GD: Keren Baker Project #3 Fabric Art

Hi everyone Keren here, thanks for coming back for my final project of the week. Tonights project continues the Lynne Perrella theme but using fabric instead".

I’ve used the Lynne PerellaCollection 030 again. I don’t think I could ever tire of this set of images.

I wanted to create a project using some offcuts I had left from taking up some curtains. I had some chipboard covered notebooks and thought I could create a holder I could just slip a new notebook into once I'd filled the notebook up.The issue with fabric (as you all know), is finding a good ink. You can see that this fabric is thick and quite textured

I decided to try out several inks- having stamped with fabric before, I knew which was my favourite, but thought I'd check. The bottom right is a black dye ink, the top right is Memento Tuxedo Black. The best, as you can see on the left, is Stazon. I had recently reinked my pad, but it usually gives a crisper image. Were you wanting to wash your project then obviously Versacraft/Fabrico is your best bet.

After stamping, I added some wadding behind the image.

Then tacked them together whilst I stitched with some simple embroidery ... (Embroiderers Guild members look away now!!). I just picked out some of the shapes and went from there- choosing brightly coloured threads.

Once finished you can trim excess wadding from the back and sew it up.

As this isn’t a sewing blog, I don’t want to go into the detail in case I bore you all! I got my basic inspiration from ‘Bloom’ here

All I would say is do pay attention to sizings and measurings rather than winging it like I did!! The other piece of advice (were you to attempt something similar) is don’t eat chocolate whilst you craft. Here’s why!

Although, it was serendipitous ... as I’ll show you at the end.

Once sewn up, it needed some embellishments. I wanted to go for a stamped flower using paint. My stamp set had nothing to suit so I reached for my Lin Brown Eclectica 01 set.

Here’s what I used ...

I used a dauber to gently add paint in two colours onto the stamp. I found it easier (because of using fabric) to dispense with acrylic blocks completely

This meant I could press a little more pressure into each part. It helped give a great result. I’d used fusible interfacing on the back of my fabric so once I’d done some leaves too, it was easy to just trim out. The eagle-eyed amongst you might have noticed that this flower isn’t on the front of the notebook cover. Once I’d created it, it seemed too big for the project so.. remember that chocolate stain?! The stain was on the inside flap so the flower was the perfect cover-up and added a pretty embellishment to the inside.

I used a Prima embellishment with some Tango daubered around the edge and a few sewn on buttons to finish it off.

And that’s it. Here’s the side view in case you were wondering how it fits the notebook in. 

"Thanks so much for letting me join PaperArtsy family, I’ve loved learning and being very inspired by you all too! By next time, I’ll hopefully have got to grips with the paint a little better too"! 

~Keren~  x

Leandra Says:Ohhh I do love a bit of stamped fabric! This is a wonderful idea Keren! Thanks for a wonderful week!

Gillian Says: Keren I have loved watching your projects evolve this week using the LP designs. Your simple use of bold colours really have the wow factor. Look forward to seeing you again next month.

If you would like to join in this week's challenge and play along with Keren's techniques, then do link up your creativity here, and go in the draw to win some PA stamps of your choice! You need to link your entry by 17:00, Sunday May 18th 2014