Old Dye for an Old Dyer

Four weeks after mixing this print paste, the color is just fine, fine, fine. I'm trying to use every bit so I can mix a new batch for Monday's class. And another great reason not to put soda ash in the dye and print paste mix. Lasts a long time! 
 

Summer QSDS Virtually

Quilt Surface Design Symposium meets the last week of May through the first week of June. I'll be teaching three classes virtually, two are week long and are surface design and printing. Check them out on their site: https://www.qsds.com/classesbysession2021.html#pauly4
 

Loading a Pallette

Time to get some stuff on the design wall. Can you see I need some color in my life? And if you care to print fabric with me this year, check my calendar page on www.patpauly.com .

Life on the Edge

The traditional pieced quilt has inherent edges where one fabric cleanly meets the other. Sometimes, patterns make that edge. I'm interested in how a print can move and morph without piecing for that edge. Yes, I piece (piecesandresistance) but I preserve that printed edge when I can.

Starting Anew

It helps to have a design wall. And it helps to clear it. I've taken a dive in the pile of prints from this summer to jump start the next piece. We'll see how it evolves.

Bit of Glam

Jenny came to last week's class prepared to print everything. She even had time to print on this shawl which went through our crude washout and machine cycle and survived. She's modeling it (I asked her to) and it's just fun -- even with the ever present rubber gloves.

Close Inspection

Last week's printing class took a break and got a look at the Quilts=Art=Quilts show upstairs of our studio at Schweinfurth. Seeing printed, dyed, reworked fabric used so creatively was inspirational. Being fluent in the techniques used in surface design is a plus in understanding this medium.

Takes All Sorts

Anne claims her piece from the just washed and dried printed fabric.  This is important to check intensity of the color, nuance, and strength of the dye. Plus, feel free to leave that for me.

Elbow Room

I ask my students to have two goals. The first is to print as many pieces of fabric as they can. The second is to make a good print. What helps us out is having enough space and adequate equipment to make this happen. We've got that covered this week; we've got that extra elbow room.

Planting the Pallet

Don't think that all Carol is going to print is red/orange/yellow. It just happens to be the mood she's in. We'll add more to this, and move on round the color wheel. Or not.

First Day First

Day one we swept through scraping, rolling, mixing, stenciling, and monoprinting. The "On Your Mark -- Print!" class at the Schweinfurth Art Center keeps going tomorrow with more. We're just starting to make our mark.

Mark Making

Tomorrow a room of eager printers will gather at the Schweinfurth wet studio and delve into making marks on fabric. This Tony Tuckson painting "White lines (vertical) on ultramarine" might influence their large, graphic, rough and immediate strokes.

Packin It Up for Schweinfurth

Suitcase not for clothes but silkscreens, fun foam, soda-soaked fabric, Styrofoam, scrapers, string, putty knives, box cutters, tyvek, and some printed fabric. There's buckets, print stuff, and some pool noodles. If my life was writing, I'd replace this with a slick laptop and cup of coffee.

Line Work

In packing for my fabric printing class next week (a couple of spots left!) I've will remember to pack the graphic prompts I've got tucked away. These lines found in one of my airport stops had me thinking about the application of repeated squares. Gonna do this for sure.

Doin Nothin Next Week?

If so, come join us for four days of printing fabric at the Schweinfurth Art Center in Auburn, New York. Starting Wednesday, and finishing Saturday -- in time for the opening of Quilts=Art=Quilts, no less -- I'm teaching "On Your Mark -- Print!" There are a few spots left.   http://www.schweinfurthartcenter.org/classes_studio.cfm

Class Sample for On Your Mark

This was a demo for the "On Your Mark -- Print!" class. It holds lots of experiments, and from making these as demos I have learned to work quickly, overlay elements, and leave distinct areas of "other". I'll be teaching at the Schweinfurth in Auburn, New York in October 23 - 26. These a few spots left -- come join us!

Pack 'Em Up, Head 'Em Out

I've boxed both my work for the Quilts=Art=Quilts exhibit and the Little Blue Garden together to ship over to the Scweinfurth a bit early. Got more packing for Australia (leaving Sunday) and when I'm back will be teaching a print class at Schweinfurth October 23-26. A few spots left!

People are Doing Ladders

In the Denver airport I stopped to take in an art piece made of glass that had layers of ladder-like elements. I've seen this motif in quilts, weavings, paintings, well, you name it. You don't have to look to hard.

What You Need to Work

Lots of light, large table, water, hot hot water, good people to bounce ideas off, and time to do it all -- that's all you need to print. This from the last day of "On Your Mark -- Print!" at the Eugene Textile Center.

Printy Happy

It takes a few days to get into the groove, and so this third day print was just right. Still at the Eugene Textile Center printing "On Your Mark -- Print!" with some very fun people.