And my guy, who has been travelling all winter, is now home safe and sound. And we are getting used to being 'two' again. It's all good.
I'll be back.....
Saturday, May 25, 2013
What's on my book pile?
You know those fun blogs that show 'What's on My Work Desk" or words to that effect?? Well, on my work desk just now?....nothing. But I do have a lot of books as anyone who knows me well would tell you. Piles of books actually, because I have pretty much run out of bookcases (and I have lots of those!!). So next to my favourite chair I have a pile of books, about coffee-cup height if I just reach out my arm. (I know I have to start re-shuffling when I have to reach up even slightly to set down my coffee cup.) And there on the pile one can find the books that have held my interest most recently. It is sort of all I can show you regarding what I have been up to lately.
And my guy, who has been travelling all winter, is now home safe and sound. And we are getting used to being 'two' again. It's all good.
I'll be back.....
And my guy, who has been travelling all winter, is now home safe and sound. And we are getting used to being 'two' again. It's all good.
I'll be back.....
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Glad he's back and all is well. Have fun... The travel pics are wonderful!
ReplyDeleteTks Jo-Anne and tks again for being such a great traveling companion!! Talk to you soon!
DeleteThat's a great-looking pile ... and I spy some old friends and some new ones to try when I've finished my own current favourites, Reading about art and textiles is almost as good as doing it - but not quite ....
ReplyDeleteMarny, good to catch up on your happenings. I kind of forgot to check my blogger dashboard since I have not been taking classes.. So thanks for your posting to my blog to remind me.
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear you were down for awhile, but pleased to see the weekend trip and hear about your work hanging the the show at last.
Look forward to seeing you this summer.. and will subscribe to your blog which I thought I already had done.
Take care...........bj
biblio-lovers unite! cc
ReplyDeleteMarny...we need to talk about dye-painting. A few words. Well not really...here are some instructions. Soak the fabric in soda ash and let it dry...hang it on the line in the wind...or lay it on the grass in the sun. Use a light color colored pencil (prismacolor - soft lead) to transfer your design. Set up your work space with a clear plastic garbage bag cut so that it is one large rectangle. Fold it in half width wise and tape that edge with a few pieces of tape to the top edge of your table. Then open it up and put your dry soda ash fabric with the drawing on top. Take out a muffin tin (come on...I know you have one) or several plastic Ziploc containers about the size of a muffin cup (small) put 1/2 cup of water in each. Take your printpaste (the thickener) using a plastic spoon measure a scant teaspoon of print paste and dump in in one of the water filled cups...repeat till you have 5 or 6. Stir...wait...stir...wait...stir...wait (about 20 minutes) It should feel like maple syrup (something I'm sure you're familiar with) If it seems uneven from cup to cup you can spoon some of the contents from one cup into another...stir and then add back into the original cup. While you are doing this stirring business you can cut up some plastic bags into 6 or 8 inch x 4 or 5" strips...not precise...just some pieces of plastic to put over your design as you paint because you want to keep it moist...but only moist from the dye you are painting on...Now take the dye colors that you want to use and using a plastic spoon...preferably the same size as before put about 1/4 teaspoon of dye powder (the tip of the spoon with a little mound) into the spoon - wear a mask - and put it into one of the cups with the thickened water...repeat with your other colors...leave yourself one cup of the water & printpaste without color...this is your white...and this is what you use to lighten the colors you've made. Now you are ready to paint! Don't load the brush. Dip your brush in and scrape off one side of it on the container...you should have a small bubble of dyepaint on the top of the brush...paint away. Do your lightest areas first...work towards the dark...cover what you have painted with plastic as you go. When you are ready to stop scoop the flap of the big plastic bag over your plastic covered work and let it be until you are ready to begin again. The dye paints will last in the fridge for a week. When your painting is done let it cure in the plastic for 24 hours...then lift the plastic. You can let it dry or you can wash the dyes out. Cold water first working up to hot. Use some synthropol in the first hot water wash. If you have questions or need help email me through the website. I know it sounds like a lot...but really...it's not and the results are stunning.
ReplyDeletePam. thank you so much for taking the time and sharing these very detailed instructions!! Really love the suggestion about cutting up pieces of plastic to lay on the 'work in progress' so it won't dry out. Can't wait to try out the whole 'shebang'!!
Delete(Hope all is going well with you. Still lovin' your stitchin'!!!! Take care. tks again, marny)
I feel like this picture doesn't do the pile enough justice!
ReplyDeletexo