Busy, Busy

Holes detail. Machine and hand stitched painted timtex with aurifil threads.

I've been so busy with getting things done for an upcoming solo show, at Mary Greeley Hospital in Ames, Iowa, that I will be hanging on April 30th that I have forgotten to post here.  Lots of stitching and experimenting going on trying to hurry up and birth this new idea I have forming.  Photos and soon!

Direct Discharge Rust Update

I'll try to post pics later this evening but wanted to post an update.  The direct method is finished and has been washed, rinsed, and dried NOTE very little color left the area BUT the fabric is much softer which would make it easier to needle or sew with the machine.  There are gobs of holes as well on this particular piece, whereas before I applied the baking soda paste there were only hard crusty areas. 

The plan is to stabilize the fabric, just like the previous piece, and stitch as usual with my machine.  I will embellish the areas around the holes and take it from there.

Have a wonderful New Year Everyone!

Stitching Rust - One Option

Stablized rusted fabric, two layers (I know hard to believe) wool quilt batting, black cotton commercial backing fabric.

The quilt to the left was orginally as thick as the quilt sandwich to the right, heavy stitching reduced the piece to a very thin piece.

Already you can see how the heavy stitching will decrease the thickness of this piece.

I'm stitching the outer areas first with a dark rust colored thread, will come back in and fill the strata layers with two other colors of rust and ocher threads and finally will begin stitching the heavily rusted area in the center.  The reason for this approach is I don't want to have to change my needle, as the heavily rusted areas will dull the needle quickly, in order to finish stitching the outer areas once the center is finished.

I will fill the hole in the center, where the fabric rusted through, with decorative hand stitches and maybe some beads.