First Casserole

 

Casserole Dyed Wool

 After watching Sandra Brown casserole dye some beautiful wool in her video, I wanted to give it a try.  The wool I used was heavy....my intention is to use these in an applique treatment.  The colors are somewhat warmer than they appear in the photos.


The red wool is for flower petals.  I started with pieces of creamy white wool soaked in warm water and Dawn detergent.  After placing one piece of the soaked wool flat in the dyeing pan, I used a spoon to spread the dye.  I dyed about half of the piece and down both sides with Cardinal by Cushing.  I then dyed across the top with Cushing's Blue.  I layered the next piece on top of the first and repeated the dyeing process.  After layering six pieces of wool, I added white vinegar around the edges of the pan (not on the wool), finished processing, and washed and dried the wool. I liked the results, but expected the bottom layers to be much different....much darker.


The six pieces of green are intended for leaves, and I started with a dull gold wool.  These pieces were dyed in the same manner, but I had more difficulty getting a color I liked.  I dyed across the top and down the sides with Cushing Blue, thinking I'd get a blue green.  The result was much too blue.  I took the pieces out of the dye pan and redyed them with Dark Green.....still too blue.  The final dyeing was done with Cushing Bronze Green and I was satisfied with that....they are a more yellow green than they appear.


To help with color, I've just ordered Pearl McGown's book Color in Hooked Rugs (It's Pearl's 1954 explanation of color theory).  A friend showed me her copy and offered to loan it, but after reading a bit I decided this was one of those books that I need to make pencil notes in the margin. On the dust jacket it says, "Here is a book, based on a Correspondence Course on Color, conducted by Pearl K. McGown, that has been long awaited by hook-craftsmen all over the world. It will be of equal interest to anyone who is dealing with color in any phase....Mrs. McGown explains the law and order of color, in accordance with the Munsell system.... Color is very important in this craft....The rugs which are made today will become heirlooms for our children's children. They should, therefore, show progress in color...." I'll let you know what I learn.

Snippets

Snippets, 2016

Cotton Fabric

At our last ATHA meeting, Judy demonstrated creating pieces with snippets of fabric.  We used fusible pieces of fabric to make art pieces - sort of painting with fabric.  Here are the two pieces I finished using the fabric she brought for our class. Finished pieces could be quilted, embellished, framed, used on cards, or in any way you choose.

Judy brought along this book by Cindy Walter and it is a great resource.  I love the pieces on her cover, The Kiss and Water Lilies at Giverny.  Cindy has a series of books that expand on her technique and they can be found at a very reasonable cost on Amazon.

Use What's Available

Lighthouse, March 2014

Stamped image on acrylic paper, 4 1/4" x 4 1/4"

Sometimes I like to use what's available to make a piece. This scene is made with a stamp called "Lighthouse" (#80158) by Stamps Happen, Inc.. I added the color with Prismacolor water color pencils, cut the picture into 1 inch squares, used Distress Stain (Vintage Photo) on the edges, and mounted it on 2 pieces of cardstock. It's a simple way to make an illustration to use on a card, for example. Not as nice as an original work, but fun. Having fun is important. I think we miss some of the fun if we are very strict with our art. I'm thankful for each day I get to wake up and enjoy the day.

Leaf Mosaic, March 2014

Cotton fabric, 9" x 12"

This piece, too, is made by using what's available. The leaf design is from Laundry Basket Quilts (Silhouettes).  It's a laser cut, fusible shape for appliqué (6 batik leaves of various sizes in the envelope). I ironed the leaf to a piece of batik, cut it into 1 inch squares (what else...?) and appliquéd the piece to a brown cotton fabric with my sewing machine. I added buttons from "the jars".  The piece is backed with the same gold toned batik cotton.

Bird Puzzle Appliqué

Bird Puzzle, March 2014

Wool appliqué on muslin, backed and edged with cotton fabric, 13" x 15"

This pattern is by Karen Fahel and appeared in Felt and Wool for All Seasons from Better Homes and Gardens. Each square is 1" x 1" felted wool and is attached to a piece of muslin with a blanket stitch in 2 strands of Weeks Dye Works floss in charcoal color. The colors were gathered from my stash. The backing is a piece of cotton fabric cut 4 inches wider and longer than the appliqué and folded to the front for a self binding.  The eye is a button from "the jars".

More Ornaments

Felt Ornaments, 2013

These little ornaments were made at a workshop with Linda at the Sterling Extension meeting. She has great skill and her hand stitching is precise (obviously - these ornaments were sewn by me....) The ornaments went to adorn our daughter's and son-in-law's tree.  Thank you, Linda, for your wonderful lesson and your patience. 

Ornament

Chickadee Ornament, 2013

Wool applique, 6" x 2 1/4"

This ornament pattern is one of many that I found at Downeast Thunder Farm in Susan's Bird Patterns . The patterns (from wrens to owls to a Canada goose!!) are downloadable in PDF format.  Each pattern has a photo of her finished bird.  She'll share the patterns, but they are for "your personal, not-for-profit use." You cannot redistribute the patterns without written permission of the artist or sell them, and she encourages you to make the birds for non-profit fundraising. Great idea....
I made the pattern double sided, added a ribbon for hanging, and gently stuffed the chickadee with polyester. 

Coasters

Coasters, 2013

Wool appliqué, each 4" x 4"

Our Atha chapter chose a challenge for us - make a set of 4 coasters for a gift exchange at our Christmas get together. The pattern I used is an adaptation of a penny rug pattern I purchased from Oley Valley Primitives called Bluebird on a Branch. The coasters have an insulating layer of a material from Worcester Industrial Rubber Company that is a mixture of cork and rubber bits.  It's flexible and thin enough for my needle to pass through. 

Penny Rug

Penny Rug

Hand dyed wool, 29" x 21 1/2"

Private collection

I completed this penny rug in a class at The Quilted Crow in Boxborough, MA with Diane Daniels.  This is her design and it is made with hand dyed wool. I cut each applique and basted it to the base fabric before doing the decorative stitches to attach the pieces. All the tongues are backed for a neat appearance. The back is covered with a pumpkin colored cotton.