How to Make Stamps with Latex Caulk

It seems that I never stop looking for new ways to create my own stamps for printing on fabric.  What follows is how I created stamps using latex caulking.  Here are a few that I made yesterday.

And here is how I made them.

I started with wood blocks that I cut from stock lumber.

 Then I pulled out a caulking gun and some caulking that was in the garage.

 I squeezed caulking material onto the blocks and spread it smoothly over the blocks with one of those mock-up credit cards that litter our mail almost weekly.  Once I had a smooth surface of caulking, I used a letter opener to scribe a pattern into the caulking material.

Once again, here is what the blocks looked like after I had scribed designs into them.  The edges of the scribed lines tended to pull up but I set the blocks aside to dry anyway.

Although the directions on the caulking material indicate that the product is paintable within 30 minutes, I let the blocks dry for a couple of hour just to make sure they were good and dry. 

I knew that the surface needed to be flat in order to achieve good prints from the blocks, so I laid parchment paper over them and rolled the surfaces flat with a brayer.

I had a swath of canvas lying around and decided to try out the stamps using Setacolor fabric paint.  Here are a couple of closeups of the result.

I like the somewhat uneven nature of each print that resulted from the slightly uneven surface of each stamp.  Unlike store bought stamps that always produce the same printed image, these stamps take on a character all their own with each and every printing.

Here is the entire long, narrow swath of canvas printed.

Always remember, never fear to experiment.  

Sometimes wonderful things happen.

© Linda Friedman 2017.  All rights reserved

 

 

From Drapery to Scarf - How To

A while back I had to shorten microfiber drapes that left me with several, 74" x 20" lengths of fabric that I could not bear to throw away.  They sat dormant in my fabric stash for several months until I recently had a brainstorm on how they might be used.

A Microfiber Remnant from Shortened Drapery

The softness of the fabric was a tactile delight that I thought might feel wonderful wrapped around the neck in a scarf.

After cutting two 7" strips from the microfiber fabric, I soaked the fabric in water and then wadded up each 7" wide length and wrapped a few rubber bands around each clump of fabric.

In a microwave safe Ziploc container I then mixed up a batch of a Rit Dye product made for synthetics* in hot water, submerged the fabrics into the dye mix and lightly laid the lid onto the container.

Rit Dye for Synthetics

I then placed it into the microwave oven and heated it on high for about 3 minutes and then let it soak for a while.  After washing out the dye, the original beige microfiber became a lovely, mottled orange.

Of course, enough never seems to be enough when playing with fabric and color, so I resurrected a stamp that I had made a long time ago.

Original Leaf Stamp

Because I did not want both fabrics stamped with the same color, I picked orange and dark blue Setacolor fabric paints to use as the stamp colors.  I let the fabric dry to the damp stage and then poured the paints on an old, plastic meat tray.

It was time to print the leaf shapes onto the fabric.

Setacolor Fabric Paints and Old Meat Tray

Fabric with Orange Stamped Image

Fabric with Blue Stamped Image

Throughout the entire process, the fabric did not fray but I chose to line at least the orange stamped fabric with a pleasing color satin that I found in my stash of fabrics.

Satin Fabrics

 I merely laid the stamped fabric face-to-face on a 7" satin strip, stitched around 3 sides, turn it right side out and hand stitched it closed.

This is almost like a vestment stole that clergy wear.  It lays flat as it cascades down the chest.  I have another color satin ready to line the blue stamped fabric, but I'm not sure if I am going to line this one.  Without lining, it will drape loosely and lend itself to a variety of scarf configurations.

* I purchased the Rit Dye from Michaels; however, is available from some fabric stores and on a variety of on-line sites. 

To me, brainstorms are the spice of life.

Always remember, never fear to experiment.  

Sometimes wonderful things happen.

© Linda Friedman 2017.  All rights reserved

"Between Heaven and Earth" to make a showing

I was totally thrilled to find out this morning that my work, "Between Heaven and Earth," has been accepted into the upcoming "Plant Life" show at the Linus Art Galleries in Long Beach/Signal Hill, California.

"Between Heaven and Earth" ©Linda Friedman 2012

This 38" (W) x 48" (L) quilted work contains elements of hand painting, stamping with flora from my garden, machine and hand applique, and free motion quilting.  It first debuted with the Quilts on the Wall, "Bridges" exhibit and traveled throughout the United States for two years.  Again, it appeared with Beyond the Edge Fiber Artists in the "Fiber Perceptions" exhibit at the Cerritos Public Library in Cerritos, California .  Now, this fiber friend of mine comes back to take another stroll with me, this time into an outstanding art gallery.

I must say that I thoroughly enjoy greeting each new day.  Surprises always await the rising sun.

Always remember, never fear to experiment.  

Sometimes wonderful things happen.

© Linda Friedman 2016.  All rights reserved

Final Fabric Mock-Up for Moroccan Themed Party

Earlier blog entries describe that I was enlisted by a professional stager to create twelve 10' fabric panels for a Moroccan themed gala event. Before I began work on the entire fabric, it was essential that the stager approve the design I had worked up. Thus, I set about making sample. Since an airbrushing effort was unsuccessful, I dyed a cotton panel of fabric cardinal red, heat set it with a hot iron when it was dry, and then used an original vinyl stencil (shown below) to block in yellow diamond shapes with acrylic paint to which I added fabric medium. The next step involved painting rough square shapes in a lime green color with a paint brush. Next an orange circle was stamped onto the lime green square. Finally, large dots were added by using a cork to stamp gold, and blue dots. It is a pleasure to report that the mocked up design was met with enthusiastic acceptance.

When the airbrushing attempt did not work well, I cut a 6' stencil out of a strip of clear vinyl that was left over from another project. Since I was asked to do art work on twelve 10' cloth panels in less than a week, the Moroccan influenced design needed to be uncomplicated so I chose to use repetitive diamond shapes. The vinyl stencil was cut with a new, sharp craft knife.