The Promised new video

As promised I have recorded and posted the video on how I did the  coloring on fabric for my Island Batik table topper. 


I completely forgot to discuss heat setting.  To heat set your piece after it has dried for 24 hours, use the hottest iron you can use without damaging your fabric. Cover your work with a press cloth (simple muslin or cotton fabric works fine.) Press for at least 20 seconds, moving the iron to avoid scorching.

Here are my notes for your convenience:

Adding color to embellish fabric with Derwent Inktense Pencils

Supplies

·         Inktense pencils

·         Fabric - white or light colors work best - color will affect the final product. Must be organic fabric not synthetic for permanence.

·         Paint Brushes - reasonable quality - not expensive

·         Activator -textile medium or Aloe Vera Gel  (Brands not terribly important)

·         Imagination and a sense of fun

Drawing or Design options

·         Machine embroidery

·         Permanent pen - I like Micron fine point pens

·         Direct drawing with Inktense pencils

Testing colors - until you know what results you get testing is a good idea.  Also test new ideas on a practice piece.

Coloring in the design

        Shading  - more pencil

        Blending - more than one color

Wetting agent

        required for permanency

        types: Water (highly likely to bleed),  Aloe Vera Gel, Textile medium

        Differences  I have noticed: look, brush care,

        Application - using appropriate brush, getting in smaller spaces.

        Option of adding more color while wet

Drying - allow to dry at least 24 hours - it should not be damp at all

Heat setting - After drying, heat set with a hot dry iron using a press cloth to protect your fabric. 

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.

Altering Fabric

As some of you kind readers know, I like to play at dyeing fabric.   So when I was shopping and discovered a product called deColourant, I had to try it.    I have been wanting to do some discharging of color, but I can be so sloppy that I was afraid to try it with household bleach.

(note: discharging is simply removing color from the fabric)

After I ordered the deColourant, I did some research on using it. Yes, I know I should have done that first, but I was impetuous this time.  I found that it is supposed to work nicely with rubber stamps.  Cool, I could use some of my hand carved stamps to print designs on the fabrics.  It can also be brushed on.  And it is designed for natural fiber such as cotton.

So I got a piece of dark purple fabric to play with.  I think it is cotton, but I would not swear to that.  I put down some wax paper under the fabric and stamped and painted on the fabric with the deColourant.  Then comes the hard part.  You have to wait for it to dry.  I played it smart and left the house.

When I got back it was dry. The patterns were stark white and felt like --uh- toothpaste dried on the front of you shirt that you find after you get to work. It was kind of stiff and grainy. The next step is to iron over it until the color is lifted to your liking.  It mentions on the label that you can use steam for extra lift. So I started ironing. The white started to disappear and the effect looked weak.  I started steaming - with the iron of course.  I wasn't sure if it was where I wanted it or not.  Still, I took it to the sink and washed it out. Then I decided to iron it mostly dry.  The designs did show.

I hung it to dry - and promptly forgot it.  This evening I took a picture.  Due to the flash you can see the shiny white board it is hanging on thru the cloth.  But you can see how the designs came out also

 The brick lay pattern and dots were just painted on with a stiff bristle brush.  I love the pale warm purple tones and interesting edges that show in this.

 The leaves were added with a stamp that I carved. So was that little flower on the right.

The last picture is probably a little more true in color, although it is not quite that light.
This was fun. I will definitely try it again.  Next time I will likely use a lighter color of fabric just to see what happens.

I guess I am still a little boy when it comes to playing in this type of thing. Being childlike in creativity is a good thing.  Let your inner child loose and tell me what happens.

Weekend Fun - Stamping Fabric

Last weekend I carved  a couple of stamps and made a video to show you how.  This weekend I finally got to stamp some fabric.  I think I "wasted" an hour doing this.  I have to say I love the results and will probably do more.  However, next time I will do an entire piece with one stamp.
So, how do you do this?
Gather the materials and tools:
Stamps - your own hand carved (preferred) or purchased stamps. I carve my own.

Paints that are made for textiles.  I got these Jacquard Textile paints in an "exciter" pack so I could try them and see if I like them. 

Photo taken AFTER use. The package makes a great
storage container. 

Cloth to stamp, this should be washed and pressed with steam only.  Do not use fabric softener  Do NOT starch it. The idea is to get the cloth clean and remove all sizing so the paint/dye will stay.  I bought some heavy muslin and washed and pressed it.

Something to apply the paint to the stamps.  You can use small foam brushes. Soft watercolor/acrylic paint brushs, or you could squeeze the paint onto a glass surface (a piece of window glass or a smooth ceramic floor tile) roll it out with a brayer and use that like a stamp pad.  I used the soft brush.
Oh yes, and if you are using several colors, you will need a vat of some kind to rinse the brushes in. (then dry them with paper towel so they don't dilute the paint.)  I had a paint bucket.  You can use an old coffee can or a disposable plastic cup.

You will also want to put down something to protect your surface.  I used cardboard.  You can put down newspaper (a few layers) or just work on a surface that you don't mind getting paint on. You may want to put something on the floor too.  Accidents can happen and the paint will wreck your carpet and may stain your other flooring.

Something to use as a paint palette to squeeze your paint onto. A foam disposable plate works well.  A paper plate will absorb the paint. A sheet of wax paper or freezer paper will work also.

Apply paint to the stamps, not too much, so have a "practice piece" to work on the first time.
Stamp it onto the fabric
And you have made your own fabric designs.

I can really see making a piece that is all leaves or maybe all trees. Here is a close-up of part of the leaf section.

Notice that you can combine colors on one stamp. This is a "try it and play" option . So again, use your practice piece.  Some practice pieces turn out as good at the planned piece.  So save it a few days and see if you like it.
The paint package says that these paints are permanent after heat setting.  So I will let this dry and then iron it, with a press cloth over it to set the paints.
I have no idea what I will just this fabric for just yet...but I will certainly use it in something.

I hope your weekend is fun and creative.

P.S.  If you are on a septic system, do not wash your brushes and tools in the sink, use a container and pour the water and paint residue outside.  The fine acrylic particles can clog your septic system.

Men Quilt Too!

This post is especially for the "Men Quilt Too!" Quilt show. There is also a link to the show in my sidebar. 


I grew up thinking of quilting as "something my grandmothers did." But then a co-worker gently coerced me into taking a piecing class.  I got hooked hard and fast. 
I started the quilting journey in March of 2008.  The class was on foundation paper piecing.  When I went to the class, I didn't have a clue.  She told me that I would need an acrylic ruler with a quarter inch mark.   So I took a clear school ruler that -yep sure enough had a quarter inch mark on it. Ha ha. Fortunately she loaned me a ruler for the class. We made one simple block in that class- a square in a square. 

In the next class we made a table runner. I knew that in May my niece would be graduating and going off to college.  So, she needed a quilt.  I made her a quilt, but was unable to actually quilt it - it was too large to drag through my tiny sewing machine,  So I tied it. 
Here is a picture of my first finished quilt.

Since then I have made many quilts.  

I have also made purses, more table runners, pillowcases, eyeglass holders and even a cover/pouch for my Kindle. 

One of my paintings with the pillowcases I made to "go with" it. 

Kindle pouch

Table runner

Purse - check out that free motion quilting!

Purse with fabric birds

Table Runner

Purse and eyeglass holders.

Other quilty/sewing endeavors include designing quilts, designing fabric and I have even written one quilt pattern. 


Of course,  as you may have guessed from the blog title, I am from Alabama and still live in my home state.  I have gone to college in Ohio. I have traveled as a repertory actor and actually got paid to be on stage.  Interestingly, I have worked many jobs from cook to janitor to asssembly to acting to secretary, but I have never waited tables.  (What an actor who doesn't wait tables? ha ha - yes true!) 


I have visited England and Mexico.  I like a lot of diversity in my life.  I love music. I enjoy singing in a choir and I play penny whistle, piano and guitar (with varying levels of success.) 


I also love comments and new followers. So if you are visiting from Pigtales and Quilts, or if you just wandered in, I hope you have enjoyed the visit and will follow me. 

Quilt Along update AND presenting my Newest Fabric

First up is my Block from the Jelly Roll Sampler Quilt Along.

Then I want to show you my newest printed fabric.  I had it printed by Spoonflower.com  You can even order some for yourself, if you would like - rotary cutter not included.  ORDER by clicking HERE

What else have I been doing?  I am still working on the commission quilts.  That is taking lots of my time.  Oh and working at my job and keeping up a house....yeah...I am not a slug. (just so Barb knows, ha ha.)

I made a big pot of veggie soup this evening.  Yummy!

Edited:
You know what? I thought the painting was on my website, but it isn't. You can see it here

Designing Fabric

One of my blogging friends mentioned that she didn't know I had designed fabrics. I have a couple of my designs currently available on SpoonFlower.  I want you to click and see my favorite design at this point.  That link will also get you to a place where you can purchase some of this for your very own. It is a 4 ounce quilting weight cotton that is very smooth and soft.

I had previously blogged about this fabric. So here is a picture of the actual fabric from that blog post:

The other design I have available is this one:

These two are currently available to purchase.
I have two other designs that are in the process of being printed.  Once I receive them and approve them for printing, they will also be available for YOU to purchase. (and GOOD NEWS: I got word that they shipped today, so it will be about a week or less!) I will make a small profit on them -which will go toward being able to have more of my designs made available.  
I would love for one of the wonderful fabric companies that make our lovely quilting fabric to ask me to design for them.  I have some blenders and variations of my fabrics designed and waiting until I can either afford to print them on SpoonFlower OR someone takes that chance on me.  If you know anyone who you can direct my way,  I would certainly appreciate any assistance in reaching this goal.