If I ever did this again, I'd do it all freehand, since following the lines exactly when sewing is too hard for me. I did the stitching for one flower, then started on another, but quit before finishing it. This little red flower, and the leaves were done freehand, a much more satisfying way to do this type of work.
I used the inktense pencils, mixed with fabric medium, and although the colors on the bigger flower are gruesome, it was a nice technique to try.
The fabric was slightly stiff when dry, not too bad. I'm going to heat set this tonight after work and wash it to see how stable it is.
You said that you used the pencils mixed with fabric medium -- did you pencil first, then add the medium? Or did you mix them together, then put them on the fabric?
ReplyDeleteI have found that textile mediums vary from brand to brand, some change the hand more than others.
ReplyDeleteAloe Vera gel brushed on the penciled fabric will yeild the same result but not change the hand at all.
Love your test pieces, they are so lively and fun!
I wet the fabric with the fabric medium (watered down a little), then before it dried I used the pencil.
ReplyDeleteThe only aloe vera gel I had in the house was green tinted, maybe I'll try that tonight and see if it turns the fabric green.
I tried using green-tinted aloe for an ink project once -- I was told it would turn everything green, but it didn't. So there.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like you had little or no bleeding with this method. I like the colors you used.
Generally when I use the ink tense pencils I use them with water. I will draw with dry pencils when I want little blending, wet pencils when I want more blending, a touch of water with a brush if I want lots of blending. Then, to make it permanent, when the project dries I paint it with the textile medium. I use the gel medium and get no additional bleeding with its use.
ReplyDeleteOh, and I forgot to say that I always have worked on the fabric ironed onto freezer paper for stability and not on a quilt sandwich. I have done some touch up work on the quilt sandwich but then you have the batting soaking up the water issue to deal with. So much easier with just the fabric.
ReplyDeleteHaving the black stitching (free-motion) stops the colors from going beyond the lines, too, and no bleeding.
ReplyDeleteOf course, you don't have to follow the line exactly with the stitching, unless you want to. Some deviation may give a nice, sketchy, look.
ReplyDelete