 

Then a few more years passed.  I saw a recipe to make kimchi on the internet.  I searched out some ingredients and made a small batch.  I have used different recipes but I have been making it since then.  

A couple of days ago, I made two quarts.  Today, I made two more.  They are sitting in my laundry area,  where it is dark, to ferment.  

I keep an old beach towel over them to help keep them warmer. And they sit in an old baking pan in case they get "active" in fermentation and run over - it can happen. 

For these batches, I used the "Emergency Kimchi" recipe.   I have learned a lot about Korean cooking from this site. She has many kimchi recipes.  One of them uses chayote - a type of squash common in Mexico.  I made a batch of it some time back and realized that I could use chayote to replace the Korean Radish or Daikon Radish in kimchi.  So these two batches have chayote in them.  I have made it this way once before and I know that it is good.  I get the chayote from a local Mexican market.  I also substituted yellow onion - chopped nicely - for the green onion.  And I added a couple of good dashes of Oyster Sauce also.
This kimchi is delicious eaten by itself. But I also love dropping in a nice portion in a bowl of ramen noodles (with most of the high sodium seasoning left out.) The kimchi flavors it wonderfully.  I also enjoy eating it with rice.  But possibly the most surprising way I like it is with pinto beans and cornbread.  Does that make me a practitioner of Fusion Cuisine?

Until Next Time,  

Stay Creative 

Comments are welcomed. I will reply when possible. Of course if you are a "No Reply Blogger"- I can not reply. Links in comments will result in the entire comment being deleted.

Quilt Update

I have been a bit quiet on this blog because I allowed myself a bit of a holiday from quilting. I am still planning to "go slow" on the rest of making this quilt.  But I made a leap Saturday night. 

All of the pieces are now sewn into the larger sections that will be quilted.  

Here is a peek at it placed on the bed in the configuration I am planning for it. 

There are two pieces of hand dyed fabric that I pieced into the last sections that I just love. 

Those are prettier in person than they appear here.  I can hardly wait to quilt on those luscious colors.  I will be fun to decide how I will quilt those squares.  

I am also working more on my music lately.  I am doing a lot of trial and error learning on the autoharp.  That is taking a lot of my time.  So far, I can only use it to accompany singing.  But I know that others use it for playing actual melody.  Eventually, I hope to be able to do that also. 

Until Next Time,  

Stay Creative 

Comments are welcomed. I will reply when possible. Of course if you are a "No Reply Blogger"- I can not reply. Links in comments will result in the entire comment being deleted.