2016 #6 My Grandmother's Doily {by Lesley Ebdon}

2016 Topic 6: Liquid Sculpting Medium

Hi everyone, Lesley here tonight to share a Powertex and Hot Picks project with you. I've been to a couple of lovely, messy workshops recently creating with Powertex products so jumped in when I saw this topic coming up as one of the challenge themes. PaperArtsy products and Powertex, Wow, what a combination! Add to that mix one of my treasured doilies crocheted by my Grandmother and I created a doily 'vase'.

Step 1 : I started with a plain black glass vase and after making sure it was clean of any greasy finger marks, etc., and well dusted with an antistatic bag I stamped images from HP1008, HP1010 and a sentiment from HP1102 using Versamark ink and heat embossed them with WOW Vanilla White embossing powder.

HP1008, 

HP1010 

HP1102 

Step 2 : Once it had cooled down I covered the vase with cling film, turned it upside down with a kitchen roll middle inside it to raise it from the surface a little. I soaked the doily in Ivory Powertex, working it into the cotton yarn with my fingers (unless you like getting your hands extremely messy and sticky then latex gloves are a must, lol) draped it over the vase and then used my hairdryer to start the curing process whilst coaxing the doily into the shape I wanted. Once it was stiff enough to hold the shape I left it overnight to cure. (Apologies for shadowed photo but it was late at night when I took this one). 

Step 3 : Next I set about creating a butterfly. I drew the basic shape I wanted and cut it out as a template then dug out a wire working pin board that hasn't seen the light of day for years. I pinned around the template keeping the shape as much as possible and then wrapped wire round the pins twice for strength. I covered the wire with masking tape.

Step 4 : Time to get messy with Powertex again! First I removed the glass vase from the doily and using some old gauze dressing I had in my 'might come in handy' box and I cut a piece into strips about 2” wide then kept dipping a finger into the Powertex and very gently covering the gauze which I wrapped around the butterfly shape leaving a few tattered ends here and there. I used the same gauze to drape pieces onto the doily 'vase' and a tip for this is to use a wooden kebab skewer to tease the fragile gauze into the shapes you want. I again used a hairdryer to speed up the curing which didn't take long as the gauze was so fine. I then applied Sapphire, Classic and White Fire Treasure Gold to all the gauzy areas on the doily vase and the wavy folds around the top together with the butterfly.

Step 5: Now I turned to the flowers. I took a 12” x 12” sheet of good quality blue scrapbook paper, roughly brayered Buff (discontinued) and Snowflake Fresco Finish paints and then stamped the same 'bubbles' all over which I had embossed onto the vase, this time using Snowflake paint. I used a die to cut out the large spiral flowers.

Step 6 : I created wire stems covered with florists sticky tape which I glued to the back of the flowers with a glue gun and also added some stamens to the middles with the hot glue. To finish them off I edged the petals with White Fire Treasure Gold.

Step 7 : Finally, I removed the cling film and put the glass vase back into the doily, added the flowers and then glued the butterfly, with which I was inordinately pleased (it doesn't take much, lol), to the rim with hot glue.

I chose to keep my Treasure Gold colours very subtle but you could make them much stronger or you could dry brush your choice of Fresco colours. The finished doily vase reminded me very much of the little stiffened crochet baskets my Gran used to make which I think were starched. Powertex is a lot more fun and much more permanent, lol! There are quite a few similar ways doilies and lace can be used, for example you could shape them around blown up balloons to make light/lamp shades or over nicely shaped bowls to create lacy ones as tea light holders. Another tip is to remember Powertex only works with natural fibres not synthetic apparently although I haven't tried it myself. I hope this has given you a few ideas for using a permanent fabric stiffener.
Lesley

You can find me here:
Blog: Crafty Love n Hugs
Facebook: Lesley Ebdon
Twitter Craftymamma2

Wow Lesley what a wonderful way to use a treasured piece from your Grandmother, practical and beautiful and so much better than being stored in a drawer. Well done for taking the plunge and using it. ~Darcy

We would love to see how you interpret this topic by linking what you make to our 2016 Challenge #6: Liquid Sculpting Medium, on this page HERE.

All of our bloggers love to see your twist on their ideas, particularly if you were inspired directly by their post. 

All links go in the draw to win a £50 voucher to spend on products of your choice from the PaperArtsy online store. The Liquid Sculpting Medium link will close 17:00 (London Time) Sunday, April 3rd. The winner will be announced 2 hours later at 19:00.