The Printed Fabric Bee Vintage Giveaway

Detail of Vintage fabric.

It's time, once again, for another Printed Fabric Bee Giveaway! This month, Lynn Krawczyk was the Queen Bee and her theme was Vintage. I scratched my head a bit about that theme...then went through a number of possible ideas until I realized that the answer was in my grandmother's sewing basket!

I inherited Nanny Schein's sewing basket, and folks who have taken either my Story Cloth or Healing Cloth class know that I am in the process of completing a book about Nanny through the objects in the sewing basket. It occurred to me that the wonderful scissors in that basket would make a great subject for a Vintage fabric.

Here are the three pairs of scissors from the basket.

I photocopied them and then traced them.

Photocopy and tracing.

Then I transferred the designs to Speedball Speedy Carve blocks and carved them.

I chose some fabric from my stash that I'd created by printing a resist onto the fabric before painting it. I randomly printed with the carved blocks with black and Sienna brown Setacolor fabric paints.

Here is the final fabric.

And the six inch square that you can win as part of the giveaway.

Here are some of the other fabrics you can win from the other Bee members.

In order to be eligible to win this collection of Vintage fabrics, leave a comment on either Lynn's blog or The Printed Fabric Bee Facebook page (under the photo of the collection). Lynn will announce the winner on July 11. Good luck!

Be sure to stop by the blogs of the other Bee members to find out how they created their fabrics.
Judy Gula
Jane Davila
Lynda Heines
Deborah Boschert
Lisa Chin
Gerrie Congdon
Susan Purney Mark
Carol R. Eaton
Jackie Lams
Leslie TuckerJenison

Weekly Pattern Wednesday Week #4

Another Wednesday...another pattern. I'm playing Lynn Krawczyk's Weekly Pattern Wednesday.

Today's pattern is rather ap-peeling....isn't it? It's made using grapefruit! If you'd like to learn how to make print blocks from citrus peels, you can see Issue #24 of my free online newsletter, Julie B Booth Surface Design News. If you like what you see, you can sign up for the Newsletter in the right-hand column.

To see Lynn's pattern and the patterns of other players...visit Lynn's blog today. While you're at it...why not join in on the fun! Post a pattern and leave a comment on Lynn's post.

Weekly Pattern Wednesday Week #3

It's Wednesday and I'm once again posting a pattern for Lynn Krawczyk's Weekly Pattern Wednesday.

I'm again featuring a pattern from a Newsletter project...but this is brand new! Issue #28 of Julie B Booth Surface Design News comes out this Sunday, June 7...so you are getting a "sneak peak".

Here are my print blocks...and I will show you how to make them in the new issue. The Newsletter is free and comes as an email about once a month. It features fabric printing projects that use items you have around your home. Sign up is in the right hand column of this blog.

If you want to take part in today's Weekly Pattern Wednesday, post a pattern on your blog and leave a comment over on Lynn's blog. Looking forward to seeing other folks' patterns.

Weekly Pattern Wednesday

I'm taking part in week #2 of Lynn Krawcyzk's Weekly Pattern Wednesday. Just post a pattern on your blog and leave a comment on Lynn's blog for a pattern-filled blog hop!

I was hoping to create a brand new pattern this week but between a weekend getaway with my hubby (Frederick, MD) and trying to get caught up on stuff (still doing that!)...I opted for a detail of one of the scarves I created in Issue #25 of my free online newsletter, Julie B Booth Surface Design News. 

In this project, I created a series of Valentine's Day-themed silk scarves using adhesive craft foam (fun foam) shapes and hot glue on cardboard blocks. I like the contrast between the black glue lines with the colorful foam prints. You can read about how to do this project here. Feel free to sign up for the newsletter...the sign up is in the right hand column. A new issue will be out very soon.

On my list of summer projects (catch-up stuff), I have a number of scarves I plan to create to thank some of my fellow surface design folks who helped me with my book blog tour in February....so you may be seeing more patterns using glue and foam!

Weekly Pattern Wednesday

I've decided to join in this fun blog hop that Lynn Krawczyk will be hosting every Wednesday. It's called Weekly Pattern Wednesday. Post a pattern you've created on Wednesday (today!) and leave a comment on Lynn's blog (or if you're into Instagram she has a hashtag for you!).

Today's pattern is created using a stencil I designed using packing tape. If you'd like to learn how I made the stencil, you can visit this issue of my free monthly online newsletter called Julie B Booth Surface Design News. I had so much fun fiddling around with the stencils I made for this project...I wanted to see how I could add layers of color to fabric using just one stencil.

I'm looking forward to seeing what other folks have posted for their patterns...since I absolutely LOVE patterns!

P.S.: Don't forget that tomorrow we're Searching for Roy G Biv...the color BLUE! See details here.

Day #3: Fabric Printing at Home Blog Tour

It's Day #3 of the Fabric Printing at Home Blog Tour! Today I'd like to introduce surface designer, author, and paint flinger, Lynn Krawczyk.

Lynn Krawczyk

I’ve spent the last fourteen years exploring every facet of fiber art before finding the sweet spot that makes my artist heart feel home: surface design and collage. I print fabric because it’s the most honest part of my day, when paint meets fabric and a piece of artwork begins to build. It’s a simple act that is true and the definition of who I really am.

 
I also write – to teach art techniques, to paint a picture of people, to give clarity to the quiet parts of my creative self. The more I move into this creative life, the more precious it becomes. Writing is like breathing for me, it holds me together in small brief motions that add up to the sum of the whole. http://smudgedtextilesstudio.com

Lynn is feeling particularly generous today! She is offering TWO copies of Fabric Printing at Home PLUS a set of her wonderful stencils as giveaways! So be sure to stop by her blog today to leave a comment.

Be sure to stop by Lynn's blog today to have a chance to win this set of her stencil designs.

Heart to Heart Fabric
It's getting closer to Valentine's Day and I'm planning a number of Valentine's-themed projects for the Blog Tour. Today I want to tell you how to make a quick Valentine's day cloth using scissors, a craft knife (X-acto), an iron and freezer paper (it also helps to have a cutting mat). For those of you who haven't used freezer paper, you can usually find it in the wraps and foil aisle at your grocery store. Its original purpose was to wrap and freeze meat but now it's often marketed to crafters. Freezer paper has a paper side and a plastic-coated side. When the coated side is warmed it can stick to fabric...and that's what we're going to do!

1. Remember folding and cutting paper hearts? Well, that is the first step in this project. Fold freezer paper (paper-side out) and use scissors to cut different-sized heart shapes.

2. Open the heart shapes up (uncoated paper side up) on a cutting mat and cut designs out of them. I spontaneously cut designs...almost like doodling...with my craft knife. You could also use a pencil to draw designs before cutting them out.

3. Arrange the hearts with the plastic-coated side down on a piece of colored fabric. I used a piece of cotton fabric that I painted with red fabric paint.

4. Carefully place your fabric with freezer paper hearts on an ironing board or pad. Heat the iron to the cotton setting (since we're using cotton fabric) and iron over the freezer paper designs. If you're worried about getting any of the coating on your iron, place a piece of parchment paper or a Teflon sheet over the fabric first. The hot iron will warm the plastic-coated side of the freezer paper and the hearts will adhere to the fabric.

5. Mix up some opaque fabric paint. I used a mixture of white and blue Pebeo Setacolor opaque fabric paints.

6. Use a foam dauber or stencil brush to apply paint through the cut away designs in the hearts and around the heart shapes.

7. Pull off the freezer paper designs and voila! you have your Valentine's Day heart fabric!

Today's giveaway is a brand new X-acto knife with #11 blades! You'll find this tool very useful for designing freezer paper masks and stencils, cutting corrugated cardboard for print blocks and designs out of recycled postcards and many, many more techniques that can be found in my book, Fabric Printing at Home.

Leave a comment by 11:00 PM (Eastern USA time) for a chance to win this giveaway prize.Your comment also enters you in the final drawing 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 (a Linoleum carving tool set)....congratulations to PK Sews! Please email me with your contact information (threadborn@cox.net) so I can send off your prize.

Tomorrow, it's time to visit fabulous fiber and mixed media artist, Jane Davila.

Be sure to visit all the stops on the Tour:
February 2: Lisa Chin

February 3: Lynn Krawczyk
February 4: Jane Davila

February 5: Carol R. Eaton

February 6: Judy Gula

February 7: Susan Purney Mark

February 8: Teri Lucas

February 9: Jennifer Coyne Qudeen

February 10: Deborah Boschert

February 11: Lynda Heines

February 12: Cheryl Sleboda

February 13: Terri Stegmiller

February 14: Jackie Lams

Searching for Roy G Biv III: Orange Update #7

Ferry Building farmers' market

Outside my window there's plenty of white and brown but not much in the ORANGE department so this month's search for ORANGE had me looking through the photo archives...and reminiscing...

San Francisco ORANGE

Ferry Building farmers' market

Stained glass window in the Basilica next to Mission Dolores (of Vertigo fame)

Savannah ORANGE

Fencing found on one of my Savannah nature walks.

Leaves found on one of my Savannah nature walks.

Virginia Beach ORANGE

My friend, Laura, showing off her gelatin prints.

Vienna, VA ORANGE

Vienna farmers' market

Some sari treasures from The Bead Goes On trunk show at Star's Beads.

Orange circle fabric I designed for Lynn Krawczyk as part of The Printed Fabric Bee.

Where did you find ORANGE this month?

If you'd like to join in this month's Search  for Roy G Biv (the colors of the rainbow), just post up to five ORANGE photos on your blog and comment here or on Jennifer Coyne Qudeen's blog. We will link to your photos. You can continue to post comments here until midnight, Saturday, February 22. Can't wait to see your ORANGE!

Here's Joan's ORANGE.  An amazing sky!

Maya at Million Little Stitches has some delicious ORANGE!
Fiona at Paper Ponderings has some thoughts on books and bees and a lovely ORANGE poppy.
Jennifer has some humorous ORANGE.
Charlton Stitcher found ORANGE hiding in plain site!
Lisa at Arzigogolare has an ORANGE tea party going on complete with some yummy-looking recipes!
Bridgette at Contemplating the Moon has lots of artistic ORANGE.
Sharmon has some gorgeous natural ORANGE.
Yarngoddess found lots of ORANGE around her home.
Susan at Flying Dog Studio discovered some favorite ORANGE treasures full of memories.
Mary Ann at Blue Sky Dreaming has some lovely artistic ORANGE.
Cindi at The Organic Manic has some eclectic ORANGE.
I couldn't help but see that peek of ORANGE in Roberta's pencil/pen case. She's off to Tucson...a place I remember as full of ORANGE.
Jill at Recycled Daze is having an ORANGE crush!
Francoise at Creatilfun has some ORANGE surprises (especially that first photo!).

Metallic Blues

Gerrie C.'s fabric is on the left, Lynn K.'s is on the right.

Two more blue spiral fabrics from The Printed Fabric Bee have arrived.

Gerrie Congdon and Lynn Krawczyk were certainly on the same wave length with these fabrics that feature blue metallics!

They are a perfect complement and seem as if they belong together in a future project.

You will have an opportunity to win 6" versions of these and the other Bee fabrics later this month.

Stay tuned!

The Printed Fabric Bee: Orange Circles and a Fabric Giveaway

In an earlier post, I mentioned that I'm a part of an online group called The Printed Fabric Bee. For the next year we all have a turn at being the Queen Bee. The Queen decides on a fabric theme for the month and the rest of the Hive gets to work! Lynn Krawczyk was the Queen for the month of October. Her theme request was orange circles.

Some test prints before jumping in to do the final pieces.

 After a couple of false starts, I decided to work with some coffee dyed fabric. Lynn says she's into that 70's palette of brown, orange and avocado green. Not a big fan of that combo myself but decided that the tan of the coffee fabric would be a great start (and close to brown). Next I decided to use some of the techniques that will be featured in my now-in-process book, Fabric Printing at Home. I printed a slightly darker tan background texture using a block made from rolled corrugated cardboard strips. This was followed by printing with orange fabric paint using a carved turnip! I did two versions of the fabric. One of them has the addition of some hand painted details in blue and dark brown.

Version without the hand painted details.

Each month, the group offers a drawing for 6" x 6" versions of the fabrics produced in the month's theme. Leave a comment by midnight, November 10th at The Printed Fabric Bee page or on Lynn Krawczyk's blog if you'd like to be eligible to win. The winner will be announced on November 11.

Here is the fabric pack that you can win!

For November, I'm Queen Bee and I've asked for blue spirals for my theme. I can't wait to see my fabrics!