I' m Back

 Cuba was a great experience,  and yes. there are 1950's cars.  Mostly in Havana.

 The cathedral square in Havana

 Beautiful old mansions going to ruin.

 Private enterprise at work.  People can now sell their excess to others privately.

 THe music and dancing was so colorful.

 My painting at the Bay of Pigs.

Me and Che.  Well a bush trimmed to look like him anyway.  I have  paintings to finish and will hope to do so over the holiday break.  I will post them as I get them done.
It was a wonderful experience, but there is no place like home!

GOOD NEWS

I got an e-mail from Hoffman Textiles.  They had charged me for someone else's shipping so they are refunding money to my credit card account.  It means a return of about $10 per bolt back to you.

If you are not in class on Wednesday I will send it to you.  I knew there was something wrong with the shipping costs!

This is the Dior Rose, we will paint the satin in your favorite rose color and then put it together.

I will bring each of you a kit to make one rose and the dye (Jacquard Green Label)  to color the fabric.  You need to bring scissors, a few pins and a needle and thimble.

All the paints we have been using are still available in the room if you want to continue working with them.  I just thought that something new might be fun for the last day.  See you Wednesday.

Sun Prints

I had some time on Saturday to put Seta Color onto fabric and make some sun prints.

Several years ago I had printed sun prints of blue and white and used the fabric to make a quilt 

called "Rice Bowls"  by Kaffe Fassett,  I always liked the quilt and said "someday I will make another

quilt like that since I had given the first one away.  Now I have made fabric and can get going on another "Rice Bowls" quilt.

 I used some square plastic stencils for the sun prints on the right and lower row.  The top left are nuts they were tall enough to make a shadow.

 Washers and popsicle sticks made the images above.

 I folded the wet fabric in pleats to get the stripes.

 These are toothpicks and twists

The bolts of PFD Cotton are here.  I will bring them Wednesday see the last post for more details on the cost.

The PFD Cotton Arrived

The PFD Cotton order arrived.

They are bolts of 16 yards at $4.88 per yard   $78.08
                                                        tax               6.25

Shipping was $429 can you believe it?
Divided by 27 bolts comes to                           15.88  per bolt
                                                                 
                                                              $100.22   per bolt

I will bring the bolts to class next Wednesday you bring your cash or checks.


I checked the retail prices and it varied from $7.00 to $9.00 for the quality we are getting.  On the Internet it still cost $15-$19 for shipping a bolt.

We dabbled in Sun Prints on Wednesday.. THis is a wall hanging I took a photo of using either freezer paper or sticky self liner for the mask.  I hope you are making a plan of what you will be doing on Wednesday.  I have a couple of demos to do, but then you will be using paint to make fabric.

It was a Breakdown

We had a great day using our screens to do "Breakdown Printing".  I love how mine came out, it is very happy fabric.  Now I will microwave dye some plain colors to go with it until I have enough to make a blouse.  There were some very fun and interesting results from the class.  Can't wait for "Show and Tell"
NO CLASS NEXT WEEK
I will see you all again on November 6 and we will play with paint.  If you have any Seta Color or Dyna Flo bring them to class along with fabric.  You can use any fiber with paint so if you have a poly cotton blend or such it will work.  Also any opaque objects you may want to use to make sun prints.

Painting

I  have spent 5 days at a Don Andrews Watercolor Workshop.  

 The title of the workshop was "People in the Landscape"  I have not done many people before so it was a learning experience.   This painting is about learning how to create light and accent on the people.

 This is learning to create a mood and tell a story.  Also using hard, soft and lost edges.

This is working with textures and highlights.   I have a long way to go but it sure is fun to practice,  I just want to keep trying to get better.

I will spend Monday and Tuesday getting things ready for class.  Don't forget to Soda Ash your cotton if you are using cotton to print on.  Bring your screens and fabric, also any stencils, silk screens or stamps you may want to use.

Thickened Dye Printing

Kristina sent me this photo of her cute tee shirt with the smocked front.  This was Parfait Dyeing that was weak dye, but she made lemonade out of lemons.  Way to go!

We will be printing with the screens we painted today.  If you want to take it a step further bring stencils,  silk screen, or foam stamps and you can add to the images you "Breakdown".  It is easier to handle if you are doing yardage for a garment to cut into sections before printing.   For a shirt a section 36" X 45" will do a front or back and another 3/4 yard will do sleeves.  If you have a pattern in mind draw the pattern pieces onto the fabric lightly with a pencil or water erasable pen.  That way you will know just where to print.

If you want a particular color of dye please send me a e-mail   bobbydi@charter.net   and let me know by Tuesday morning.  I'm not making every color, but I will add a few to what I already made.  Also whether you want cotton or silk.

Thank you for accommodating me today so I could go to watercolor workshop for the afternoon.  I am really enjoying it.  I am learning a lot about "Painting People in the Landscape".

Silk Screen Breakdown is Coming

 These are the finished quilts I did from the Photoshop Elements Class.  I am going to develop the succulents into a series of quilts using different methods of coloring the image.  This one is applique.  The upper right hand area is the photo printed onto cotton and used as an applique.  I have one painted in silk dye, planning to paint one in thickened Procion dye and perhaps one using fabric paint.

 I always loved the photo and now I love the quilt.  How to quilt it was one of the problems that needed solving.  I hope it is a suitable solution.

We will be moving onto working with thickened dye.  These are examples of "Breakdown Printing"  I like to do this technique because of the serendipity.  You don't know what you will get as you print and the dried dye melts.  The bottom row has a stencil printed over the breakdown.  Something to explore?

Bring your blank silk screen or supplies to make one.
4 stretcher bars
nylon or poly organza
staple gun (I have one if you don't)
Duct Tape (I have 2 big rolls)

We will paint the screens with thickened dye and let them dry for 1 week.

The next week we will print our screens.    Are you going to do cotton or silk?

Halloween Bags

Sara had gotten this fabric last year with bottles on it so this year I made goodie bags for Jack's pre-school class.  They are really cute and will hold just the right amount of treasures for the kids.

Moving along

We started class with "Parfait Dyeing"  but something was wrong with the dye.  It washed out except for blue which is usually the one that is fugitive.  I have done some research and I think I have an idea of what the problem might have been.  

Usually I mix the dyes for class the day before,  because of the baby arriving I mixed the dyes about 10 days before class.  According to some of the research I did Procion MX dyes, once mixed, only last about 5 to 6 days at full strength.  They are also sensitive to heat and they had been sitting in my garage during a very HOT spell.  I apologize for the screw up.  I will be mixing dye on Tuesday for our class on Wednesday.  I suggest that you "Parfait" again if you were doing cotton.  The Silk dyes seemed to be ok.

 I will be demonstrating some shibori folds, a free-form dyeing method we call "Splish-Splash" and gutta resist silk painting.  If any of those appeal to you move forward with them.  If you had light results with the cotton of the first day either over-dye or save it and print or paint over the top of what you have later.

This is Kate holding her new sister, Aly Jane Westbrook.  There is lots of holding required and everyone wants a turn.

New Class Starting

A New Class starts on Wednesday Oct 2, 2013  We will be concentrating on dye and paint
Below is the schedule and supplies needed.

PAINT AND DYE 

This session of classes will be an opportunity to review (for former students) and to learn new techniques (for new students ).  Each week I will bring either dyes or paints .   If it is a dye week both Acid and Procion will be there.  I have several colors that were ordered in the past so I want to bring some of those as well as our standards.

You may use them as you wish.  There may be suggestions for each week.

 I do not have enough paint for everyone so you may be asked to bring your own selection of colors.  I will have enough for sampling different paints, but not for you to do big projects.

WE WILL BE DOING  SHOW AND TELL  so bring what you are working on or what you finished over the summer.

week 1 Oct 2 Parfait Dyeing

materials Fabric either silk or cotton or both  2 to 3 yds

container that is taller than wide (ex Mayonnaise jar)

week 2 Oct 9 Optional dye methods  ex: Splish and Splash,  low water immersion, microwave shibori, twist and shout w/chiffon

gutta resist silk painting (Use your quilt photos, and paint and applique, it is easier than all applique.)

materials fabric, containers for methods you are using, string, bins

sheet plastic, etc.

we have PVC pipes, injector needles, 30” stretcher bars and a few other things.

week 3 Oct 16 HALF DAY ONLY   10 to 12   Optional dye methods cont.

suggestion:  Paint a silk screen with thickened dye for use

next week.

materials blank screen  

week 4 Oct 23 Printing with thickened dyes

materials fabrics: new or pre-dyed, sheet plastic if using cotton or

rayon, silk screens, additional screens, stamps etc.

week 5 Oct 30 NO CLASS    I WILL BE IN HOUSTON

week 6 Nov 6 Paint on Fabrics 

  

materials fabric: new or pre-dyed fabric or T-shirt.  Seta Color or Dyna Flow Paint

things to make sun prints.  (We have some here)

week 7 Nov 17 Paint and Fabric   plus Tee-Juice pens

materials fabric or Tee-shirt

week 8 Nov 20 LAST CLASS OF SESSION

Designers Choice:  Let me know what you want to try again

ex: discharge, or whatever

When I copied and pasted it got wonky, but I think you can read it.  

Heading for the Finish Line

 Yesterday I started putting together my bicycle quilt.  It is almost all quilted, but it isn't very big so it is only a few hours of work.  I was concerned about the black and white photo and colored cloth, but it seems to be working.  I love this photo, and have been meaning to make it into a wall quilt for years now here it is almost done.  WOW!


Okay now onto the next method of using your photos for quilts.  I got two 200% enlargements made from my 8 X 10" tracing on clear plastic.  One is the right side then I flipped the plastic and printed a 200% enlargement in mirror image.  I am going to use Wonder Under so the mirror image becomes the template for the Wonder Under and then I fuse it to the wrong side of the fabric and it fits onto the map of the right side.
I'm hoping I have fabrics in my stash that will work for the quilt values, or I  may have to dye,  or I'm thinking "Overdyeing" a couple of commercial fabric prints will give me what I need.  I am off to my "studio" to try and make the plan work.  I hope you are also having fun putting your photos to work.

If you are planning to come to the next session "PAINTING AND DYEING FABRICS", you will need to bring either cotton or silk to dye.  I will be bringing both acid dye for silk and procion dye for cotton to class and I am thinking we will start with "Parfait" dyeing so bring a taller, than wide container to dye the fabrics in.  Do you think we can do the silk in the microwave?  It is worth a try.

Printed and Ready

Here are my 8 sheets printed and ready to sew together.  I will sew some here at home and demo how to match and hold them together to sew them accurately.  I also bought some fabric with bicycles on it, but put it in a "Safe Place" so I will spend the next few minutes (or it could be longer) trying to find it.
I should have only one place to put things but that may not work; because I have too many precious things to fit into one "safe place"  Wish me luck.

I hope you are printing your photos on fabric and ready to move on next class as well.

while I wait

 While I have been waiting for class to start I have made the bumper and ruffles for an old metal bassinet that Sara bought.  She saw a bed set on the internet that cost $565 and figured mother ( that's me) could make it cheaper.  $75 dollars of fabric and supplies and 3 days of labor later it is done.

This is a watercolor painting I did a few weeks ago.  He turned out really good.  I have been painting about two days a week for a few hours and making good progress.

I may not have as much time to paint once classes start again; because I will have to be getting class projects done and won't have time for everything.  It has been a good summer.

Summer is over

 The summer passed so quickly and now it is time to go back to class.  It was a great summer for me I hope you had a good time too.  The next class starts on Wednesday Sept 4 from 10 to 12.  We will be working with Photoshop Elements and preparing our chosen photos for inclusion in a quilt.

 I will be teaching several ways to use photos both as the central focus and as a pattern for an original art quilt.  Start browsing your photos for the ones you want to work with.

 Look for photos that tell a story.

 Or create the story with your photos.  If you want to use old photos get them scanned into your computer and I will show you how to clean, and fix them before you print.  This is such a fun class and there are so many ways to use the photos.

I'm looking forward to seeing you again and welcome new students to our Wednesday gathering.

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday to me!  Another year rolled by, actually it was going very fast and it still is.
July 24th, the very day of my birthday friends got together and celebrated my birthday at Myrna Elliott's wonderful home.  Thank you to all who came it was so lovely to see so many and to see what wonderful creations you have been making.

The summer will soon be over and we will be back to class.  The first classes start Sept 4th and we will work on Photoshop Elements and quilts again for four weeks.  We will also go through how to use a photo as a pattern for an original quilt pattern.  I know this class has been given before (several times) but many still requested it.  Then in October we will paint and dye fabrics again.  

I am teaching at Long Beach next week so my mind is full of that.  I will post supply list and such for classes after that is over and things have settled down again.

Marbled and Done

 I finally finished something using the marbled fabric I have accumulated.  The marbling was so mu;ch fun I just couldn't stop, but doing something with it was another matter.  I have to donate a small quilt for the silent auction in Houston so this will be my contribution.  It is called "Hide  and  Seek".  Not a ton of work, but a fun concept and it turned out ok.

This is marbling over silk painting and is all hand stitched.  I put it onto canvas and on stretcher bars.  (you can't tell by the photo)  It is a favorite.  I have mostly been painting this summer.  That is when I am at home and not traveling back and forth to one or another of my kid's homes.
I am getting obsessed about painting and will need to get over it and get ready for the fall classes.  I have ideas that need to be tried and see if they work.

Long Beach Quilt Festival

The Long Beach Quilt Festival will be held at the Long Beach Convention Center August 1to 4.  I will be teaching 7 times.  Some classes, some demonstrations and a new thing "Create on the Spot"

 This represents a class Friday Forum where I will participate in a "Round-Robin" format.  I will talk about how to use your photos to create original quilts.

 My old standby "Microwave dyeing for Cotton will be on Friday Aug 2

 Twist and Shout,  Microwave dyeing Silk will be on Thursday Aug 1

 These Hanah Silk Ribbon Poppies will be featured at "Create on the Spot on Saturday at 11 am

 Scrappy Cloth will be a class on Thursday  Aug 1.  We will make small purses with wonderful tassels included in the kits.

The other "Create on the Spot" class are Hanah silk velvet roses.  It isn't easy to find something that can be done in less than 1 hour, but these roses fit the bill.  Brooke has sent wonderful kits worth double what the class costs.  She has been so generous.   There is one more class, but the photo isn't here.
It is painted silk roses.  on Friday Aug 2.
I hoe I see some of you there.  If not in a class at least wandering the floor.

Abstract Art?

I went to a weekend Acrylic Painting workshop in San Clemente.  I kept seeing things in the painting and they became more representational than abstract.  I did paint very loose so that was fun.  We were also painting much larger than when I do watercolors.

 The painting looked like a vase, so what do you put into a vase?  Flowers of course.  I did paint it quickly with a palette knife so that helped.

Abstract, at last.  Using colors that are not my usual color range helped me get a more abstract feeling in the painting.  The instructor said this was good so I am satisfied.  I want to do more of this big painting, but have been babysitting and haven't time for awhile.  Maybe next week I can get the paints out again. I will have to buy more canvas.

Gallery Show

I was recently in a gallery show in Ontario.  It was a painting show so I 

entered silk painting. 

I have been traveling back and forth between children this summer plus taking watercolor painting.

More Marbling

I recently returned from Santa Barbara where I taught marbling yet again.  This time there was a twist.

Look down at the third photo.  It is the silk necktie transfer technique.  Some of the ladies ties didn't transfer well so one of the ladies marbled over her scarf.  WOW! what a difference with layer over layer of design.

 This is one layer of marbling on a white silk

 These were silk tie transfer scarves that were then marbled over the top.  Look at the effects.  The one on the left looks like wonderful patterned stones.

 silk tie transfer on white silk scarves.  These turned out really well and were not over marbled.

 The fabric on the left is marbled over a pre-printed design.  It is really stunning.  The middle is over a lightly  pre-dyed fabric.  The one on the right is over rusted fabric.  Very organic and woodsy looking.

One students results of two sessions of marbling and over marbling fabrics.  Really fun.