Tag Archives: acrylic paint

Decisions and Change

I want to thank you for reading my blog, I truly have appreciated your support and comments.
I have always felt very fortunate to be able to spend my days making art, recently though I haven’t had blocks of time to really make the art that is most fulfilling to me. So I have to make some changes.

I’ve decided to suspend posting on my blog for now. My website will still be up, but I will be posting my art on Instagram and on my YouTube channel (tap the bell on YouTube to get notifications). I’m also working to get my Etsy shop open in hopes of finding new homes for some of my art.

If we aren’t already connected on Instagram and/or your own blog, please let me know so I can follow you and see what quilting and art you’ve been up to. I’m not on Facebook.

Below is my short video showing how I painted the background photo paper print painted fabric for the fish piece. I’m still thinking about how I will finish it, I’ll post to IG when it is finished. The fabric on photo printer paper technique was fun, and as long as I have the paper I will continue to explore ways to use it.

Take good care and make something that makes you happy every chance you get!


Painting Fabric Pinwheels

I rarely make patriotic art but I wanted to make pinwheels using fabric and paint and since the 4th of July is approaching this turned out to be one of those rare occasions.

I reached for the Terial Magic spray stabilizer. It worked great, making the fabric behave like paper. Here is the finished piece and the step I took to make the pinwheels…

I like how the pinwheels seem to be lifting the pot off the ground like a hot air balloon!

I started by treating white fabric with Terial Magic and cutting three inch squares.

Apply star stickers (I made these) to treated white fabric.
Use a sponge and acrylic paint, dab over the entire surface.
Let dry (it dries quickly) and remove stars (if the stars are still sticky save for other projects).
Cut a wavy line through card stock to make the stencil.
Flip the square over and use another color paint and a sponge to dab just to one side of the stencil (for a less formal stripe).
For a more formal stripe – after cutting a curvy line in the card stock, tape the two pieces together leaving a 1/4″ gap.
Once the piece is dry fold it in half diagonally, open out and fold the other direction corner to corner again.
Now cut from the outside corners to a little past half way up on each creased line.
Bring every other corner up to the center.
I apply a piece of tape to hold while I get the thread and needle ready.
Use a needle with a double length of thread and remove the tape.
Start on the back side in the center and push the needle and thread through to the front. I like to use a thimble to help push.
Catch each point in a clockwise fashion and pull thread tight. Stitch through to the back and come up again to secure.
Grab the button and stitch it on, then flip to the back and tie off the thread.
And we have made a pinwheel!

I can imagine these being painted for many occasions or used to decorate a room. They would be fun to make with kids and glue could be used instead of needle and thread.

If you make fabric pinwheels I love to see your creations!

Making Fabric, sort of…

I have been playing with a few fabric design ideas; some are hand painted, others are completely designed on the computer and I have scanned/photographed my hand painted fabric and altered them using software filters. I’m also collaborating with a talented artist (more about that later) and having pieces printed by Spoonflower.

orc sports sample blue

Speaking of Spoonflower – fellow blogger and artist Joanna Mack, The Snarky Quilter has written a couple blog posts about her experience after ordering fabric pieces from Spoonflower. You may want to hop over and read what she has to say. I appreciate SQ doing the research on a few other companies as well, and sharing her thoughts and results.

For the following pieces I used water thinned acrylic paint and an acrylic sheet (aka Plexiglass or Perspex) and created poured “paintings” that I photographed with the intention of having printed on fabric or using as inspiration for hand painted pieces.

plexi paint 1
plexi paint 2
plexi paint 4
plexi paint 3

Below are three designs I’m submitting for consideration to the Andover Fabrics and SAQA Golden Hour fabric line project. Whether any of my designs are selected or not I’m looking forward to seeing other entries. Have you combined fabric, paint, and computer software to design your own fabric?

Breeze
Created on the computer
Cloud Dance
My hand painted fabric after being altered with a filter
Dapple
Hand painted fabric