Yesterday, Jane Dunnewold shared an essay with us about choosing the right tools for the job at hand. Today, she tell us what some of her favorite tools are. Jane says...
The tools I couldn't live without? Or should I say - the tools that make my work better, cleaner, easier?
1.
My Rowenta steam chamber iron. This was the best investment I made in
2011. The steam is always there, very powerful and makes fusing a snap.
Having the iron separate from the steam chamber makes it lighter to use
so I can iron a huge piece on the large cutting table by putting the
iron on a rolling cart and moving it around the work table, without
getting hand fatigue.
2. Misty Fuse. I
never went to the original School of Fusing founded by Laura Wasilowski,
but I am a convert now! Misty Fuse is the best product of its type on
the market today. I use it to bond my backing fabrics to the art work, I
use it to create wonderful gold leaf textures on my pieces, and I LOVE,
LOVE the way the black Misty Fuse looks behind a sheer white fabric. It
adds yet another layer of subtle texture. Add to this the fact that
Iris Carp is one of the most responsive providers of product and service
I have ever encountered and it's all a Win.
3.
My 9" fabric squeegee made by Hunt Speedball. Learning to use the right
squeegee jumped my work ahead leaps and bounds. This is NOT the red
plastic one they make and it's NOT the graphic squeegee either, so if
you look for one make sure it is the "fabric" model. Good printing is
all about the tool and the mastery of technique. With this squeegee I
can print house paint on silk and barely feel it.
What are your favorite tools? What tool is it that makes YOUR work better? What tool makes it easier for you to do what you do? Check back this month to find out what our favorite tools are.
A TECHNIQUE DRIVEN Blog dedicated to mastery of surface design techniques. First we dye, overdye, paint, stitch, resist, tie, fold, silk screen, stamp, thermofax, batik, bejewel, stretch, shrink, sprinkle, Smooch, fuse, slice, dice, AND then we set it on fire using a variety of heat tools.
First I have to say THANK YOU for listing more than just one. As I told a friend of mine...it's like asking a mom to chose her favorite child! I haven't come up with less than 11 yet so I'm still mulling it over.........
ReplyDeleteMy favorite tool is a pair of needlenose tweezers that live at my sewing machine. Great for picking up little bits of fabric, picking off little bits of thread, and most of all, holding things in place as they feed underneath the needle.
ReplyDeleteAfter today I think I have come up with at least my current favorite tools.
ReplyDeleteFirst is my digital camera. It gets used to see a different perspective on my work, photos for blogs, photos to send to trusted friends for critiques. I also use it to take a TON of photos from which I very often receive inspiration!
Second, my Rowenta. Smoothing out wrinkles from dyed fabric (and we all know that is when the magic appears!!), adheres fusible web to fabric, etc. It does everything except iron clothes it seems...hmmmmm
So for today...those are my FAVES!!
Thanks Kathy and Kelly for sharing your favorite tools. It is interesting to me to learn what everyone else finds essential. It makes me think more about what tools are important to me.
ReplyDeleteIt's an ever changing list and I'm very frugal, but... I could hardly live without (or at least could hardly dye without) 4oz squeeze bottles.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I recently discovered appliqué pins and love them for holding small pieces while hand stitching. They are tiny but they are very sharp, glide through fine fabric, and they don't get in the way.