Mimi for me-me!

Is there anyone in the sew-blog world that does not own Tilly's book? I feel I can make such a casual reference confident that you will all know what I am talking about (Love at first stitch by Tilly Walnes for those not in the know!)

If you own this book then you have probably flicked through and stroked pages or imagined your own versions of the lovely patterns. Tilly is encouraging and inspiring throughout and is basically living the life that all us sewists would love right now. If you do sew then this will help you begin to build a beautiful and ultimately wearable handmade wardrobe. If you don't sew, then this book will make you wish you did!

Anyway, reviews are flying all over the inter web, so I shall speak no more about this wonderful book and I really want to show off my Mimi blouse!

This is my first make from the book (hopefully I will get to try out the other patterns, but currently I have a few more of these in the planning!!!). I used a very crunchy feeling light linen which creases like there's no tomorrow and is difficult to press completely flat, but is very pleasing and lovely to work with. It was leftover from a print project last year and I haven't cut exactly as per the suggestion as I only had limited fabric. The yoke has a centre back seam and the back neck facing was cut off grain. The under collar also has back seam and the top collar was cut on a bias fold, but other than that no real changes.

I decided to get creative on the fabric, so I cut it all out and spent an evening staring at the front pieces wondering how I could decorate them. I had in mind an all over stamped print in different colours, but got stuck on the idea of using just red. After much procrastination I just drew my hands to form a border print. The evening was going on and I just wanted to get sewing, so after glancing at an embroidery I started some time ago, I decided this would do!

I drew them with water soluble pen and then painted over the lines with some screen printing ink, iron fixed it in the morning, washed the pen away and started sewing once the pieces were dry.

I didn't make a toile and it turns out the sizing is spot on! I made a size 4 and I'm very happy with the fit. I've used vintage mother of pearl buttons to finish, which works well with the vintagey linen. The painting adds a nice contrast to the vintage feel. They may even be a little creepy, but I can already tell that I am going to wear this to death. Anyway, here are more pictures to look at!

Look at that nice crisp pleat!

Whilst I was in an inky mood I decided to get my act together and use my silk screen that's been waiting to be used for a while now! I made up a stencil from my Pablo doll that I made last year some time and split it into 3 colours. Registration was a nightmare and I've even double printed one of them, but I love it! More to come on this later when I actually make it into something.

 Strangely enough, the above 2 projects are linked in more ways than I first thought! I adore Picasso and he provides me with so much inspiration, but the hands are loosely based on African asafo flags, which incidently I saw on a school art/textiles trip MANY years ago in connection with Picasso. Anyone who admires Picasso knows he was greatly inspired by African artifacts dotted around his studio. So there you go!

I'm thinking of framing the screen stencil. Isn't it cute?

 

Another BIG inspiration is Elsa Schiaparelli and look, I own a pair of shoes! They are far too small, but aren't they scrumptious!

Talk about random post! Over and out for now!

New Marilla Walker Etsy shop

I have been thinking of opening an Etsy shop for sometime, but wanted to start with a product that I was truly happy with (Anyone that creates stuff knows that this is an almost impossible task). I have started with something simple enough, some hand illustrated calico bags and hopefully they will be seen and liked. Come and have a look here. I have used some of my favourite ideas and would quite happily keep them all which, fingers crossed, should bode well! Off to come up with some more ideas...

1 vase, 3 pictures

Just playing around with ideas again! I originally painted the watercolour of the vase whilst visiting my parents last February. I really like the shape of the pot, but was never quite happy with the way I painted it. I dug it out and re-created the image a couple more times using different mediums this week. I'm still not entirely happy, but am sure that there's something in it that I could be happy with. I shall probably go back to this at some point as I don't feel done with it yet.

original watercolour

mixed media - print, pencil and needle to prick holes

pen and ink

Sunrise print idea

I am feeling enthused by print at the moment, so yesterday I played around with a few ideas I've been thinking of. I tried a simple sunrise image, whilst attempting create of texture within it. My love of textiles steers me to prefer a more tactile surface. I cut out a circle of paper and tore some strips to place on a blank sheet and act as a mask, so that I could sponge the blue lino ink on liberally, whilst still leaving some blank spaces to be added to. I cut out a simple foam circle stamp for the sun and stuck a crochet strip to some board to use as a stamp for the ground. I now wish that I had used some better quality paper as I really like how this turned out!

Happy with the above, I decided to repeat this image, but combine my paper pricking technique and a softer palette to really make the sun jump out.

Print swap complete

I finally finished printing my fat quarters for the print swap! Here's how I did it...

I washed and divided my metre of fabric into 4. I used 100% Irish linen.

Using my stencil cut out of freezer paper I placed it onto the fabric and stamped lots of crosses inside the shape. For this I used the speedball screenprinting ink. I collected a small amount of ink onto a sponge and dabbed the stamp onto it before stamping the fabric.

I stamped the grey squares randomly around the blank spaces using my grey versacraft stamping ink and craft foam stamp.

Finito!

I gave the fabric a good old iron to fix the inks.

All packaged and ready for sending...

Handprinted: a fabric swap III - finished samples

I have done a few more samples for the print swap, from which I must now choose one to continue with. I could go on experimenting with colours and slight variations, but I want to get this done so I can send it off. I like the bird made of the orange crosses the most. Not so happy now with the bottom 2 samples, they look a bit simple. Anyway, better get a move on as this needs to go all the way to Australia!

Print swap sample number 1

I have just had a very quick play with an idea I have for Leslie Keatings print swap to get me started as I need to post this fairly soon. I have to print a metre in total to split into 4 pieces to swap with 4 other print makers. I am quite excited about it. I only have time to produce this one sample today, but will try to roll out a few more tomorrow.

I made the below sample by doing the following:

1. I drew around my hands to make a dove shadow puppet image and cut this out of craft foam to use as a stencil
2. I drew the stencil onto freezer paper, which I then cut out using a scalpel and ironed onto the fabric
3. I sponged on the screen printing ink, but could do with a slightly thicker layer as this looks a bit patchy
4. The cross is a piece of craft foam stuck to the end of the cork and the little square was a piece of craft foam left over when I was cutting out the cross. I used fabric pigment stamp pads for these shapes as they are so small.

As this is such a small scale printing run it seems much more suitable to play with more basic techniques rather than using the space and apparatus that screen printing requires (plus I do not have any screen printing equipment). So far it's been fun!

Brand new lino printed Robot cards on Folksy

I have finished a new card design to add to my Folksy shop. I'm really excited about them as I have added a nifty speech bubble for someone to add there own personal message. Hopefully someone may even like them and buy one! Fingers crossed x