_ _ _Running_ _Stitch_ _ _

Free-write

Do you remember in English class in school when the teacher would have you do a "freewrite" for 10 mintues?  They would tell you to just write anything and everything that comes to mind without thinking much or editing or making complete thoughts - just to get the ideas flowing.  

Then, what comes out of the free-write is often a really great starting point for some real writing.

That was always my very favorite.

Well I was talking to my friend Heidi (the one that made my wedding dress) and I was expressing my frustration with myself and my creative blocks.  When I do get a little time to sit down and do a project for myself - I feel such pressure to make the time worthwhile that I want to make the idea so amazing and perfect that I usually get frustrated that I can't get that far and give up.  This leaves me with many unfinished projects laying around.

She asked me if I remember free-writing.

She said, what I need to do is take that concept of free-writing and use it on whatever project I want to start.  Just design - uninhibited.

It was like an epiphany!  OF COURSE that will help. 

 That is exactly what I needed to hear.  Because I seem to waste a lot of my time trying to think the entire project out before I start it and want something mindblowingly amazing to come from it.  

Which can't always happen.

Which is discouraging.  

Unless I don't have those expectations anymore.

So I'm going to start - with my at home creations - practicing uninhibited design.

Maybe something mindblowingly awesome will come from it anyway??

And if not?

At least I had fun... which is what life is all about anyway.

Hidden Treasure = Freezer Paper

After reading more of the "Printing By Hand" book, I decided to give one of the projects a try.  The technique that intrigued me the most was one that is quite simple and it's actually REALLY fun to do.  I think the reason it's so fun is because there's a quick turnaround from concept to completion of the project... so almost right away you can see the project come to life (and not all projects are this way!!).  I typically need that immediate gratification in a project in order to actually finish it because I don't have a lot of free time outside of work to get through big long projects.

This printing technique requires hardly any supplies at all.  I had to go out and buy freezer paper (paper on one side, wax on the other!).  The rest of the supplies I had laying around.  Paint - check.  Brushes - check.  Fabric - check!  Ideas - check check check!  Time... check... (an hour before bed one night).

 

All you do is draw your design on the paper side.
Cut it out with a blade.

 

Iron the stencil onto the fabric and then blot the paint onto the fabric.

 

 

Play with color!

 

Once the paint dries... just peel the paper away to reveal your
MASTERPIECE!

 

 

Ta-daaaaa!

 

 

Try it!!  You will not be disappointed!

Textile Design for ME

As you may know, I am a Textile Designer for an apparel company by day (and evening, and nights and sometimes weekends when we're really busy).  Outside of work I have yet to work on too many of my own designs for myself.  I don't know why I haven't... I guess I just leave work at work and explore other creative areas at home.

Saturday I decided to pick up a book that would help inspire me to start creating my own prints at home.

 

It's a really awesome book and it's full of good useful information on techniques and materials and supplies needed for different printing projects.

It worked and it inspired me to spunk up this plain old lampshade into something that adds interest and a bit of my personality to the room!

  

I'm so glad that I STARTED AND FINISHED a project
and now I want to do more more more! 

What should I try next?!  :D 
Isn't it exciting to be excited about something?!

A Little Dab 'L Do Ya

Remember those bookshelves??

I picked up some paint for them.  Green for the sewing room and blue for the bedroom. 

I have the bedroom bookshelf finished.  I took a clean/simplistic approach and I really like it.  I could have gone all crazy and painted all over it... but I kind of want the things (especially the books on the sewing room shelf) to be the shining stars - and have the paint just be a fun accent!

 

I only painted the front edges of the shelves.  Then in the backdrop of two of the shelves, I did a polka-dot pattern with a stamping effect.  I can show you how that was done - easily!!

All you need is:

1. A ruler and a marking tool (I had to use a white colored pencil)
2. A "round something" that has the size circle that you need (I used a bottle from a drink because the cap was the size that I wanted!)
3. A piece of felt, hot glued to the "round something" and cut to the size you need
4. A little plate or bowl of paint

First you mark out your dot pattern - using your ruler for perfection purposes!  Staggering the dot usually looks best!

Then take your round thing (bottle with cap, with felt glued to it!) and dip it in the paint... wiping off some of the excess (too much gooey paint and it won't look like a stamp, it'll look like a blob of paint!).  Stamp stamp stamp over all the marks you've made.

Voila!

 

 

Now run along and try this yourself!

Spread dots around the world :)!!