Issue #27
An Invitation to Play
A Personal Note from Julie
April 26, 2015
In
Issue #26, I mentioned that I'd be featuring another book event on my blog,
Julie B Booth Surface Design. Well, after lots of brainstorming, and some wonderful support from the marketing folks at Quarry books (Lara and Becky!), I think I've come up with an event that you'll really enjoy! I call it the
Fabric Printing at Home Scavenger Hunt. The event starts next Wednesday, April 29th, and the final prize will be awarded on May 10...Mother's Day! I've decided to give all of you wonderful subscribers a "sneak peak". I'll briefly explain what it's all about and for this month's project, I'm featuring what I did for the first of five challenges as a way to inspire you.
The Fabric Printing at Home Scavenger Hunt
Remember how much fun it was to go on a scavenger hunt? What a rush! Running around trying to find all sorts of odd items and being the first to check all of them off the list and win a prize!
A selection of prints using kitchen tools and found objects.
In the
Fabric Printing at Home Scavenger Hunt, I'll challenge you to hunt for particular types of items in your home (more specifically, your kitchen). You'll then print with these items on either fabric or paper, take a photo(s) of your printed designs and on the designated day, post them to your blog, Facebook or Flickr page. After posting,
leave a comment on my blog with a link to your image(s) so I can link back to your post for an inspiring hop! Every couple of days I'll post the guidelines for a new challenge--that is, for new items to hunt for and print with-- for a total of five challenges. Your participation in
any one of these printing challenges makes you eligible for the final prize drawing on May 10th. And it's a really nice prize...in addition to winning a copy of
Fabric Printing at Home, you will also win three additional books published by Quarry (for a prize totaling close to $100!). Click on the book images in the left-hand column to find out more about each book.
On the days between the Hunting/Printing Challenges, I'll feature a
Guessing Game Challenge and Giveaway. On those days, I'll post photos of my printed designs, and challenge you to guess what household items I used to create them. Leave a comment and you'll be eligible to win a smaller prize such as a brayer or linoleum cutting tool set.
But what if I don't have a blog, or I'm not on Facebook or I don't have a Flickr page...can I still take part in the Printing Challenges? Yes, of course you can! I want everyone to have a chance to play! Just send me an email (threadborn@gmail.com) and attach your image. I'll include it in my blog post on the designated "reveal" day.
So gather up some kitchen supplies, grab your friends, your kids, your grandkids and let's get going!
Sneak Peak: Challenge #1: Find items in your kitchen that will print circle designs.
Here's what I found in my kitchen...
Items that print circle designs from the kitchen catchall drawer, the recycling bin, and the refrigerator.
I printed with some of these items on fabric, using fabric paint (see below) but you could use stamping pads or acrylic paints and print on paper.
Printing Circles
You will need the following materials to print:
- Assorted items from the kitchen that will print circle designs.
- Padded Portable Work Surface(s) (See Issue #2 under Get Ready, Get Set...).
- 15" x 20" piece of 1/2" upholstery foam. Place this on top of the portable work surface for extra padding, when needed.
- 15" x 20" piece of muslin or cotton. Place this on top of the upholstery foam to protect it from paint.
- Prepared for Dyeing Cotton or white pre-washed 100% cotton fabric. I cut mine into 9" x 12" pieces.
- Pebeo Setacolor Transparent Fabric Paints and/or Pebeo Setacolor Opaque Fabric Paints. I chose black paint to print my circle fabrics.
- Small plastic containers with lids to hold paint. I like to use Ziploc xs/bowl 8 fl. oz. containers, but you could use recycled yogurt, margarine or other small containers.
- Plastic spoons for mixing paint.
- 1" foam brushes. One for each color or type of paint you apply to your found objects.
- Foam daubers (See Issue #4 under How to Make a Foam Dauber for instructions on how to make them). You will want one for each color or type of paint you use.
- Glass or Plexi-glass palette. I purchase glass from the framing department at my local craft store. Buy the least expensive glass available and tape the edges with duct tape.
- 4" Dense foam brayers. I like to use the Testrite brand. One for each color or type of paint you apply to your found objects.
- Plant mister. Use this to clean off the glass palette when changing paint type or colors.
- Paper towels.
- Optional: Disappearing marking pen. Use this to mark fabric to align prints.
- Optional: Clear plastic gridded ruler. Use this with marking pen to align prints.
- Optional: Masking tape to hold fabrics in place.
Some helpful tools and materials for printing your objects.
Some Helpful Hints Before You Print:
- If you plan to print with fruit or vegetable slices, cut them and place them cut-side down on paper towels. The towels will wick away some of the excess moisture. I suggest you let them sit on the paper towels for at least a half hour.
- If you want to print multiples of items such as corks, pencil erasers, pencil grips etc., rubber band them together.
- Experiment with using different tools for applying paint: Foam daubers work well with textured items such as citrus slices. Foam brushes add interesting brush textures to your prints. Use the foam brayers for items of uniform height.
Use a foam dauber to apply paint to a textured surface such as this cut lime.
Use a dense foam brayer to roll paint over items of uniform height such as these thumbtacks stuck in cardboard.
- Experiment printing both with and without the extra upholstery foam padding. Some items will print better with the extra padding, while others will have crisper prints when using just the padded portable work surface.
- If you want to line up a row of prints, use the clear gridded ruler and disappearing marking pen to make a grid on the fabric.
To align prints, use a gridded ruler and disappearing marker.
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Let's Get Printing!
1. Set up your printing area. Determine if you want to use the extra upholstery foam padding for your prints. If so, place the upholstery foam on top of the padded portable work surface. Lay the muslin on top to protect the foam and finally the PFD cotton on top (optional: tape cotton fabric to muslin). If you decide not to use the extra foam, tape the cotton directly to the padded portable work surface.
2. Determine which tool you want to use (foam dauber, foam brush or dense foam brayer) to apply paint to your circular object. You might want try more than one tool.
Use undiluted opaque or transparent fabric paints to print.
If you use a foam dauber: Spoon about 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of the fabric paint onto the glass palette. Push the dauber into the paint and then press onto the glass a few times to release the excess paint before applying it to the object. Turn the paint-covered object over onto the fabric and press to release the paint.
If you use a foam brush: Pour some fabric paint into a small plastic container and dip the foam brush into it. Wipe the edge of the brush across the side of the container to release excess paint before applying it to the circular object. Turn the paint-covered object over onto the fabric and press to release the paint.
If you use a dense foam brayer: Spoon approximately 1/4 teaspoon of undiluted transparent fabric paint onto the glass palette and roll the brayer over the paint until it is evenly coated. When you need more paint, add a small amount at a time to the glass. Always remember that a little goes a long way! Roll the paint-covered brayer across the circular object to coat it with paint. Turn the paint-covered object over onto the fabric and press to release the paint. If you use paint masking materials, such as stickers, adhere them to the fabric and then roll over them with the paint-coated brayer.
Setting the Paint
After the fabrics are completely dry, the fabric paint needs to be set before washing. The paint can be set in one of the following ways:
1. Let the fabrics passively set by letting them sit for a week.
2. Iron to set. Place a piece of muslin or a pressing cloth over the printed fabric and iron for 5-6 minutes using the cotton setting.
3. Place the fabrics in a clothes dryer for 50 minutes on the timed (hot) setting.
Once the fabric paint is set, the fabrics can be machine washed in cold or warm water using the delicate setting.
Here are some of my printed circle designs. Can you guess what I used? I'll reveal the answers on my blog on May 1.
