A blue pair

This is another little piece I have developed from a gelatin printing plate using fabric paints.  I really think the fabric paints (I am using Jacquard fabric paints) perform really well using this plate.

This is actually two separate prints that I sewed together and then quilted up using free motion stitching.  I think there could be a lot of room for further development of this printing technique.  I still haven't tried it with thickened procion dyes but that is next on the agenda.  I am wondering if the dyes will stain the print plate.

I'll give it a try and get back to you.....

Gelatin plate printing onto fabrics

I have completed the little quilt, the beginnings of which I showed you the other day.  The fabric for this quilt was pretty much totally created using the gelatin plate I made whilst taking the Linda Germain class "Printmaking without a Press".  Such a great class (do I say that every time??  I think so!)  The only part that wasn't printed was the numbering that I used in the interior border, and for that I used freezer paper and paintsticks, and the border fabric, that is a hand-dye from another project.

I have stitched onto the quilt a number of little pictures that represent some of the memories of the day we spent with my guy's daughter and her husband on the property at their new home.  It really was a lovely day and it was fun to create a little piece to commemorate that day (so I also included the date of our visit!!).

There is quite a bit of marshland on their property and so I also had to stitch in the resident swan who floats around (almost like a watchdog!!), plus the redwing blackbirds and the kingfishers to name a few.  It was a really fun piece to complete.

I'm on to another project.  More on that next time.  I'll be back....

Jacquard fabric paints, Fabrico markers and Shiva paintsticks

I'm still working away using inspiration from the printmaking class I just finished with Linda Germain.  I have lots more ideas I want to pursue, which is kind of exciting.  I have finished the experiment with the piece I showed you last time.  This time I have finished the echo quilting.  Once the stitching was all done I cut out some freezer paper shapes to cover up the main images and then brayered over the whole piece using white acrylic paint.  It is interesting to note how dominant the thread colour becomes.  I also think it would have been much more dramatic on a darker background.  (More to try for next time!!!)  And, this method would cover up any detail on the painted fabric that wasn't actually stitched in.  (I've taken the photo on a bit of an angle and hopefully you can see how the paint sits on top of the fabric and allows the colour of the threads to show through.)

In addition, I have printed, using the gelatin/glycerin plate and more of the Jacquard fabric paints, some green fabric (sorry, photo next time) to use for the outside borders for my next project which is shown below (what a quick and easy way to make fabric!!).  I want to preserve some of the details of the printing so I think  that I won't be using the acrylic paint roll-over technique with this next project.  This little piece will be a gift for my guy's daughter and her husband who have just bought their first home, and the numbers represent the address of the property.

I made a freezer paper stencil to mark out the numbers and I'll use this fabric to form a little border around the printed picture, then I'll put the rest of the green printed border around the number border  (a picture next time, that'll help!!).  I used Shiva paintsticks for this freezer-paper process (I believe they are Markal paintsticks in the UK) and they worked beautifully.  I was a bit impatient to carry on so when I ironed them the next day they were still quite 'oil-paint' smelling, but no matter.  They still worked like a charm.

This monoprinted piece I have further enhanced using Fabrico markers.  I tried drawing onto fabric using inks designed for paper and the inks tended to wick away from the drawn lines out into the surrounding fabric.  Not a problem if it's the look you want, but I wanted a bit more control.  I found that the Fabrico markers stayed exactly where I put them.  I used the brush tip (they also have a chisel tip at the other end) and I am happy with how they performed.

So now I am off to decide how I want to carry on with the stitching on this piece.  I'm planning to stitch little reminders to commemorate the happenings of the day we went for our first time in their new home.  A beautiful day filled with sunshine and nature, great company and delicious food.  Hmmmm, what to stitch??.....

I'll have a think, then I'll be back....