Material Musings - Finishing those Fabric projects

 

Welcome to Material Musings today, I am sharing one of my fabric projects with you.  I have a range of projects that are in a stage of nearing completion and I often work on small batches at a time to get a group of them complete, and move them on to their next stage.

The projects are made up of a variety of different materials, including some that have been wax resist dyed, painted and there is some slow stitching that brings it all together.

It is a lovely relaxing time to do some slow stitching while getting some of these pieces complete, and they are now ready to go on to the next stage of their journey and I will think about what additional embellishments would look good.

Have fun with your stitched projects.

Before you go

Join us in the Art Resource Hub for the new digital download papers that are available to you for FREE to use in your creative projects.

Material Musings - Wax Resist Reveals

In Material Musings I share several projects that use combination of wax resist dyeing, clay baths, and tea solutions! The results were gorgeous and I show some of the designs that are my favorite.  There are endless possibilities when you take the time to experiment with your supplies.

Here are some suggestions for using your wax resist creations:

• Wall Hangings - I hope to use some of the larger fabric pieces as wall hangings, adding to their backing and maybe adding some beading or other embellishments.
• Quilting - You could incorporate the wax resist dyed fabric as part of the fabric for your quilt 
• Make one-of-a-kind clothes using your dyed fabric. 
• Collage - Layering, using different dyed pieces to create a fabric collage.  You could add additional elements such as paints, paper, or found objects. 
• Slow Stitching - This is such a peaceful activity.  You could use your wax resist dyed fabric as a base or cut out shapes and stitch them onto the chosen fabric

I worked on the woven piece and will take a break from it while I think about the next steps, and maybe add beading and other embellishments. 

Fabric Fragments - I am putting together a series of fabric bags that showcase a mix of wax resist, avocado-dyed, and hand-painted fabrics. In another accompanying bag, I have placed a selection of printed fabrics The bag holds a special stitched art piece, making it a collector's item.  

Keep an eye out! These fragment bags will soon be available for purchase on my course platform HERE. Don't miss your chance to own a piece of this artistic adventure!

Before You Go

Wax Resist - Material Musings Short

 

Here is a snippet showing how I create my wax resist pieces and add clay to dye the fabric, the wax stops any color from adhering to the fabric.  You can see the full video HERE

I would then use some of the dyed fabric in some of my stitched projects.  This one has a clay dyed piece of fabric and a conventional dyed piece (the blue element) which has been stitched onto the fabric.

This meditative prayer wall hanging was initially wax resist dyed and then I added the stitches over time.  Come and join me for Material Musings to see some of the rest of the projects, on my YouTube channel.

Before You Go

Join us in the Art Resource Hub

Arts and Wellness Cafe - Words, Creativity and Art Events

Looking forward to having you join us in the Arts and Wellness Cafe.

I take you through the word of the week and look at ways in which we can use the inspiration around us in our work.  Who are your favorite artists and what influence do they have on your growth?  I share some of mine too.

The other things that we look at in this episode is:

• Art journal process -  we look at how we can explore the different effects we can get with the supplies that we have including graphite, and water-soluble graphite tints.
• Fabric Art projects and resist dyeing sneak peak!
• Question and Tip for the week to encourage and motivate you - What would be your dream collaboration?
• Arts and Artists spotlight, lots of things are happening in Barbados with the Artists Studio Tours happening over the weekend - 3rd and 4th of February.

Take a self-guided tour of the many artists' studios scattered throughout Barbados. Meet the talented artists, view their galleries, and bring home a beautiful piece of local art to cherish. In addition, this tour provides the bonus of experiencing the beauty of Barbados itself!  Hope you can join us in this adventure!

Before you go:

Check out my online course - Filling the Creative Well

Material Musings: Weaving Big and Dyeing with Wax Resist

 

Welcome to Material Musings! This week, we're diving into two exciting textile adventures: a larger weaving project and wax resist dyeing with tea and clay.

Weaving in a Bigger Way

I originally created a series of smaller looms and wanted to increase the size so created a larger one from the wood from a canvas frame.  When weaving on a larger scale you can explore the possibilities that come with using a wider loom and thicker yarns. I have used the yarn I currently have and found ways to increase the size which you will see.  I hope you are inspired to try some of the techniques for yourself.

Wax Resist

I have been experimenting with wax resist techniques for a while now and I will show you an easy way to apply it to your fabric in various patterns and creates a barrier that prevents dye from reaching certain areas. You can create stunning designs, and unexpected color combinations.

Wax resist and clay dyed

We'll be using natural and readily available materials like tea and clay as our dyes! This allows you to experiment with unique color palettes and textures. from the earthy browns from the tea and clay, and shades of pink from avocado pits – the options and combinations are endless!

Join the Fun!

Come join me in this Material Musings adventure!  Be inspired, learn new skills, and create something truly unique and beautiful.

So, grab your favorite cup of tea (or maybe some clay!), and get ready to join me in Material Musings! I can't wait to share this journey with you, and don't forget to share your own textile creations with me on social media . I'd love to see what you come up with!

Fabric Wax Resist - A Technique - Material Mondays

 

Have you tried a wax resist technique on fabric?  In week 20 of Material Mondays I share one of the techniques that I use to create the designs on my fabric.

Dyeing your own fabric is a great way to create your own designs, and the fabric can either be used as a whole or cut up and used in smaller projects.

I start out with an image loosely sketched on the fabric, I usually do a combination of faces and patterns

The next step is to add the wax either on the lines you have drawn or in-between the lines which will create varying patterns.

I combine a selection of dyes together to get the color that I want, you can do swatches so that you are able to recreate the colors when needed.

Once dried the wax is removed.  I use an iron and place paper over the fabric.  It is a great way to apply color and pattern to some of the fabrics that you may have, and you can experiment and see what effects that you are able to create.

If you are interested in checking out some of the supplies, you can check out my Wax Resist Supplies List on Amazon