My name is Charlotte, sometimes known as Ms Lottie, occasionally as The Slightly Mad Quilt Lady. This is my blog, where you'll find me writing a lot about my quilting and textile arts and a little about my family's life in a small seaside town in New Zealand. Haere mai!

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Finally something quilty (ish).

Look closer - there is a castle there I tell you!
I'm still working away on my son's quilt for his birthday (in 3 weeks - work harder!!).  But because I was a dope conscientious quilter and decided not to buy any new fabric in 2010, I was in a pickle.  One castle to cut out and applique, no grey fabric big enough.  In fact barely any grey fabric at all.  Really, nothing that remotely resembled stone of any colour in my stash.

So, one toddler in bed for afternoon nap, what did I do but break out the fabric paints.  I've had these sun reactive paints since Symposium 2007, they were only slightly gunky ;)


I mixed up some grey (black and white, mostly white) added a touch of purple and pink to warm it up a little and then watered it down heaps.  I sprayed my fabric with water then sponged, splatted and sploshed my way to stonework bliss.

This is before (yes, big piece of white fabric, how handy, but it WAS in my stash, I promise)
And this is after - it looks grey, right?
So then, remembering that these were sun reactive paints, I went and pinned it down outside with a piece of wire netting over it, hoping to get a grid effect on the cloth.

Yes that IS a dog bone pinning it down, I was working fast, afternoon naps don't last that long.

And blow me down if it didn't work!   I was over the moon!  You can see the paler, unpatterned bit to the left where the netting didn't cover to and it was flapping round in the gentle breeze howling gale we've been having lately.


That could pass for stone couldn't it?  Those sun-reactive paints are pretty cool.  Especially when they still work after three years.  So then I heat set it with the iron and it's waiting to be washed before I use it.

Truly, this vow not to buy any new fabric is both an utter pain and a creative stimulus, I curse it and thank it all at the same time.

5 comments:

  1. That is very cool! You know, I look at all the creative, fabricky goodness out there, your blog included, and wonder HOW ON EARTH you all have the time to get such cool things done! You are a legend, girly!

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  2. Wow. How cool is that! Hope it washes up OK. Looking forward to seeing the finished quilt (whenever). It looks like a very detailed castle.

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  3. I love your plan "not to buy" for a year.I need to make myself a similar challenge on not buying anything(other than food, and even that would be a good challenge)for a year. I bring home so many things to use in my crafting, it gets overwhelming at times.I spent the day yesterday working on half a dozen different projects trying to use up a few of my collection of supplies,but it seems the rate I bring them into the house is much faster than the rate I move them out.I suppose I could offer a craft workshop and envite folks over to use their imaginations on new projects and to help me to move my collections along.We could all contribute a pot luck dish and make a fun day of it.Everyone wins!

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  4. Well done!! A great result - I look forward to seeing the quilt. No pressure!!. I admire your resolve to not buy any more fabric - one I couldn't do!! I do love being forced to be more creative through problem solving and coming up with brilliant ideas.

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  5. Inspired!! Looks amazing, and you could have never bought something as good!

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