Tuesday 6 August 2013

Sue Carrington #3 Wall Hanging ....

'I’ve had an idea brewing for a few weeks on what I might do for this project. I was very lucky to have attended one day of the very last ArtsyCrafts weekends where the project was a sewn book. I loved the idea of using the stitching as the glue to put your project together, so that’s where my inspiration for this project began.' 

I bought some Fat Squares of fabric last year, not really knowing what I would do with them but they were so lovely I had to have them ! I dug them out and decided on 2 that worked well together. I cut the squares large enough for a stamp to sit in the middle and still have space around the edge.

I then started to stamp the images that I wanted to sit in each of the quarters. I’ve used black Archivalink and made sure I re-inked it before I started, when you stamp onto fabric you really need a nice and juicy ink pad to hand. 



I’ve then heat set each image, knowing that I would be painting them and I didn’t want the black ink to run when it became wet from the watery paint. The stamp sets I’ve used are: 

  

I then painted each image with Fresco Finish paints, keeping to similar colours so that they all blended together. The colours I used were Limelight, Claret, Beach Hut, InkyPool, Hey Pesto and Old Gold. The faces were all painted with VintageLace as a base layer then I mixed some Butternut with the VintageLace to add shading to different parts of the face. To create the pink cheeks on the Oriental image I mixed a tiny drop of Claret to Vintage Lace.

I then frayed the edges of all of the images and painted them using lots of water so the fabric would suck up the paint. The colours I used were Beach Hut, Pumpkin Soup, Claret and Hey Pesto mixed with a little Green Olives

I realised at this point that the images weren’t going to look right on the fabric I’d chosen, I needed another layer.


I wanted a pale cream layer, but didn’t have any pale cream fabric. So, I cut another piece of white fabric and stitched it to an embroidery frame so I could get some tension. I spritzed it well with some water then using Vanilla, Cheesecake, Snowflake and a baby wipe I swiped the paint across the fabric. This gave me the perfect off white colour and also the perfect surface to stamp on.
and Mini 56
With the minis I stamped onto the fabric


and then added the key from 

and the bunting and sun’s face from  

The Fresco’s create such a wonderful surface to stamp on, even on fabric.
I stamped a few extra images onto some spare pieces of fabric to use as embellishments.



I painted the flowers and then frayed the edges of the fabric.
 

After I had laid all of the images out I realised I needed one more ! I used the image from the LynnePerrella Collection 005 and painted it in the same way as the previous images. To create the colour around the edge I mixed BeachHut and Inky Pool together.

I then started to pin things into place, my sewing isn’t that good to do it without pins !

Once I’d stitched the first four images in place I added the centre image with a small piece of wadding behind it so it would stand out a little.

I started to place embellishments but felt there was something missing, I wanted something that would make more of an impact. So, I decided to make a flower and for the first 2 layers I die cut 2 flowers using the Scallop Flower die from Crunchy Paper and then painted them with Claret Fresco. It's amazing how the paint easily covers the waxed craft paper so well.

When they were dry I scrunched them up and then brushed some Florentine Treasure Gold over them.
 

I cut three flowers using the small Grunge Flower die from tissue paper, painted them with a mixture of Snowflake and Vanilla and then stamped them with the script stamp from the Lynne Perrella Collection 014.
 

For the centre of the flower I cut two circles from some Organza ribbon and ran the edges along a tea light flame (which was hardly lit!)

The heat melts the edges and makes it shrink slightly leaving you with a cup shape.
 

This is the flower in situ I forgot to take a photo before I attached it !
 

I still wasn’t happy with the embellishments so I painted some Tando leaves with a mixture of HeyPesto and Green Olives and stamped some script on to them using the stamp from the Lynne Perrella Collection 014.
 

Again here they are in situ !
 

I was almost happy with everything but I needed some words. So I used the stamp from the Hot Pick 1205 set.

I love this stamp! Instead of Fresco’s I used some Antique Linen Distress Ink to colour the white fabric this time.

Finally, happy with all of the embellishments (it took me 24 hours to be happy!) I stitched lace to the top and bottom of the hanging. I doubled it up across the top so that I could slide a piece of dowelling through it. I glued two metal beads to either end and added a bead embellishment to the tied cord.

Here’s a close up of the finished project. I absolutely loved making this project, the PaperArtsy products are a joy to work with. 

 

This four month journey has flown by, I can’t believe my last project to share is tomorrow !

See you then, Sue ! 

Leandra says: What a fantastic project Sue. Certainly brings back lovely memories of that ArtsyCrafts fabric project. I really loved that class too. It's surprising how you can treat layers of fabric the same way as layers of paper, and all the same principles apply, it's just softer!

Gillian says: A beautiful fabric collage Sue, love how you have pulled it altogether. Those LP images are just perfect for this kind of project.

19 comments:

Carol Q said...

beautiful project Sue. the colours all look so good together and it's great to see how well they work with fabric. A piece of art work to treasure.

Kathi said...

Fabulous project. Absolutely gorgeous painting and details.

This one is way beyond me as I am needle/sewing impaired and blood does NOT make a great embellishment.

Julie Lee said...

Gorgeous project! Lovely use of fabric and images! Julie Ann x

Helen said...

wow this is fabulous, Sue! Love the fabric, and the painting is gorgeous.

sam21ski said...

WOW this is gorgeous Sue, love the images you've chosen and how bright the colours look on the fabric, your composition is fabulous.

Sam xxx

Astrid Maclean said...

Oh wow, this is amazing Sue, those LP faces are so expressive and the way you have used them look fantastic!

Unknown said...

Looks great! The images are so vibrant! Great project again Sue. x

Unknown said...

Looks great! The images are so vibrant! Great project again Sue. x

Anonymous said...

Wow, that is stunning & definitely a work of art. Love it.

Rebecca said...

Beautiful & always love your colour schemes :)
Happy craftin
Rebecca

ionabunny said...

Gorgeous art. Love the colours. Fantastic and inspiring

Connie said...

You dear sister, have been blessed with an amazing talent. Thank you for sharing it with us.
Your blogging sister, Connie :)

Patricia Howarth said...

Morning Sue, WOW !! this hanging is stunning, I absolutely adore the stamps you have used and all the colouring etc, absolutely stunning.
Lots of love from Patricia xx

Sarah B said...

love it love it ! can I just ask what fabric you find best for stamping on ? thanks Sx

Amy said...

Beautiful! You are so talented!

Glennis F said...

Another fabulous project - just amazing

Mark said...

I remember this ArtsyCrafts project very well. It was so much fun to do! Sue, your amazing project inspires me to use some fabric again!

Kezzy said...

Wow wow wow this is absolutely gorgeous, I was at artsycrafts for the weekend and I loved the day of sewing :-) Kezzy xxx

Words and Pictures said...

Such gorgeous texture and pattern from all those fabrics.
Alison x