Playing with Photoshop.

Don't you just love playing with Photoshop. Its so clever and amazing.
Here is a photo of a pile of my hand dyed fabrics

and then I used filters to adjust the image.
WoW zappy colours


Monochrome.

Reconstructed Jackets

Here are some preview photos of my new line in repurposed jackets. My daughter wants this one ! I shall be adding some to my etsy shop soon. Please contact me if you are interested in purchasing a unique one off tailored alter jacket.

Paula's Doll TDP

Travelling doll from Iowa, USA. Oh she has arrived with me. And she is absolutely gorgeous ! Paula Nerhus has created her from paper clay and cloth. Really ingenious construction. Love her. It really does make me want to have a proper go at paperclay over cloth. I have managed to get some Creative Paperclay from a company here in the UK and I haven't had time this week to play ! Shame! Will get around to it in the next few weeks and will keep you updated.
Anyway back to the doll ( I am going to name her, as its awful just calling her doll, she deserves more - deciding on a suitable name this weekend once I have put her hair on).
I have taken her out today and let her see interesting places near where I live. She has been to Stony Stratford and sat by the old Roman Road - Watling Street.



She asks if she can visit other faraway places. I tell her that we really can't go that far and anyway the Eurostar train is playing up and we might not get back in time !



So we went a few miles down the road to Buckingham and she visited the Buckingham Old Goal which houses the
museum with lots of local lace.



We had a nice wander around the old market town and she was admired by many local people.
Then she spotted a lovely old French chair outside the lovely flower shop called Moss and decided she needed a rest.



By the afternoon it was a sleepy doll that we bought home back to Stony. As we were walking in doors she eyed the bright Red Post Box opposite my house and rushed over to have her photo taken there.

Saying' I must send this one home to Mum'

Procion Dying

Ever tried dying your own fabrics with Procion dyes?
It is great fun, you get a bit wet but end up with a pile of lovely coloured materials.
I had two days last week of playing with colour mixing.
It fun to select your fabrics,- I don't just choose white pieces but a mix of printed and coloured, as its interesting to see what happens with overdying these. The dyes work best on natural fibres , silks, cotton or linens ( for wool you need a different kind of dye). They don't work too well on man made fibres. But its good to select some fabrics that contain man made such as polyester or nylon as the dye will react on the cotton or silk and not on the poly so interesting results happen.



This is the easiest method - dying in a plastic bag from Helen Deighton. The mess is kept to a minimum using Helens techniques.

I love the dying and colour mixing bit but the rinsng is a real pain and takes ages!

But then the ironing bit comes and its much more fun than like doing the household stuff. The fabrics really come to life once they are all crisp and clean. The colours sparkle ready for you to use them in lots of textile projects. Mmmm will have to use some on my travellling doll.




Do try dying with Procion dyes, you will be pleased with the results.