Painting My Own Fabric

I am making a silk swing top with a tie neck for a friend.  After making two of these blouses for myself from silk charmeuse, I decided I'd like to paint my own silk and make a blouse.  Here are a few pictures of my progress:

Laying out the pattern I made.  I started with a rectangle of washed silk charmeuse.

I used an air soluble marking pen to freehand an iris and other designs.  I then used the serti technique to outline my designs (this stops the dye from traveling)

Added color with silk dyes.  You can also see that I used sea salt.  This attracts color...so, there are color runs and migrations and spots that are attracted to the salt crystals.

It has dried several hours at this point.

Beginning the painting.

A JoAnn's fabric

Another JoAnn's fabric

More Sewing Less Scrolling

Actually, the title says it all.  I committed to less time on the computer and more time at my sewing machine in 2013 when I made my New Year's Resolution this year.  So far, it has really paid off!  My etsy business has been doing very well, and it seems that the more I produce, the better it goes.  Hot Gumbo Studio got a makeover and rearrangement, I created marketing/promotional/shipping materials for my etsy shop, and I have been generally productive in the studio.  Still, I miss blogging about what I am working on and need to get back to it.  I have really been busy and have missed quite a few opportunities to share what I am working on.  Here are a few things I have created since I last posted:

These Ojami are addictive to make. They make great pattern weights,juggling balls, and paperweights.  I love putting them together.

This is T. Choux.  I made her for a friend's granddaughter.  I also made tons of dresses for her.

I particularly like the teddy bear toile fabric on the Christmas/birthday dress for Avery.  This was a fun one to make!

T. Choux was such a hit, that I made one for my niece for Christmas.  Meet T. Choux Deux

My niece loves cardinals.  This is her Christmas dress.