Friday, June 20, 2014

FIBER JUNKIES JUNE MEETING

One of my most favorite days of the month.....Fiber Junkie day.....
 We met at Val's, who so often gets stuck hostessing us for summer meetings since she has such a great space for dyeing.  Here Kate (left) Val (right) are gearing up for our deconstructed screen printing day in Val's garage.
 Val's asphalt driveway is spaceous and sunny....where our screens are drying (background) and all our resists are within easy reach (foreground)
 We tried a new color.....a pale grey.....it had a catchy name but it's gone from my mind already.
 As is typical with deconstructed screen printing....the first print (top) doesn't release much color....but look at the second....Love it!!  I used a blank CD, bubble warp, a flat metal disc, and some sequin waste.
 Our newest member Denny continually amazes us with so many helpful tips.  We are asking her document all of them in a book for us as a Christmas gift.....it's never too soon to start that project Denny!   

Often after preparing the screen for printing....excess dye remains on the resist material.  Denny suggested that instead of washing off the dye, that we take a piece of soda ashed fabric.....press it onto the materials to transfer and use up the dye.  Look what I got!  The foreground resist is a plastic sink protector, in the back you may notice the design of a piece of orange construction netting.
 Once the fabric is printed...it's rolled up in black plastic and placed in the sun to  'batch' for a few hours.  To be on the safe side, I will wait 24 hrs. before washing out the excess dye.  

Because it was a really warm day, we all tried to remember to wash our screens immediately after printing and put in the sun to dry.
 Gen came without an apron....and of course it didn't take long for dye to transfer to her t-shirt.  So......it didn't take us long to decorate her.  (As Judy placed one of two hand prints on her chest!)

Another TIP from Denny.....wear a plain white t-shirt that had been treated with soda ash.  Wipe your hands on it at will.....like a clean up cloth.  She wore one that was so attractive....you'd never believe it wasn't purposely dyed.
Being the dignified gal that I am....okay, stop laughing.....I put my orange hand print on her back!

Visit again....there's more to share....

Also....do stop in at these links where you can see what other artist have been creating this week.  Nina-Maries Off The Wall Friday, Crazy Mom Quilts, Sarah's Whoop, Whoop Friday.

4 comments:

MulticoloredPieces said...

Hi, Mary. I always enjoy seeing what this wild group is up to! And the T-shirt idea is just too fun!
best, nadia

Linda M said...

Oh, Mary I am so jealous. Your group does have a lot of fun.

Amy Art Quilter & Fyber Cafe said...

I'll definitely take a soda treated T-shirt to our next dye workshop!! Thanks for the wonderful idea. Looking forward to seeing the fabric that you unroll.

Regina B Dunn said...

It's great fun to belong to an active art group. That activity looked particularly like a good one.