New Ain't Better

My print paste has a new formula, and I find when it's left on the screen, and dries, it doesn't wash out completely. So, a bit of scrubbing may help, but so far, it's staying put. I'll keep in mind that next time I print, and make sure I wash it out at the end of the printing day. New, not as good.

Botanical Prints

One of my favorite motifs is leaves. Cheri made a screen using soy wax and the print was delightful. The complexity of the resist in the drawn and painted leaf, has a quality of lithography in the mark that resulted from using the silkscreen. She has a gift for drawing an expressive line in her work.

 

Who Needs Tape?

In just over three weeks I'll be heading out with my bags packed with 6 shirts and the rest printing supplies for my workshop in Coupeville, Washington. Guess I got enough screen tape to get me through the week. Let's not forget the small things. 

The Gloves are On

The very unglamorous, but necessary, task of cleaning screens. I've turned up the hot water to the hottest setting -- around 140 degrees -- and with my sprayer and scrubber have removed the dried dye+thickener coat and the soy wax block out. They'll drip dry on my cement floor, and tomorrow I ready for class!
 

Under the Influence

I've asked the folks in my Printing Under the Influence class to take a snap of the "in progress" print, and one finished and washed. These are mine which started out as demos -- one of my favorite ways to loosen up and work without too much thinking. Top is the start, bottom the finish.
 

Spring Ahead

 This print is about the springiest thing I can think of. It's been on the tree outside, now washed, ironed, and will be put in either a pile to sell, or to keep. I can see it would be fun to cut up. Or maybe just make into a whole cloth. That'd be a summer project. And it's almost spring. So keep.

End of the Day

Overthinking is not good. These were the last prints of yesterday's work, and I know I was trying to use up the thickened dye. But the yard on the right is one of my favorites of the batch. I made it quickly, letting the underlayer do most of the work. The  bow ties landed quickly on top. Done, apron off, out the lights.
 

Print the Table

One technique we'll do next week in Virtual Print class is to work with silkscreens. Here is what call "print the table" which lets you mess up a print image before you capture it in fabric. The fun part of printing is just this kind of thing.

Fabric Printing

It's been a while since I dyed fabric. What I love most is printing. Making a repeated element run across the space, switching out color, changing the density of the color is part of the challenge. And the combination in one piece -- whole cloth designs -- well, that takes the cake.

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.

More Stitching

Once the quilt is loaded on the machine, I can walk away, or return to stitch. Today was that kind of day, so having it sitting at the ready meant I could hop on and off the time to quilt this top. Good for a Saturday.

Another Take Two

About 85% of this piece is made from one hunk of fabric. That it is rich in shape and color helps. I figure that if the fabric has layers and divisions already, take advantage. Another work where I used just two fabrics.

Stacked High

Now that we've climbed to the double digits, I can print more fabrics. I'll be taking these on the road -- Tampa, Massachusetts, Saskatoon, Eugene -- so I better get a few stacked up and ready to travel. (You can take a class in May 7-12 with me at Pro Chemical in Fall River, Mass if you want to learn this yourself.)

Glorious Prints! at Pro Chemical and Dye

I made this half yard fabric last May during the week I taught  at Pro Chem. It's now a little raffle quilt for the Quilts=Art=Quilts show. So, big reminder here -- registration is now OPEN for the next class at Pro Chem in Fall River, Massachusetts on May 7-12. Join me for Glorious Prints!

Reading the Stacks

I am limited to the amount I can print and hold flat. But, with a bit of creativity, and waiting till the prints are fairly dry and set, I just hang them. Shift, move, hang, set, print. It is all a process.

One Less Thing to Pack

This coming week I'll be teaching at QSDS, and on Tuesday night I get to show and sell my dyed and printed fabrics. I've also got a handful of silk scarves. Minus this one, which was sold before it got in the suitcase. See you all soon in Columbus!