March 29, 2009

Oh no, not another one!

I was searching through my stash looking for that perfect piece of fabric, and oh no, guess what I found? Yes, another PASS (project at a stand-still)!!! It is a Christmas panel which was going to be part of my Advent Calendar and in the end I didn't use it. Oh well, add it to the list!

On a brighter note, I actually crossed a PASS off the list this week. The front was a stitchery that has just been sitting in the cupboard being PASSED by continually. I have made it into this cute little stitching folder.

Here's the front of it:














I had a magazine deadline to meet this week so it was off to the post office again to send this off: (Just a little snippet for now!) It's another one of my interactive children's designs - I just LOVE making things for children!


Meanwhile I have started work on a design for the Creative Craft Retreat at Crows Nest, Qld where I have been asked to teach again in October. We always have such a great time together being craft junkies. What I want to make is something that I have never made before, so it has taken some brain exercise to think how it can be constructed. Watch for more later!

Bye for now.
Val

March 22, 2009

First attempt at printing on fabric

The last couple of weeks I've been trying out various methods of printing onto fabric. We have both colour Inkjet and black and white Laser printers and as I just wanted to print out in black for my first attempt, it didn't matter which I used.

All the data says that for the Inkjet I need a setting product such as Bubble Jet set, but one of the disadvantages of living in the country is that we're not overrun with shops selling the product! Someone told me that soaking in vinegar worked the same - which it didn't and my test picture disappeared as soon as it hit the liquid! A trip to Adelaide to Spotlight was also futile as they told me they had never heard of it so obviously it wasn't available in Australia. I have since heard that Fabric Softener works fine - so I will try that out some time.

Meanwhile it was back to the Laser for now. Next question was how to stiffen the fabric so it felt and acted like paper. The spray starching method worked well with no "paper" jams, and quite a good clear result. However, I feel the print did not soak right into the fabric because of the starch finish as the print did lighten with handling. Next attempt was to use the freezer paper method and I found this worked really well with good dark print which seemed to handle quite well, though I was careful to avoid the printed area as much as possible. The freezer paper can be used a number of times so it is a good economical and quick method of stiffening the paper.


Here's a sneak peak at the Christmas project that I made which I hope will be published in a magazine later in the year.


I quite enjoyed the process of printing on fabric and can think of all sorts of possibilities for the future, so if anyone has any hints or tips I'd love to hear from you.

Bye for now.
Val

March 15, 2009

PASSes crossed off

I decided to make a list of all my PASSes (Projects at a stand-still) recently and was ashamed to have 20 on the list! A concerted effort was obviously required! The little Christmas gift bag now looks like this:




The sweet little stitchery given to me to embroider many years ago has turned into a pocket on this bag:

A rose accidentally embroidered upside down on this bit of felt, has turned into a key-ring decoration:



and this sewing folder is finally complete:





Then in a 24 hour period I heard from two magazines, commissioning four of my projects, so since then it has been head down writing up patterns - the painful bit! So the rest of my PASSes are being passed by at the moment - but I hope I have inspired you to tackle some of yours!

Val







March 10, 2009

Entering Blog land

With daughter, Janelle's, encouragement http://janellesjoy.blogspot.com/, I am entering blog land!

I LOVE stitching and feel so blessed to have time to do lots of it now that I am retired. The highlight of my new career would probably be having my first design published in 2005 in the Australian Magazine, Patchwork and Stitching. Since then, I have had designs featured in magazines such as, Country Threads, Australian Country Craft and Decorating, Homespun, Handmade and Embroidery and Cross Stitch.

I hope you will enjoy following my journey.

Here is a sneak peak of a design I have just sent off to Country Threads which will appear in the special children's issue in July.