Hi everyone, Keren here today with a post using a 'feels like home' designer. What do I mean by that? Some artists just 'speak' to you however you're feeling creatively and Lynne Perrella's stamps whilst not being traditionally modern and graphic (my comfort zone) are the ultimate in beautiful chameleon images; whatever style you're going for- somehow they manage to fit right in.
I tend to choose bright and rainbow colours, but I'm continuing in challenging myself to use colours I'd ordinarily shy away from. Ultimately that would be just be brown...but I've let myself go into this challenge gently and resurrected my old nemesis pal...purple!
This is what I ended up creating. I wanted to make a giftable brooch with packaging that hopefully added to the loveliness of the gift and you could use afterwards for a photo frame or other keepsake.
I had wanted to make 2 projects; one with a stamped brooch and the other, a longline brooch using a Vlieseline product called Decovil- but I ended up with only one, as once I'd stamped the female's profile, I just wanted to use it exclusively.
I chose a very simple selection of products (although I 'might' have snuck an extra image from another stamp set later on ;-). For me, this is an unusual selection, and limiting myself to a few colours forced me to be more creative. Having been inspired by the colour wheel topic a few times I knew that by using a brighter lighter green and adding the blue would give me options of a deeper green and different shades of Amethyst whilst still blending the other colours well.
For a fabric brooch...you need fabric! I've often talked about using mercerised cotton to get a really detailed crisp image. Depending on what kind of look you're after, you can get it from changing up the type of fabric. A more loosely woven (or rougher fabric- think loose linen or finer hessian) will give a softer less defined look). The tighter the weave, and higher thread count, the more detail will show. I always use a stamp platform for best results.
Stretch out the fabric well and it's a good idea to add as many magnets as possible and also to cluster them around the image as sometimes the fabric lifts when you pull the stamp away from the fabric. I used Versafine Clair in this instance but you need ink preferably permanent that won't run when you introduce water and paint. You'll probably need to stamp 3-5 times.
This next photo shows you the difference when using different types of fabric.
It was time to paint. Always add a little water to the area of fabric you're about to paint. The water helps the paint to blend and doesn't just soak the paint straight up like a sponge. The effect will surprise you; you can get really great results.
The wings on her head reminded me of a bonnet. I wondered if that was Lynne's plan all along. I wanted to create something more dimensional so re-stamped the wings, sewed around the edges adding in an extra piece of fabric and then turning out. Add some sewn details following the patterning of the image and then a few beads. Turn under slightly and sew directly to the head image.
Here's a photo of my little helper holding onto the sewn layers, before I turned it out (which took a very long time and involved a lot of puffing and panting!!).
So here's where I had got up to. I did add in a little red to the purple to help create a brown shade for her hair. The other downside to turning the image through, is the immaculately flat painted image was now a little 'papery' in texture. But if you were going for that look...then bonus!
That previous photo was taken before I sewed around the outline with black stitching. Again, on reflection I'd would not have over-sewn, as just look at the back of the brooch with black stitching showing (which was unavoidable as I needed black thread to match the black outline). Adding a piece of ribbon (that I'd sealed the edges with using a flame) to a safety pin made an easy brooch back as I didn't realise that I'd previously used up all of my brooch backs.
Here's where some of the problem solving came in. I needed to find a way of presenting the brooch as a gift. I'd come up with the idea of a looped banner that I could hang onto something. At this point she also seemed a little unfinished. The butterfly bonnet was giving me 'Regency' vibes. I had some green cotton lying on my desk which when I unravelled gave curls just like women of that era would have created with their hair. The pop of colour seemed to lift it (albeit that the colour is not in keeping with the period!!).
I also needed a base to add the brooch and banner to. Some book pages, grey ink and another of the images in the LPC046 stamp set were perfect. I also grabbed a stick of greenery from outside for later.
Now I needed to draw everything together and add some details.
It's easy to create the stamped cuboids using pieces scored at 1/2", 1, 1 1/2" and 2 and adding a tab then fold into a cuboid shape. I tried slotting the acetate into both columns. It felt a little bare though, and continuing on with the purple theme, I remembered I'd got Alison Bomber's set she's produced for the Fodder classes EABF and it contains a blackberry stamp.
I stamped one side with Stazon white Pigment ink and painted the opposite side with shades of Amethyst.
Once you've slotted in the acetate to each open cuboid, seal them with double sided tape and then trim two more to fit into the horizontal gaps.
You can see the stick, which I painted blue and trimmed to size and mounted onto the base.
To secure the frame you've created, I needed to create a hinge. The simplest way of doing it was using washi tape. A piece attached to both sides.
Now to add in other details such as little dots using a Posca Paint pen which is perfect for acetate or other slippery surfaces.
The end result was different to how I'd imagined but I love the keepsake element and the simple hinge is something I'll use again. Whilst the brooch is texturally interesting (loving the hair) if feels very home-made so I definitely want to explore making another with Decovil. I'm also going to use this stamp set to create a moth inspired brooch. How might you incorporate fabric into your projects? Have you tried painting on fabric yet? Hope you might try out something new in your next creative session.
Keren x
