Sunday 25 November 2007

Back in Action

Back again. Had a good time - haven't taken photos off the camera so not many pics today.

I never worry about using ready made stamps or stencils, Kate. If I'm working to a particular theme, I often make my own but there are such good ones about and they often fit to a particular topic. I love Sherrill Kahn stamps (www.impressmeknow.com) and she does a good line in angels. If you drip the melted UTEE over a shaped stamp and then press on the Wspaper, it can be great fun. Here's one made with Sherrill's angel stamp.




The process is not exact and I like that. I made a series of these small angel panels. The angel above was minus a wing so I called her 'Almost an Angel'. The next one oozed a lot so she was 'More than an Angel'. The one below came out thin and lanky so she was 'Atkins Angel'.



Clive is always interested in anything on the arty or artefact side of textiles. Hand stitching leaves him cold. He does the most wonderful drawings - usually birds but sometimes abstracts. His study of a bicycle pedal adorns an Australian wall even now.

Carole, you will love your embellisher. I have to use mine this week for a secret project which I will reveal next Sunday. It is really silly, so don't get too excited.
Sorry about the Clearsnap mix up. My brain knew it was Clearsnap but my fingers typed coloursnap!

Margaret - I love the idea of a shrine for lost earrings and I certainly think it should house the lone survivor, pining for its mate. Sod's law dictates that you only lose the earring from the pair that you really love. Never the grotty one that someone gave you and you have to wear sometimes in case you meet them.

I met Jan Messent at the Basingstoke talk (they are such a lovely EG branch, we had such fun). She used to put together fantastic design books and her illustrations are wonderful. She now writes meticulously researched historical novels. It was so good to see her again - she used to live in Yorkshire but has moved to Hampshire. She shares an interest in all things Celtic and Anglo-Saxon with Clive, so we are going to visit her soon. This is now sounding like Hello magazine. Will Victoria Beckham leave David and turn to stitch? Read tomorrow's exciting instalment.

3 comments:

Digitalgran said...

Nice to have you back Maggie. I wish I could think of original titles for things as you do. I have Jan Messents books from when I did C&G in Machine Knitting. I would love to read some of her historical novels too. Does she write under the same name?

Carole said...

Hi Maggie: Great that you are back. I got into the baking mode earlier today and after all the clean up I thought: "I wonder if Maggie has done her blog" so you can see I am now a regular. I have a couple of questions: What kind of heat gun do you recommend? In your Distort book, you comment that a regular craft type heat gun is likely too weak for melting fabric and a paint stripper heat gun too strong. I happened to buy the paint stripper heat gun before noticing the low heat range is 450F to a high of 800 F but think that may be too hot. Any suggestions?
Also, when you use UTEE, do you use the clear and then add a little bit of bronze or do you go with 100% bronze? Have you ever tried colouring the clear UTEE with Alcohol inks by Ranger? I will look forward to your blogs this week. Carole

Kate said...

Loved those angels Maggie! I was making stamps at the weekend, using funky foam and those wooden printing blocks (on a course, did what I'm told!), so I shall feel less guilt! I loved the way your angels turned out, that UTEE is a fabulous idea. Might try that - we just got into transfoil here. Maybe both. More is always more!