Whole Cloth Evolution

Whenever I have a chance, I love to create designs. I have a number of them that I would like to turn into whole cloth pieces.
Here is a peek into the process of one I am currently working on.

Mirrors placed on 1/8th of the design shows how it might look

The design enlarged and transferred onto fabric

Then, I began filling in areas using fabric paint

Getting close

Once the painting is done, it all needs to be heat set

I really need to carve out some time to dedicate to the quilting, I have not yet decided what I will stitch in the negative space.....but I do plan to have fun!

Still Playing with Wool.

I have been spending time layering stitches on wool. Feels like I am doodling, but with thread.

  

 

Wool

Wool............first I dyed some,

Then the embellishing began.

 

Easy Batik Method

I have always wanted to try Batik, but space is limited, I don't have a spot to play with wax and dyes, no where to really get "messy"
Recently, a reader and I were emailing back and forth, talking about various classes, workshops, techniques. She described a batik method where instead dye baths, the dyes are simply painted on.  well this really got me thinking....I wanted to try it so badly....but had no supplies on hand.
Those who follow me regularly KNOW that was not about to stop me....Like Clark Griswold...."I was on a QUEST"   :-)

So here is what I did

I have one of those little wax burners....you know the ones, you put a small cube of scented wax and melt it with a tea light candle placed underneath.  Okay....I now had hot wax.

I took a piece of muslin, lightly drew a design and then placed this in an embroidery hoop.

Next I traced the outlines using nothing more than a cheap paint brush dipped into the hot wax. It is going to take a little practice to get smooth lines but for my first time I am really quite pleased.
I checked to be sure the wax was going right through the fabric,

to give you an idea of size.....that hoop measures 12" across

then it was time to paint.....and that is what I did, I used textile paints diluted with water so that they flowed. I also used a little bit of acrylic ink (just to see how it would work)

I removed it from the hoop and continued placing more paint, I don't like to waste anything, so I threw some of the leftover colours into the blue background.  This was now very wet so I could test how well the wax would work as a resist.  You can tell that the work was good and wet by the reaction to the handful of salt I tossed onto the whole works before leaving  it to dry

Once it was dry, I placed the piece inside layers of newsprint (clean, unprinted) paper and set my iron to a low heat.....the heat from the iron melted the wax...the paper absorbed it.

now, of course, you know I HAD to add some doodling

This was such an interesting experiment, I can hardly wait to try it using some paraffin ( I have no idea what that scented wax is)  Next time I want to try doing several layers of wax and colour.