Saturday 6 February 2010

Soft(er) and pale(r) cloth

I want to begin this post by sharing this with you, brought to you by the very talented Sandi Manning. Isn't it fabulous? Just look how harmonious that is. WOW! More great Aussie art... I love it!

Remember those little "leaf" doodles I showed you in the other day's post Calmly at it like crazy? Well, yesterday morning, I decided to try and make a little stamp out of air drying modelling clay that I bought for that purpose on the Museum trip to San Jose. It was hellish hard to shape the thing! To answer my own question, no, not great for stamp making! But that's what I have here to use, so... onwards! Only a bad workman blames his tools!



















This measures a full 2 cm. One advantage is that it's so hot here that this stuff dries in no time!

I took my soft pale cloth, of no current name, slathered the stamp with a white fabric paint - which, i have to say smelt just like Rennie indigestion tablets, and, actually, if crushed and mixed with water, they might have been more effective! But, nevermind - Here's how it looked when I finished my spur-of-the-moment hand printing jamboree.















Well... the leaf pattern is not everso well defined is it. But in a funny kind of way, I don't mind that.















This is how it looks up close. I've ironed over the back of it, but am going to hold off rinsing until I've finished stitching.















I decided that I no longer wanted that bit to be directly attached to the bit (still) with the Wheatear stitching. So I ripped it off. And that's just the kind of gal I am ;}















There... much better!















In my scrap box I found the edge of some cut-out circles and laid that over the printed section. it has a lovely light and delicate feel to it... at the moment that is. I hope I don't go on to spoil those qualities, which are so unlike me.



















And this is how it looks currently. A darker, browner, linen square, with a beige Wheatear motif is being kantha-ed down in the upper section, and the whole thing is going to be mended together with some light colored surgical stitching, onto a piece of heather-colored, discharged cotton.

I'm pretty happy with it so far :)

7 comments:

Jacky said...

That scalloped strip looks wonderful...inspired. I love how it has changed this piece.
Onwards and upwards.

Jacky xox

Red (aka Puddleduck!) said...

Ohhhhh, those little leaves are divine and so delicate. I love that you just ripped that bottom section off and then re-attached it with the scallops! I'm enjoying watching you work and this piece evolve...

Do you ever wonder where the inspiration comes from? I don't usually 'do' softer and paler! Maybe it's an age, wisdom, slowing down thing, and being happier in one's own skin -so we can be quiet enough to listen to those sparks of inspiration.......

Thanks for the link! :)
Sandi

Anonymous said...

Yes, I like the circle cut-outs too - really effective layering on this piece. I often use pieces just the shape they already are because it's part of the fabric's memory, and that's important in textile art. I like the leaf motif too.

Joei Rhode Island said...

What an eye you have! Ripping the lower piece off then reattaching with the scallops...gorgeous! I like the way the stamp turned out...leaves more to the imagination (ha).

arlee said...

the end result is very evocative of an old parlour, my living room even! :} soft and pale is actually easier to do once you let it be--now let us see where the stitching takes you!

alsokaizen said...

This is really successful. I love the scalloped attaching too, it relates well to the small leaf print, a little like different sized leaves overlapping in a garden (or jungle) and the delicate colors make it dreamlike...

Catherine V. Bainbridge said...

Thank you all!

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