FIBER JUNKIE'S SHOW AND TELL #2

Carol Sloan is another member of our group, her focus is mixed media projects which are often incorporated with her whimsical drawings.

One of her sketches can be seen on this 'Art Diva' banner flag seen here. Carol just participated in an online exchange....the idea was to collect a number of the flags to be hung on a string to decorate one's sewing space.

Detail - the background utilizes 'rusted' fabrics...another speciality of Carol's.

This is one Carol received in the exchange, I LOVE the button that has been enhanced with text.....we assume that was done using a pressure transfer method.

Here we are in Judy's fabulous studio with the 'techique exchange' part of our gathering. Judy Simmons (on the left), Nancy Bruce, and Carol Sloan. We are learning Judy's tricks and tips to print images onto prepared fabric from our home computers.

She uses an amazing variety of fabrics: cottons, silks, gauze, sheers, satins....the list goes on. She soaks the material in Bubble Jet and dries it flat on plastic sheets. If necessary she'll press out the wrinkles. Next, the fabric is mounted onto card stock using a spray adhesive....did you notice our 'spray booth'? The fabric is cut to fit the 8 1/2" x 11" paper and all outside edges are covered with blue painters tape. Yes, this is a lot of work!

Because Judy uses her own 'image fabrics' in most of her work, she'll set time aside to make up many, many sheets using a variety of fabric styles....this way when she's working all she has to do is run the manipulated image (done in Photoshop Elements) through her printer.....a real time saver in those creative moments!

Here is my image.....

......And how it looks as it came out of the Epson C88 printer. Judy recommends using a color fast ink such as Dura Brite.....not all printers, or even all Epson printers utilize that ink.

Here's one of Judy's spectacular pieces.....she hand dyed the left background fabric, while the right side was a nearly solid black. The trees were added with a type of silk screening process. Judy 'burns' her screen on her Thermofax machine (Judy correct me if I have this equipment name wrong). Next, using both black and white inks.......she printed the tree images onto her background fabric.

Did I tell you these gals are soooo amazing, talented, and generous!!