Dish Detergent Resist with Fabric Paint

I conducted another experiment today using dish detergent

 as a resist to fabric paint to create a design on fabric.

Below shows the fabric after the blue dish detergent dried. 

Next, I painted black textile paint over the resist and let it dry.

I followed up with a magenta and teal. I love how easy and clean this method is. 

However, my design could use some work.

Teaching a Class at Cambria Art Center in March

I'm very excited about teaching a class on painting on fabric for the Cambria Center for the Arts

 in March. If you are local and interested in learning different techniques to create your own one of a kind fabric, sign up for the class. It will be limited to 12 people so that everyone will get the attention and space they need to create some masterpieces. 

There are so many ways to use paint on fabric. The piece above was done on canvas in a very free form way using plastic cards to spread the paint, along with some spattering.

This scarf was done with Dye-na-flow paint using the

 arashi shibori technique.

Finished Quilting Marbled Fabric Quilt

I finished quilting my Marbled fabric quilt. This quilt came together so fast for me. Keep in mind I created the fabric in 2013. I could say, I've been planning it for the last six years, 

but you know that's not true. 

At first I had no idea how to quilt it. Outlining the shapes didn't really appeal to me.

Below are two closeup shots of the quilt.

I laid some clear plastic over the whole quilt and started doodling with an erasable marker until it showed me where it wanted to be quilted.

Marbled Fabric Quilt

I started a new quilt this week using some fabrics I marbled in 2013. If you have never experienced marbling fabric, I highly recommend it. It is a magical experience! When I was teaching art at the middle school, I loved seeing the students' reactions as they lifted their papers off of the marbling tub and flipped them over to see the beautiful designs they had created. They used the marbled papers to line the inside covers of small books they created. The outside covers of their books were hand stamped from blocks they carved and inked up.

Showing Scarves at Studios on the Park in Paso Robles

Studios on the Park will have their opening reception for the  "Hand Crafted for the Holidays" show this Saturday from 6 to 9 PM. There's lots of great hand-crafted gifts in the show, including some silk scarves made by me. Hope I'll see you there!

Gelli Plate Prints on Fabric

I'm still having fun using art techniques with leaves

Here's a few gelli prints featuring leaves from my collection and one feather.

I really like the texture on some of these.

I plan on enhancing them with some paint and marker work.

As you can see, I first printed some different backgrounds on the cotton

 and then used the leaf as a mask as well.

This last one was a feather I found on our property. 

I love how the textures, which were printed first, came through the feather.

Sun Printing Fabrics

 All the beautiful fall leaves are inspiring me to do more sun printing.

Here's the fabric with 'stuff' on it, drying in the sun.

And voila, the finished fabric below.

The one below was done on fabric with German cursive writing. The first photo

shows it drying in the sun and below it is the finished piece.

The one below was scrunched up and then I applied paint 

to the top ridges and put out in the sun.

Below is the resulting fabric.

More fun with fern-like leaves below.

Another scrunched up one below.