Texture (and pattern) Tuesday

Texture (and pattern) Tuesday

Texture (and pattern) Tuesday

Texture (and pattern) Tuesday

Texture (and pattern) Tuesday

Ursinus College Sculpture

On our vacation this summer we stopped at Ursinus College in Pennsylvania to see their art museum.  It was summer and the hours were limited; we didn't get there when they were open.  However, there were all these wonderful, huge sculptures on the grounds.  I haven't posted even half of them.  Some of the pictures have my husband or me in them just to give you some scale.  Enjoy!

Texture Tuesday with Fabulous Textures but Lousy Eco-prints

This last weekend I did some eco-printing.  As eco-prints they were more fail than fab but I did get wonderful color and texture.  The material is all ironed flat so everything you see is printed texture. The pictures are all close-ups since I don't think the texture would show well in an overall shot. Enjoy.
 

Yep, above is a pretty close copy of the real fabric. It looks great in person.

Funny Story

In great sadness over not being able to download pictures I viewed them through the little screen on my camera.  I had taken many pictures during our vacation during the summer including pictures from two quilt exhibits we had gone to.  I saw one quilt that just took my breath away.  I loved it.  It was just exactly what I dream my quilts look like.  After months of not being able to download any pictures I finally found the cord for my camera and downloaded this picture.

When the picture was large enough to see well I realized it was my quilt hanging on Beth's design wall.  I guess I have found my design voice.  LOL

Eco-Printing

I have been experimenting with eco-printing for a couple of years and have nothing even close to success to report.  However, I have started getting together with some local eco-printers and am starting to have success.  Beth has posted some pictures on her blog of an eco-print party with Janine, Beth and me.  Now, I am not claiming to be India Flint, but I am finally getting some results I can show.  First the pictures and then some information about the process.

Aren't they gor-ge-ous?  LOL

Okay, here is the process that seems to work for me.

1. First I had to mordant the fabric for 24 hours in Alum water.
2. Second I had to soak the fabric in soy milk for an hour.
3. Then I needed to know which leaves to use.  In this area I can use sycamore, apple, cherry, grape, strawberry leaves and runners, raspberry, rose, lilac, Japanese maple, cone flowers, geraniums, and a mystery bush in my woods.
4. Then I needed to lay the leaves onto the wet fabric, roll fabric and leaves tightly on a stick, tie it with a string that won't stretch.
5. Heat water in a large pan and add some metal to give extra color.
6. Boil (or steam but I have more success boiling it) for about 3 hours at a hard boil.
7. Let cool.  Say a prayer.  Unwrap.
8. Peel off the mushy leaves.
9. Don't wash for a couple of weeks, the fabric not me.

Only a few more days (not weeks) of leaves to print for this year and then I have to wait for spring.

Texture (and pattern) Tuesday

A friend saw a brochure for the Schoodic Sculpture Trail Map in Maine.  She thought of me and passed along the map.  My husband and I have spent two very long days driving up and down the coast of Maine looking at the fabulous, mostly huge, stone sculptures.  We still have at least one more day before we will see all of them.  So, here are some texture pictures from the sculptures.

In the Indigo, again.

Here are the results of a second play date with Beth and her indigo vat.  We are getting together for a third session soon.  I am getting quite a pile of blue fabric.