Kimono Collage #5 Work in Progress

 Auditioning a different print on this background.

Kimono Collage #4

I am satisfied with the first group of kimono collage pieces and have decided to try a couple more.

I still have quite a lot of the kimono silks to work with.  I thought I would try a slightly different approach.  This collage is fused to black cotton, rather than batting as I did with the first group.  The silks are fragile and I think they will be more stable with cotton behind them before adding the batting.

Below, I am auditioning a couple of the screen prints.  Just thinking about using them, though.  No commitments yet.  I am going to print some more of the silk lining fabric before I make any decisions.

Kimono Collage #2 Detail

This detail image of Kimono Collage #2 shows a bit more of the printing, stitching and the luminous quality of the freshwater pearls. 

Kimono Collage #2 Finished!

Here is the second Kimono Collage!  Fused collage of dark silks has been machine and hand stitched.  The next layer is Thermofax screen printed silk lining embellished with machine and hand embroidery and freshwater pearls.

It is stretched over a re-purposed 16 x 20" stretched canvas.

Screen Printing the Kimono Lining

Moving ahead with the Kimono Collage series, I felt I could develop my designs a bit more authentically if I could add a bit from my own hand.  Thus, a section of the lining has been Thermofax screen printed.  Not sure this will be useful, but it seems worth trying.  Especially in light of the fact that all the patterned lining fabric I have is now used up.

Kimono Collage #1 Detail

Kimono Collage #1 16 x 20" Stretcher Bar Mounted

Here is the first Kimono Collage I was able to finish.  It measures 16 x 20" and is stretched over a re-purposed stretched canvas.  The rectangular top layers are from kimonos (linings), but the vertical hand stitched cord is actually a man's necktie rolled up and stitched in place. 

Kimono Collage 12" Square - More Stitching

This is as far as I have gotten with this 12" square Kimono Collage.  I took a leap of faith and screen printed over the top of a couple of layers of silk.  I am not thrilled with the printing - don't think it added a whole lot, but I am committed now - unless I remove or overlayer with something else. 

Actually, I have even considered abandoning the Kimono Collage series or changing the scope significantly, but I decided to try to finish the other two 16 x 20" pieces I began at the same time.  More Kimono Collages tomorrow.

Silk Kimono Collage - Another Composition

This collage is intended to be a 12" square - I am thinking I will wrap it over 12" x 12" stretcher bars.  At least that is what I am thinking, and that is why I have folded the edges back.  I like the hand stitching and I think I will do more of that.  I also like the machine quilting in a diamond pattern - it is subtle but helps keep things together .  I built this collage on a piece of batting, so it was sort of fragile.  The red is from the lining of a kimono.

Composition Auditions for Kimono Collage

Here, I am messing around with various elements to add to the collage foundation.  I thought maybe a pop of red might be a good choice.  This seems a bit overpowering, but it is a good start.  More ideas to come.

Kimono Collage #3

Third Kimono collage.  I am planning to add some hand and machine quilting to these.

Another Silk Collage

Kimono Silk Collage #1

Here is a first effort with the kimono silks.  I mixed in a few necktie silks, too.

Antique Kimono Silk - removing mothball and mold smells!

A friend in my art quilt group, WAV  (visit our blog here) brought a big pile of antique kimonos to our October WAV meeting.  She suggested we could each take pieces of them home and I focused on the dark ones with subtle woven patterns.  As I was taking the kimonos apart in order to salvage every bit of useable fabric, I was envisioning creating fused collages from them. 

When I got my pieces home, and began to iron them, I found the odors of mold and mothballs overwhelmed me!  I could not work with the fabric the way it was, so I decided that even though all this fabric is silk, I would wash the fabric, hoping the odors would vanish in the wash.   I washed in warm water, delicate cycle and used what I always use when washing silk - Orvis paste.  I washed twice hoping the odors would disappear.

Not so!  In fact, the washing seemed to intensify the odors!  Oh my!  The whole house smelled like mothballs and mold - even my husband was bothered by the smell.  I researched how to remove the odor and back into the washer all the silk went.  I soaked it for 24 hours in white vinegar/ water solution.  Then, I spun it out and found it still reeked! 

OK, so the next step, according to my research - hang it outdoors until the smell disappears.  Here are the silk panels on the clothesline, where they hung for a month.  These were my "Halloween decorations".  My grandson and hubby thought it looked very "witchy" or "ghostly". 

I did finally get the smell out

Small Works - More from the Legend Rock Series

Legend Rock #9
8 x 10" ready for framing

Legend Rock #10

8 x 10"

Legend Rock # 11
8 x 10"

Legend Rock #12
8 x 10"

Sewing Scraps

Literally

Every once in a while I get an itch to sort through my scrap box and sew random pieces of fabric together.

This group is all fabric that has been hand dyed or hand painted, printed, etc. by me - no commercial fabric here.

Some of my scraps end up as Mail Art.
These - I think may become placemats. I've dyed some red to mix in.
Possible Christmas gift in the making.

String Quilt

Every spring I end up making a traditional quilt or two.
Usually, the project is inspired by some one's graduation or something.
Once you start giving a niece/nephew graduation gift quilts - you pretty much have to do it for everyone!
It is a good time to reduce the stash a bit or use up scraps. I really enjoy doing a scrap quilt now and then. This one is composed of solids and plaids that have been languishing in a drawer for at least 10 years. They are leftover from a variety of different projects, and I thought I could do a good nephew quilt with them.

A string quilt is such a good way to use up scraps. I just cut strips of various widths, then sorted them into warm/light and cool/dark piles. I had some cheap muslin in a drawer, also - so used that as a foundation - cut into 8" squares. I started by layering a light and dark strip diagonally across the center, then continuing on each side with strips from the same color group.
The setting really makes a visual statement that I appreciate.

Now to decide on the border and then get it off to the longarm quilter (I no longer quilt these projects - it is just not worth it for me!)

More Vintage Lace

OK - this will be the last of the lace images - I have lots more scraps of lace I could photograph, but I think it is time to put the lace away now.

I do have several ideas for using it in future art projects.

I will store all this lace in a single plastic tray in the studio. No more cardboard for this lace! It can all be gently folded or flat.

I keep thinking I have found my favorite until I see another piece!
I've never been crazed for lace or frills, but this stuff does intrigue me.
I wonder about the person who carefully collected and stored it. . . . what did she have in mind for it? Thinking about the previous owner of this lace is probably what interests me most.
I feel responsible to do her some credit by doing something special with it!

Stay tuned!

Vintage Lace Cleaning

It was fun unrolling the lace and seeing what it actually looked like.
There are several lace collars.

It looks like most of this lace has been removed from garments, etc. Most are small pieces that would trim a slip or petticoat. Many are mended or torn.

Some have stains that cannot be removed.

Cleaning Vintage Lace

Last summer, Joe picked up a box of vintage lace at a garage sale for $5.
Most of the lace had been carefully wound around cardboard rolls with the ends stitched down.
I put the box away with the intention of cleaning it sometime during the winter. I knew it would be a big project.

My research led me to Orvis WA Paste for cleaning.
I happen to have a big tub of the stuff - this is what I use for washout after dyeing silk.
It is sold at farm supply stores because it is primarily used for washing animals - horses and such.

I spent several hours removing the stitches and unwinding the rolls.
Then, I soaked the lace in a tub of cool water with 2 T of Orvis Paste dissolved. I soaked at least 4 hours and then rinsed by soaking for about another 4 hours - changing the water about 3 times.