Yarn Scrumbling - A Textural Sunday Fill'r Up

On this last day of March - as the birds seem never to sleep and days are trying bit by bit to hold on to warmth I wanted to leave you with a fun textural idea.

It is not something new, but it certainly something that is fun -
especially if you LOVE yarn!

In my quilts I use yarn for couching -- and my yarn collection runs just behind my fabric collection in size, so several years ago my friend Susan convinced me that I should take a 'scrumbling' workshop with her.

Hmm, just what was this scrumbling thing?
Knowing me all too well, Susan described it as crocheting without rules.

The 'no rules' thing got me, and we had a great time learning to scrumble, but note that you did kind of have to learn the rules -- in order to break them. The result is fun - free formed yarn play.

Hope you enjoy this final textural treat!

Rusted Fabric Quilt - A Thursday Treat

Since I started writing about my rusting fabric experimenting I have heard from many of you.
It is such a fun and enticing way to manipulate fabric!

Kathy from out in California had snapped the quilt here while attending the Foothill Guild Show. We both love it and went out to the maker....Linda Waddle, to ask permission to share the quilt.
She agreed, and even supplied me with information about how she created it.
Hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

Linda Waddle - Iron Galaxy I

My husband has a large stash of rusting metal, my yard is full of rusted metal wheels, gears, etc., so it was natural that I try rusting with these objects. This piece began with rusted gears, washers and a grate laid on a vinegar water soaked commercial fabric, covered with plastic and left to do its thing. I check on the rust process every three days or so, sprayed more vinegar water on the fabric if necessary and moved the objects if they had produced an image. By the time this process was completed, the wetness of the fabric provided a wash of rust color over most of the piece.
When it was rusted to my satisfaction, it was dried, cured for a few days and then rinsed and ironed. The same gears that provided the rusting were used as stamps with metallic turquoise paint. The same paint was used to scatter some dots for extra background texture. The gears were also used as templates for some of the stitching. Metallic thread, poly thread and fluorescent threads were used in the quilting. Copper metal discs were heat treated to change the color and secured to the quilt with a single bead.
Now a question for those who are rusting on fabric, how do you neutralize the rusting? I have just heard that the fabric should be rinsed in a baking soda solution. Any comments?

Amazing quilt, Linda!
As for your question about neutralizing or stopping the rust...
the rusting really never stops, and baking soda (2 TB per gallon of water)is considered one of the best ways to slow down disintegration.

There is information about using vinegar or salt, since this is used on metal to deter rusting, but these materials help deter it by causing a layer of rusting that can be removed. Not what we want with our fabric, so I think the baking soda is a good option.

I try to leave the fabric in contact or actively rusting for as short a period as possible.

Then wash it with a mild, color free, phbalanced soap.

Let it dry then rinse in the baking soda water.

Let it dry again and rinse with clear water.

Are you ready to give this a try?

Can't wait to see your Rusted Fabric!

Rusting On
~Rose

Rusting Fabric - Getting Started Tutorial

I started gathering some fun stuff to try rusting with, but had a couple of questions since this is my first time trying this in my new home in Paducah, KY. Here the lows have been in the 20's and I was not sure if I could get quick results in the cold.

I also heard thru a friend of a friend that they used salt water rather than my vinegar water.

So, here are the steps and and my overnight results

took fabric, cut it to a working size
and cut garbage bag to size just larger; 2 piece (1under/1over)

prepared 2 spray bottles
1 with 1part vinegar-1 part water
other with 1 part salt-1 part water (make sure salt is disolved)

got some large nails

outside I prepared 4 samples
1. vinegar with bubble wrap layer
2. just vinegar solution
3. just salt solution
4. salt solution with additional salt
for each I spray base layer of liquid, laid fabric, sprayed
then added nails, sprayed again
closed up with plastic bag and held it in place with small rocks

overnight with the vinegar solution over bubble-wrap

overnight with salt solution & extra salt

 

I left the salt solution to keep going,
but moved the nails over on the vinegar samples to keep the
design moving overall.

Happily, the vinegar worked really well overnight and even moving the nails once again later on today,
I should be able to wash it all by tomorrow and figure out just what I want to do with it next.

Have a great day!

Rusting On!
~Rose

Out-of-Studio

today, I'm out seeking fun stuff to get rusted...
have you found some materials to try this out for yourself?

more tomorrow...

Rusting Fabric-The Gathering A Monday Artify Opp

Oh, this is going to be a fun week.
Though there is tons for me to catch up on, there is still enough time to gather up the supplies needed to create a bit of rusty fabric and maybe even some paper.

I hope you'll join in.
You'll need some basic supplies -
fabric (old t-shirts are good for this), an empty spray bottle, white vinegar, plastic bags or drop cloths

Then you'll want to start looking about and gathering metal things that we'll RUST!
These may include...

washers - nuts & bolts

nails - screws

keys of all sorts and shapes

old yard art works incredibly well, too!

I'll be gathering my stuff and sharing with you the how-to's on Wed!
Until then I would love to hear what you find to rust with...

Rust=Texture - Inspiration Filler' Up Sunday -

Hi All-
It's been way too long since I had reliable WIFI!
But, I used that time away from you well.
OK, there was feet in the sand, and sooooo much sunshine and gorgeous blue water
--- but, I was never far from collecting textures!

I was thrilled to be able to teach on a Caribbean cruise -- and in between workshop days there was time to discover, play and of course take pictures.

You may know, that given enough time, water, salt air will cause rust on just about any metal.
People try to hold off the corrosion with paint, but if left to the elements rust will set in. If not stopped what once was decays away.

In the pictures I am sharing today take close look at the texture all this rusting causes.
Bubbly, gritty, spotty... 
but look again and note the lines and shapes, and how the rust colors it all.

What colors do you see?

Have you ever purposely caused rust?
Later this week I'm going to rust up some fabric
and try a bit of paper - just to see what happens.
Join me!

trying for textures 2

the video did not appear...til I can get it working here are a few examples

Island Textures

Traveling thru the Caribbean continues to be quite delighful...though wifi not readily available...

I have been thinking textures and hope my little newly created video will make it out to you...

Happiest of Mondays!

Hi All-
I am writing this from somewhere on the Atlantic --
can you see me waving!!!!

This will be a quick note, for I am paying by the minute to post, and the systems here are not allowing for things like picture posting, YET.

Workshops started today, and I got to teach one of my favorites - Color Cruisin...

I know, I know... it's texture month, and I can hardly wait for a few free minutes to go wander to start snapping pictures of the amazing textures on board -- and then there will be the islands...WOO HOO!

Hope your week has been kickstarted with fun...
now I'm off to dinner!

STITCHING ON
~Rose

Today's the Day! Listen In!

Hi All - Here's the WooHoo Reminder...
Today I get to be the guest artist,Listen in to my interview by --

Pat Sloan - "The Voice of Quilting"TM
Host of American Patchwork & Quilting Radio
airs today Monday, March 11 at 4pm est

Enjoy!

Toolin' Tuesday - Gotta Find You Some!

The quilt above - Raven Creates -
was made from fabrics - cotton, velveteen and silk that were played into textured being.

It's all about play today!
Creating texture is fun -
layering them up can create grand, wonderful things.
But, all come about from your willingness to get your hands dirty,
letting  your mind wander and JUST PLAY!

The tools I am sharing with you are those that I have found or made.
Each has its own charm
Can be used with paints or inks
For creating TEXTURE on paper or fabric

There are loads of of different ways you can use these,
and I will definitely share some of these later on this month, so for now
start finding some play tools!!

found objects from the creative reuse and recycle center

purchased rubbing boards work well

but these found gridded and textured objects offer lot of play opps

I'm off now, but I'll be looking for some new play-tools...
How 'bout you?

I'd love to hear what you find!

Hunting On

~Rose

Ready for Take Off - Imaginary Textures

Hi Everyone,
Happy Monday - I'm still trying to catch up with March....
but,  I'm totally ready to share with you an TEXTURE adventure.

It is one where your imagination can take flight without even leaving the house.

Yesterday, I shared a bit with you about 'actual' textures and I suggested that you start a collection of textures all your own.

Today, I thought we could take an on-line look at those other textures -
the 'imaginary' ones.

To start your own journey you need only type in the word TEXTURE into your search engine.
There is a whole world of textures that have been photographed and collected,
and they're all right at your fingertips.

A couple of my favorite providers are:
CG Textures
TextureKing
PhotoShopStar

These will definitely get you thinking TEXTURE...
how about clouds, trees, animals, plants, stuff under the a microscope, rain, snow....

I'm already thinking how my collection is going to grow once I get a chance to get going with my own picture taking!

Have you got a first - or favorite in mind already?

Let you imagination take flight!
~Rose

Sunday Fill'Up - Texture

March!?!
How did it get to be March already?
Kind of caught me off guard. I was so enthralled with SHAPE...doesn't seem right to switch, BUT --
If you have to move on, TEXTURE is a lovely thing to explore.
Everything around us has actual TEXTURE --
When we touch it we can feel it's surface -
it may be smooth, crackled, gritty, slimy, ridged, lumpy, bumpy, slick
-- you can see the list is seemingly endless.

In design and in life what can be felt by touching
as well as by seeing is called and 'actual' texture.
BUT, additionally in design we also have the power to create the illusion of texture...(isn't it cool to be an 'illusionist'?!?)
These are known as 'imaginary' textures --
when you see them they have the appearance of textures,
but when you reach out to touch them -- they are flat.

In designing, texture is really, really important -
for it is the dimension and depth of TEXTURE that brings life to our work.

I would encourage you to start TODAY paying attention to all the TEXTUREs that surround you.
Collect them -- they will intrigue you and pull you into seeing new areas of life --
and they will serve you well when you start some new design project.

Start your own collection today --
Just wander through your house with a pencil or crayon in
hand along with some copy paper and collect rubbings
of things you find along the way.

Paste them into a sketchbook and have fun filling the pages:
These are just a few I gathered today.

Fun-Tastic Friday

Today as I sit here the snow is lightly falling, falling, falling.

It makes for a quiet, serene and contemplative morning.
The week has been fun-filled...many, may not think so, but I spent the week shopping on-line and restocking the items that I sell and that make up the kits for many of my workshops.

All the stuff started to come in and the studio filled up -- FUN!
It is times like this that I am grateful for all the things I get to do, and all the wonderful quilters and artists and just great people that I get to meet.

I've only had a chance to unpack a bit -
and only to take a few snaps to share a bit...

Guess, this is the perfect day to go start pulling out my 'summer' clothes and start packing for the cruise coming up REALLY FAST....

all, while remembering to be forever grateful for it all!

Wishing you a Fun-Tastic Friday... fill it with wonder and gratitude!

Packing On
~Rose