New for old

A fairly productive week as the weather hasn't been too brilliant in fact it is raining at this moment.
I have continued to use up some of the serendipity papers and sample bits of paper casts, heated tyvek and impressed clay.
I made some more pad folders similar to those of the last blog. As well as using up sample bits I also used recycled fabrics for the backgrounds.

For this folder I used a paper cast - soluble paper over a rubber stamp, painted gold and the urn highlighted with red metallic wax. It was laid over some tea stained scrim over some dyed fibres over a piece of serendipity hand made paper. I used a variegated yarn in the colours of the serendipity paper and created a border of overlapping sorbello stitch to hold the fibres in place. Beads were stitched randomly among the stitches. Four large beads were stitched at the sides of the paper cast.

The background was a piece of recycled skirt fabric bonded to pelmet Vilene lined with mottled paper and edged with satin stitch. The serendipity paper was glued onto the background fabric.



The next pad folder used up pieces of heated Tyvek impressed with flowers from a rubber stamp. I painted the flowers with metallic acrylic paint using colours in a piece of serendipity paper and arranged them onto that piece of serendipity paper backed with Vilene. Bits of metallic net were placed under the flowers which were then free machined in place and beaded. The background fabric was a piece of recycled trouser fabric. My OH had hated these trousers which were very trendy in the 70's because the fabric was very itchy. It has been in my fabric store for many years. I liked the colour so kept it and it was perfect for this particular piece.

The serendipity paper was glued onto the fabric which was then outlined with dyed twisted yarns couched down. The background fabric was mounted onto pelmet Vilene, lined with a plum paper and satin stitch edged.



The next folder also used a piece of recycled trouser fabric. It was a piece of grey twill which I coated with gesso. I painted the gesso with a bronze metal paint. While it was still wet I spritzed some green patina fluid over the surface and then sprinkled some bronze patina embossing powder over it. I left it to react and dry then I used a heat gun to set the embossing powder. When it was dry I machined some digitised Celtic designs onto the surface using a variegated Madeira metallic thread which was similar to a green patina. Next I used some heated fusible film under a Celtic motif which was made by impressing a rubber stamp into some air drying clay then painting it with bronze paint and highlighting the surface with verdi gris metallic paint.

The fusible film was stitched in place using spacer beads and bits of couched chain from an old necklace. The clay motif was stitched in place with tiny bronze beads.

I glued a piece of dark green card to the inside of the folder and edged it with the patina coloured metallic thread. This folder turned out far far better than I had hoped for. I really like it and intend to play and experiment further with this surface technique.



Continuing with my recycling theme -

When I arrived home from my break I treat myself to some new skirts. I had to make space for them in the wardrobe so I cleared out old and no longer worn skirts and dresses. I cut up those which had fabric that was recyclable. It included one of my favourite dresses and so I decided to make something straight a way to use some of this fabric. I made a bag.



It is a large shoulder bag. The front and back panels are quilted using the floral design on the fabric. It has a zipper to close it and a wide reinforced strap. I made tags to hang from the strap and another tag for a zip pull. This turned out well too. I really like it.



Now I am ready to begin some new pieces. I spent the day designing and making stencils from acetate sheets. I know I have a lot of stencils 'somewhere' but can't remember where to find them at the moment so now I have some more to add to them when I find them!!

We spent most of yesterday finding out that the wireless router was caput and borrowed another spare one from my daughter. It must have been breaking down for ages because our internet is so quick now without all the hiccups and the network to the back room computer also works now without slowing down. Wish we had blamed the router rather than the internet sooner. What a difference.

It is late now so it's off to bed.

Cheers everyone.