Heliographic printing

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Okay...........does "sun printing" sound better?
Nearly got my act together today,and here is the fruit of the last two day's experimentation.
This is all new to me.....I never played with tie dyeing or batik,or......... in my salad days,
and now I'm doing a frantic catch-up
on all the fun things I missed out on in earlier years

The top (yellowy)piece is my first attempt,when I followed instructions and diluted my transparent paints to a 1 in 3; This first one,I also used three different paints.

The lower fabric was undiluted Setacolour Soleil(Turquoise) and "from go to Whoa",it took about two hours max.
(Nearly instant gratification :-)

It was a clear sunny winter afternoon that we enjoy as standard winter weather in SEQld,so maybe that helped!

Okay.. I moved the frame a couple of times around the yard to capture maximum sun exposure,but I'm rapt in how simple a procedure it is;
I think that the diluted paints will be used up on some of my silk ribbons.........surely a dunk in a tie dye situation,
a sun dry and then heat set with iron should provide some interesting results.
Why not......if I never try,I'll never know.

Last day of June

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Today has been another busy day with no photos to prove my words!

I "thought" that I'd finished the Top of the blue work quilt,until "Mr Block-head"
(his term NOT mine) queried WHY I didn't have "a black strip down there".

Yes,in my frantic haste to finish,I neglected one of the strips that emphasize that attic windows!
Could have been worse.....I could have already mitred my corners and basted the sandwich for quilting!!

Also tried (a bit late in the day, and the sun was not at it's best) some heliographic printing.
So those pics will be "tomorrow",hopefully.
My interest in this sun printing was aroused after receiving a gorgeous leaf print Postcard from Sue Reno recently,so I just HADto have a play.......... somehow,I don't think Sue is in any danger of my competition!
I guess my comment for June would be that it's been a month of experimentation and further learning as I drift away a little from being CQ driven into fabric postcards and art journal quilts.

I have also been keeping a journal on the various techniques I've tried,so that when I need them again I hopefully avoid repeating mistakes.
I may not have journalled in the way that SharonB outlined at the Canberra Retreat in 2004,but between blogs and my handwritten journals,but I am trying

Experimenting

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Today was a day of experimenting;playing....with like minded friends.
I had a new heat gun and a heat tool to 'christen':
I got all organised.........even to the extent of including my digital camera!
And when I returned home very late this afternoon,realised that I hadn't used it at all! ***
Hopefully I'll get my act together tomorrow and take pics of my samples,to be included in/with my journal notes for future reference.
From today's little efforts,I think the heat gun will be my favourite weapon: we used it on Tyvek film and Tex;
Lutradur,
Vilene stabiliser;
onion bags;
Florist's mesh (wonderful beads,but if overheated a bit brittle)
Florist's tissue;
foil bags from potato chips;
Old Christmas decorations.............
It gave a whole new meaning to Recycling and bag-ladies!
My daughter will HATE me for finding even more excuses to hoard:

It's GOOD for the Environment

Today's effort

 
I'm so glad that I frog-stitched all of the previous sashing and opted for an Attic Window treatment.
I had hoped that today I would get not only the window shapes, but the entire top finished ready to sandwich and quilt tomorrow.

Alas,other considerations slowed down the process,but I must admit I'm happy to have got this amount done despite the interruptions.

The next photos taken will be against a plain background,and not the distraction of my "Starry,starry nights" underneath! 

Waiting.............

 
 
 

To be sashed into attic windows 

Mother Goose in Blue-work

 
This proposed quilt has been a WiP for over twelve months!
It started life as a swap on an online group I've been involved with for some years.
I had hoped to have it completed back in April/May,but the fates were against me.
Finally,I got round to sashing the blocks.........and found that the fabric I'd "kept" for the project was insufficient----I'd 'liberated "some to another project!
Needless to say,nothing was available to save the situation,so I frog-stitched half the sashing of each block.
Once again I learned how difficult it is to compromise....to the degree that today I settled for another concept:
instead of a log cabin type sashing,I've removed the original concept completely and with new fabrics,I am settling down to an "Attic Window" approach.
Two shades of blue for the framing,and narrow black to separate the frames.
Two blocks look greatIMHO :-) but I'm determined to have it sashed,quilted and bound by July 6.
That's as well as other committments....watch this space. 

Quiltmania