I am still sailing

Last day before half term, and a chance to print up the sails at twice the size, with the Procion P dyes, using more complex mixes of colours. I also wanted to see if it was possible to get an ombre effect with the dyes.

Sails detail, showing some success with the ombre at the far left, although also showing some inconsistent application of the dye paste, making it a bit streaky, particularly in the blue. This is a much finer cotton poplin, and also had an interesting watermark effect left once the dye had dried.


Full length, one direction


Full length, from opposite direction


I love this technique.

Then off to Prism for a meet-up with Morley friends from last year. Well worth the trip if you can make it there by Sunday.

So, on the hottest day of the year so far, we use the smelliest process in the studio………

Discharge printing, on fabrics that I have dyed previously and on silks from india that have been stashed away for years. This was also a chance to try out the new screen made with the paper cuts and to repeat a bit of "Charles Rennie Mackintosh meets Frank Lloyd Wright at the Willow Tearooms".


The lighter patterns appear solely as a result of the discharge paste being applied through the silk screen. As I didn't dye these silks myself, I had no idea what the result would be. Excitingly, they are all lovely, details below.

Charles Rennie Mackintosh etc, the first on shot silk dupion and then on tightly woven paper silk




Papercuts





Papercuts on dyed, waxed, dyed again cotton


The paste has to be activated by steaming, so the studio was baking. All worth it though.

The sails are printed

From here to a printed length this week. Five separate paper stencils, 5 different mixes of Procion P dye, carried on to the cloth with Manutex paste, ( I can't find an internet link about this method) lots of measuring, and it does approach the initial design.

Detail



Detail, showing scale of image



Full length of cloth, showing dye testing on the bottom selvedge



The advantages of this method are: it doesn't need huge amounts of water; the dyes are very true to their final colours during the printing process; mixing the colours is very straightforward and subtle variations are easily achieved; the overlay of colours is subtle; the hand of the fabric isn't changed.

The disadvantage is that the dyes have to be fixed with steam, which is fine in the studio which has a bullet steamer, but is a bit more unwieldy at home.

Lots of learning in this exercise about working with paper stencils, overlaying colour, measuring up a repeat, managing a long length of fabric. More to come hopefully as I have now cut a set of these shapes at 200% of the original size.

Angie Lewin - glorious design, and upcoming exhibition

I have just picked up a copy of "Plants and Places" by Angie Lewin from our local library. I am treating myself to an hour with it, after being soaked, and stabbed by rather large hailstones, on my bike.



It is glorious: excellent print design, beautiful photography and superb heavy paper.

Even better, there is an exhibition of her prints in London for the next two weeks, here, and should coincide with a planned visit to this year's Prism exhibition, "Hidden Places, Hidden Spaces".

So much to see, so little brain available to absorb it all.

The sun has got his hat on….. and the wisteria is coming out to play

Needs no words





Finally getting to grips with the electronic zoom on my camera

Inspiring visit to Designing Women exhibition

As part of our course, each term, there is a visit to an exhibition, usually with a textile theme. This term's was to the Fashion and Textile Museum in Bermondsey to see an exhibition celebrating the talents of a group of British women designing textiles from the 1950s onwards. On until 16th June, this is well worth a visit.

The graphic quality of these designs is still striking, and a few of these designs are still in print, particularly Calyx by Lucienne Day.

The Fashion and Textile museum is great value for money as there is always an additional exhibition or two showing in the same venue. This time there is an exhibition of The Printed Square ( about handkerchieves - more interesting than it sounds and accompanied by a lovely book) and one about Sanderson and their textile designs. It shows how their designers use a combination of archive material, painting and digital technology to arrive at current designs.



I also crammed in a visit to The London Glassblowing Studio, on the same street. Even more mind-boggling than usual, not only the glass on display in the gallery, but the astonishing artistry of the blowers, who were blowing giant, brilliant red and black glass poppies as we watched, for future display at this exhibition.

Full of inspiration, back to the Morley studio, where it took me two hours to print 9 triangles - it's all a learning experience.

Images from the dye bath

A rare sunny afternoon, and I took the opportunity to do some shibori over-dyeing of previously dyed pieces. Swirling the dye bath out after wrapping the cloth in cling film gave these great images.
I'm trying out a watermarking software ( Star Watermark) and I haven't got to grips with how to use it fully so don't try to read the very, very,very small watermark.

Reflections


Reflections



Wave forms


Face in the cloud


We are not alone


Don't burst my bubble


Volcano