Thursday, February 12, 2015

Day #12: Fabric Printing at Home Blog Tour


It's Day #12 of the Fabric Printing at Home Blog Tour!

Today we're off to visit Cheryl Sleboda's blog. Cheryl is a woman of many talents...


Cheryl Sleboda is a comic book industry executive by day and an award winning art quilter by night.  Cheryl is a teacher, lecturer, author, and designer and the owner of her own quilt business – www.muppin.com.   She currently has a yearlong art quilt technique series called “Technique of the Week” on her YouTube channel.  Cheryl is also an expert on electronics in quilts and has been recently working with dimensional fabric manipulations.  Cheryl has been featured in Quilting Arts and Generation Q magazines, been featured many times on Quilting Arts TV, and is the author of the “Heirloom Sewing Techniques for Today’s Quilter” DVD by F+W Media.


Be sure to stop by Cheryl's blog today and leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of Fabric Printing at Home.

Keeping Things Interesting
Today's post started out as a project and turned into a lesson in awareness, especially when things aren't quite "working".

The project was designing a Valentine's-themed pillowcase using carved turnips and found object printing with bottle corks.


I printed the background of the pillowcase with the corks (see Found Objects and Kitchen Tools on p. 44 in Fabric Printing at Home). I chose an opaque fabric paint color that would blend with the blue background (which I painted with blue transparent fabric paint) so that it would "read" as a texture.


I then cut  turnip slices with a heart-shaped cookie cutter and carved designs in the shapes with a linoleum carving tool (see Slicing and Dicing: Printing with Vegetable Shapes on p. 56 in Fabric Printing at Home). I printed these veggie blocks with a warm red opaque fabric paint.


Here's what I realized...it was boring!!

What to do? I started pulling out print blocks. I used a sampler fabric and started "auditioning" designs. Then I took a deep breath...


I decided to do some printing with recycled foam blocks (see Making Your Mark: Designing Print Blocks from Recycled Foam on p. 90 in Fabric Printing at Home). I chose a round block with concentric circles and a plain square block. I also decided to use undiluted and slightly diluted transparent fabric paint on the blocks so that the first layers of printing with opaque paint would show through.


First, I randomly printed with the round foam block using blue paint. Then I printed a checkerboard pattern with the square foam block using yellow paint.

I still wasn't completely satisfied. I decided to go back in with one of the carved turnip heart blocks using a mixture of slightly diluted blue and red transparent paint.


Although, I'm still not completely satisfied with the result...it is certainly no longer boring!!

What do you do when you're working on a piece and it's not turning out quite the way you planned? Do you forge ahead? Do you set it aside? Leave a comment about your tactics!

Today's giveaway is one yard of Kona Prepared for Dyeing Fabric. Leave a comment for a chance to win. I will choose a winner at 11:00 PM Eastern USA time. Check tomorrow's post to see if you are the winner. Your comment also enters you in the final drawing at noon on February 15 for a free copy of Fabric Printing at Home: Quick and Easy Fabric Design Using Fresh Produce and Found Objects.

 And now for the winner of yesterday's giveaway (journal and freezer paper)...congratulations to Jewelry Treasures by Louise! Please email me with your contact information (threadborn@cox.net) so I can send off your prize.

Tomorrow the tour stops at Terri Stegmiller's blog. Terri creates quilts full of whimsy! Find out more about her in tomorrow's post.

Be sure to visit all the stops on the Tour. Please note, I've added the deadlines to enter the giveaways at each stop:
 
February 2 (winner will be chosen on Feb 14): Lisa Chin 

February 3 (winner will be chosen noon Feb 15-book and stencils!): Lynn Krawczyk
February 4 (winner will be chosen end of Feb 13): Jane Davila
 
February 5 (winner will be chosen on Feb 14): Carol R. Eaton
February 6 (winner will be chosen end of Feb 13- 2 book copies!): Judy Gula 
February 7(winner: Deb Clarke): Susan Purney Mark 
February 8 (winner will be chosen on Feb 15): Teri Lucas 
February 9 (winner will be chosen on Feb14): Jennifer Coyne Qudeen 
February 10 (winner will be chosen on Feb 17): Deborah Boschert 
February 11 (winner will be chosen on Feb 14- 2 book copies!): Lynda Heines 
February 12 (winner will be chosen 5PM on Feb 16): Cheryl Sleboda 
February 13: Terri Stegmiller 
February 14: Jackie Lams




57 comments:

  1. This a fun blog hop. Thanks. Often those " not liking where this went" pieces languish. I am discovering that when they go visiting they find a place where they are loved and appreciated

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    1. I admit that mine usually languish for a while...sometimes forever and I have to just decide that they were meant to be a learning experience. Sometimes, I suddenly get an inspiration. This time, I had to plow through for the sake of the blog post! Thanks for commenting.

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  2. I really like the way that you have used the turnip slices. I have never tried cutting with a cookie cutter - thanks for another great idea. When things are not going quite as I hoped, the best thing seems to be to put it aside for a bit but more often I keep pushing away and trying to fix. Sometimes that results in something even better than hoped, or acceptable but just as often with more frustration than necessary - and less relaxation than sought. Thanks again for this hop. So many new approaches.

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    1. Hi Mary Elizabeth. Thanks for your thoughts on the topic. It's really great when persistence turns into a better piece though I know that that's not always the case. Happy that you're enjoying the hop.

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  3. This has been a great blog hop...getting more ideas every day! Looking at everything with new eyes and nothing is safe anymore!!

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    1. Hi Kathy- That's how I felt when I was writing the book! Lots of fun figuring out all the different ways to use what I had on hand.

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  4. "Add something else" is my motto when a fabric is not turning out as I hoped. A layer of a Gelli Print can right the wrong. So keep on going! I'm enjoying this blog hop and the opportunities to win a copy of your book.

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    1. Hi Nancy--Some gelatin (I still haven't graduated to the Gelli Plate...but it's on my list!) printing could make it just that more interesting. Great idea!

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  5. When I don't like where I'm going with a piece, I will set it aside for awhile-out of sight. When I look at it later, I find it isn't as bad as I thought or I am able to find a solution to what I don't like about it.

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    1. Hi Lynne- I'm usually a "set asider" unless I'm on a deadline. Sometimes I need some time away from a piece so that I can really "see" it.

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  6. If I don't like what I've done I over print it - sometimes discharge dyeing works well! If all else fails I cut it up!!

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    1. Hi Gill- I'm thinking about cutting this one up!

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  7. It's usually better if I set it aside for a while. If I keep going the results usually get worse.

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    1. There are times when it's best to call it a day!

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  8. Thanks for another wonderful tutorial with such great descriptions of your process.

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  9. All your ideas sound like such fun! I am glad it's half term next week and I can try some of them out.

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  10. I've learned not to be disappointed when things I've made don't quite turn out as planned. Often there is more creativity happening when we have to re-examine and make hopeful adjustments to something that just doesn't work. Am loving your book and these great blog posts!

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    1. That's a great attitude to have. Sometimes for me, the solution appears suddenly...

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  11. Love all the layers on this,. It is something I need to practise

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  12. Sometimes when things don't work the way I'd hoped I will over dye (or paint) if it can be saved. Other times, if I don't think it can be saved, I will call it a day and use the fabric for backing or lining a project, or slice it up and use it in an art piece.

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    1. There's always something that can be done with a piece of fabric...part of it might just be the perfect color for another project.

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  13. Great ideas...I am loving this blog tour! Lots of innovative ideas!

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  14. This has been such fun and I like the addition of the stamps to liven it all up. One of my end applications is to apply an all over color to calm the eye down...to unify the piece. Sometimes it works...sometimes adding the color, waiting and rinsing out leads to a subdued all over shade.

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    1. That's an interesting solution, Mary Ann...think I'll give it a try in a future project.

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  15. I generally set it aside, even just while I work on something else, and often a brainwave will strike and the solution will appear. Sometimes though, it takes much longer...lol

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    1. Hi Jennifer...I've had that very same thing happen to me! Guess the brain is working 24/7.

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  16. Love, love, love what you did to solve the "boringness" you thought you had initially created. Having so much fun following this blog tour! Thank you for coordinating it.

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    1. Thanks, Renate. It's been great fun putting the post together and I love what all the guest bloggers are doing!

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  17. I'm curious about your ratio of "great" efforts to "just okay" or "disappointing." Do you have better luck when you plan something out first or when you improvise, as you did here?

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    1. Great question, Brenda! I know that generally I feel more comfortable when I plan...but I try to leave room for some serendipity to slip in. It's those moments when I let the piece "speak" that great things can happen.

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  18. If I have something that isn't working I set it aside; charging ahead with out pondering is always a disaster for me.

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    1. I guess it depends on how much time is invested in the project.

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  19. More often than not, I will rip it into strips, weave it, then try printing again if it still looks not favourable. I love your ability to "carve" turnips.

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  20. Oh How Exciting! to check in on today's post and see that I won! I'll get my email right to you, thank you so much.
    By the way I see ideas on rescuing some "ugly fabric" I've got in my stash. ;)

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    1. Lots of great answers to my question and they've given me some ideas too! Congrats!

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  21. If I'm not immediately inspired to push thru, I will set it aside, start randomly printing something else with an 'I don't care' attitude, which oddly, always results in something wonderfully expected. .

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    1. Love that! Guess you just loosen up enough to do something great!

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  22. I don't think your creation is boing at all! I love the way you keep adding things to go for the final aha! When something isn't working for me I forge ahead for awhile, but sometimes just slice it up and make a fabric basket with it. Thanks for all the fun on this hop!

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    1. I admit that I pushed ahead because of this blog post...but I'm glad I did!

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  23. If the project isn't good enough, I have to continue to a more satisfying result. Even if it means starting over again. My motto is work until I'm happy.

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  24. Love the turnip stamps! Not your typical Valentine vegetable!

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    1. I'd have to agree that turnips and valentines are usually used in the same sentence! But, turnips do make an excellent print block!

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  25. Home late from work, but had to check your project for the day. love the layers -- not boring to me!!

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    1. Thanks, Carolyn. I was a bit worried knowing that I was writing a blog post about it ...and it wasn't turning out! But pushing forward and then asking all of you about how you deal with the same issue has been well worth any disappointment. The discussion has been enlightening!

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  26. It takes such bravery to forge ahead. One has to believe in ones' self and for sure believe in serendipity. Far too often I wind up abandoning the project altogether if it's far far off what I'd imagined. Then I get frustrated and then I quickly fall into an abyss of crisis of faith in my own artistic ability. When the muse is speaking clearly however, and I get enough fortitude to forge ahead, I am always surprised at the outcome and it is always worth it. But hard. Norma

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    1. I can understand how you feel, Norma. I've had that happen and it can be discouraging...especially when what is in my mind's eye and what my hands are capable of don't click. More recently, I've tried to let some of that frustration go and know that there will always be those moments but that they usually pass and make way for moments when I'm fully in the creative flow.

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  27. I love your carved hearts. I think your fabric piece would be a great base for some embroidery. I've just found this blog hop and its been very inspirational so far.

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    1. Great thought, Mokki (and welcome to the blog hop!). One of the heart designs is really "speaking" to me and I was thinking of embroidering it. I teach a Healing Cloth class and may use one of the heart designs as a basis for a healing cloth.

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  28. I love the layering and who would have thought to use a turnip. Well obviously you did. Thanks for passing along.

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