Freezer paper masks are your friend

Whoever invented freezer paper needs a medal.  And whoever discovered that freezer paper sticks to fabric when ironed and then peels off easily with no residue needs a REALLY BIG medal.

I wanted to carry on with my coloured pencil Tui experiment and had decided to paint the background.  But how to get there?

Well, here's an 'almost finished product' picture.  Next I need to work on the branch that the Tui is perching on.

First off, I placed my freezer paper shiny side down over my Tui and carefully traced the outline.

It's taped up on my window.  I have got an insert for my SewEzi table to turn it into a light box but  for a quick job it's just easier to use the window.

Then I cut carefully around this outline.  Use small, sharp, point-tipped scissors and take your time.  Once I was done cutting, I ironed it over my Tui until it was very firmly adhered.

And then you can paint over the top.  Easy!  

Just a couple of tips.  Don't dilute your paint too much or it will run under the paper.  Paint in strokes away from the freezer paper - if you paint towards it you risk lifting the edge.  It's better to wait till the paint is dry before peeling the paper off, but if you are impatient you can, just be careful!  And you can stamp, mono print, do whatever you like really.

Drawing and Quilting Birds - my feather fetish (let's see how many hits I get from that title!)

I've put down the UFO's for a little while and I'm working on a few new projects.  I've been mulling over thoughts for a while and then it's like they all collide and I'm away again, inspired and enthusiastic!

This swallow quilt is a what I'm working on today.  It's going to end up as 12" by 12" and will probably be an entry into the BLUE challenge that is being run by Aotearoa Quilters.  You can read more about it here.  It's open to non-members too, so go have a read.

This is a two layered quilt, with a cotton broadcloth base and a silk organza overlay.  I've mono-printed both layers, with a freezer paper mask in place over the swallows.  I've then painted the swallow on the top layer and worked them in coloured pencil on the base layer.

My coloured pencil work is a follow on from this experiment I did the other day.  I worked the Tui (a native New Zealand bird, pictured here puffed up in full song) from a photograph taken by my talented cousin.  You can see his work here on Flikr, he's dazzla65 - go check him out, he's amazing!

The top photo shows the 'before' version, before I painted over the coloured pencil with fabric medium.  It worked so well that I can't wait to use the technique in more quilts.  

This feather piece measures about 20" by 30" and it's work towards a challenge run by the Auckland Quilt Club.  It has a spine now, which makes it look better and now I'm debating on how to do the quilting.

I tried out some quilting ideas on this little piece.  The feather was drawn using Neocolor water-soluble pastels then painted over with fabric medium.  I've trimmed and bound it now and even added a label and hanging sleeve (I usually procrastinate over those tasks!) and it's another contender for entering into the 12 x 12 BLUE exhibition.

So can you see the theme?  I'm guessing I like birds....