Luna moth

My latest work has been to thread paint a luna moth.  for the book journal back ground I used some of my walnut dyed fabric with some additional brown ink.  Then I lay a piece of fusible on it stitched it in all directions.  Next I held an iron over it and it shrink up wit gathers.  I used thread painting and re-purposed denim for the rest.

I also made a Christmas journal and several color pencil holders.

reverse side

Humming Bird & Leaves

Last week I worked on thread painting a humming bird.    I just put the feed-dogs down and stitch with the open toe embroidery foot.  It is a lot like coloring with pencil except you use a needle and thread. Here is a picture of the Humming bird journal I made for a friend.

I enjoyed it so much I decided to thread paint the autumn leaves I have found. Here are the first ones I did to day for a wall hanging.  I have about 8 left to sew.  I am using invisible thread for the bobbin so i don't have to change it every time i switch colors. 

A change of venue

I've gotten my pen and inks out and am taking a class.  Forgot how much I likes doing this; it is so relaxing.  I finished my inking, I pick up my brushes today. still waiting on the paints to arrive.  Here's a peek at the ink drawing.

Pounding leaves for color

Here are a few pieces of fabric I pounded with a hammer and fall leaves inside. 

Leaf Dyeing -part 3

The darker cloth in this set had been previously rust dyed on chicken wire with results much to faint.  The rust reacted with the tannin in the leaves and gave a nice purplish color.

 Before washing

 After Washing and ironing

 

Waiting to dry and annoying my family!

a few more ironed cloth pieces

Leaf Dyeing Part 2

Okay, so here is a picture of the leaf wraps after being boiled and let to set for a week.

 

Opening the leaf packages:  maple leaves w/ 1 oak

Sycamore leaves:

                              Washed and ironed -- lost the 1st cloth somewhere

Part 1 Leaf Dyeing

This is the first post in my leaf dyeing experiments.  The first thing I did,  after collectiny my leavers, was to press them between the pages of a large phone book over night.  Then I spread them out on fabric that had been soaked in soda ash as a mordant.  I misted the fabric and laid the leaves down.  Next I covered them with a second cloth. rolled the cloths into bundles and tied them.  Here are pictures of the lovely colorful leaves.

Study in Reds

Sycamore Leaves

Leaf Bundles

        As you can tell from my photos, I started out with various kinds of fabrics and colors of cloth. I used cotton and linen fabrics.  One of the cottons was dyed  previously in dry Black-eyed Susan heads. Another had been rust dyed on chicken wire but the print was too faint.  I was hoping for a little reaction from the rust and the tannin in the leaves.
Result pictures coming soon.

oh! and ooh

No time to blog about my leaf dyeing experiments but will put up pictures of the whole process later this next week.  Just taking a quick break from cleaning my studio.  Must clean and then fix my machine. Lock in tonight at my quilt guild.

I was trying to see if purple mums would dye cloth.  A few weeks ago.
Below is what I uncovered, forgotten in my studio....my only comment  ooh gross!

NaNoJouMo

NaNoJouMo ........what!!!!!!!!
  Okay this stands for National Nostop Journaling Month

Some art journalers have created a journal exercise similar to NaNoWriMo (National Nonstop Writing Month).  The idea is to create a journal entry every day in November. Need inspiration for your daily entries? Dawn has set prompt. Check out her blog each morning for the prompt.  She also has set up a Flickr group for those who’d like to share  their journal pages throughout the month.

I am starting today on day 4, as I just found out.   The words for the previous days were:

 Day 1 :inception

 Day 2: choice

 Day 3: fortune

 Day 4: quarter

Come play or Write along ....dosen't need to be perfect, just be yourself and have fun!