How I use plant prints in multiple ways in my art quilts.

I'm enjoying making videos of my art making processes.  They are home-made videos without a whole heap of post-production editing, they are not scripted, they contain bloopers, the camera moves occasionally, and the sound is not perfect.  But that also makes them fun and relatively quick to do.  Plus, we are all makers, so we enjoy seeing a bit of hand-made imperfection, don't we?!

This video features yours truly running through the way I take one flora or plant print that I like and then use it in several different ways in my textile art.  

Are you enjoying seeing my work processes?  Is there anything in particular you'd like to see me run through?

And, of course, if you'd like to see any of this in person, your guild could book me for a class!  I can put together personalised classes on any of the processes I use in my textile art, just email me here and we can discuss your club's needs.
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Experimenting with Gelatos® on Fabric

Recently I visited the Whangarei Quilt Exhibition and I spent a little bit of money at one of my favourite merchants, Tulis Textiles.

I bought a few Gelatos®, as I'd seen Kerry from Tulis demonstrating with them a few times now, and I thought it was time I had a play myself.

Gelatos™are a creamy, water-based paint stick.  If you've ever used Shiva sticks, they are a little like that.  Except Shiva sticks are oil-based and Gelatos® are water-based, with all the benefits that that brings - easier cleanup, less fumes, less time to dry etc.

My colour selection for experimenting was: black liquorice, black cherry, metallic blueberry, aqua dolce, pistachio, and red cherry.  Sounds delicious!  I made sure I had a dark and a light and a metallic in my selection to give me a good range to see different results.

The first thing I tried was using a stencil.  I'm actually using a reverse stencil (the positive image, rather than the negative cut-out).  It was the left-over paper backing from a fusible web shape and I was just grabbing what was lying around, but you could make stencils from freezer paper, stencil plastic or use something already cut like a paper doily.

I made a little video of how the experiment went.  Spoiler alert - it went really well!

I'm going to try another way to work with them soon, and perhaps I'll share a video of that too.

Have you ever tried Gelatos®?  What was your favourite way to use them?

How to make plant prints on fabric

I've been doing some more flora printing - the term I use for making plant prints on fabric.

The last photo I shared (above) generated quite a bit of interest and a few questions, so I thought I'd make a little video to share my process.  Not that it's complicated, but sometimes it's nice to see how someone else does it to give you the confidence and motivation to try it yourself.



So, have a watch, tell me what you think and whether it's something you've had a go at.  In the video I show a book cover that I've made with the plant printed fabric.  You can find the tutorial on how to make the cover here.

Above is the finished book cover that I started in the video and below is another (sorry about the distracting fabric it's lying on) plus some cards I made with the same technique.

Enjoy!

Things to do with freezer paper

I love freezer paper.  It's a real must-have in my quilting studio.  I never considered that people might not know what to do with it, or only know one use, but Carol (from Carol's Quilts) told me that she often gets asked what it's used for.

So, here's a little video I put together for Carol on what to do with freezer paper.  It has more uses that just applique!

If you're in NZ and can't find it anywhere, click here for a link to freezer paper for sale on Carol's website.

I recently used it in my Wingbeats II quilt to make stencils and paint the herons and the waterlines.

And I used it to help me cut out the organza moths in Dusk Moth.  I show that technique and how to use it as a stencil in the video.

The video is not an in depth how-to on every single technique - that would need a whole series of vids, it's such versatile stuff - but it will give you a whole heap of ideas on how to use freezer paper and then you can experiment for yourself.  Or if a particular idea takes your fancy, you can go searching for a more detailed tutorial.

Enjoy!

How to tie a knot for hand-sewing

Want to learn the magic of tying a neat know when you are sewing on your quilt bindings?

I used to tie ugly knots.  Yup, being a mostly self-taught sewer and quilter, I didn't know there was a technique.  I'd get myself in a tangle and it used to annoy me.  I'd seen people tie knots fast and neatly but just didn't know there was a trick to it.

One day I got around to learning how.  I can't remember who taught me, but my knots are neat and tidy and look like a little bit of magic when I do it fast.  So thank you anonymous teacher!

I've taught a few people now too and it always makes my day when they get it.  So I ventured into the realm of video tutorials and I've uploaded a knot-tying video to YouTube.

Enjoy!