29 June 2017

Bedroom lamp


We had 2 rooms in need of a lampshade. One is the den: “link to the post” and the other was our bedroom. I am ultimately planning to paint a piece of silk that I will then apply on a frame I have already purchased. The silk fabric had been purchased years ago for a different purpose and I am still unsure where it might be. For a while I assumed I would find it quickly and get the lamp done but as other matters took precedence I realized It would take a while before I can do this.
I have therefore purchased another inexpensive lamp shade and, in the space of less than one hour, proceeded to transform it in something I would not be ashamed to show to people:
I have used newspaper yarn. I had spun it ages ago and some of it had been died in pink and wine. (I believe that I was dying something else and simply dropped the still wet yarn in the leftover dyebath). “link to paper yarn spinning”

The yarn is wrapped around the frame and held in place by tying the yarn ends with sewing thread. Once I am ready to make the silk lampshade I will be able to recycle the yarn.



17 June 2017

Back stencil shirt


For this one I have designed one half of the pattern, folded the freezer paper in half transferred the pattern to the other half. I have cut out the positive spaces and ironed the stencil onto the back of the shirt. This was probably the hardest thing to do. This is a cheap T-shirt from Primark and it is not exactly symmetrical.
I have sprayed red dye using a mouth atomizer onto the stencil. I have then tacked a contrasting fabric onto the back.
All I have to do now is quilt the 2 fabric layers together and, once done, cut off the top layer and any excess bottom layer.

This is the sort of work I like to have at hand because it is mindless and relaxing and it usually take a good long while to get completed. Since I have almost finished the Alabama shirt “link to post” I do need a new project of this type.