Fabric Painting 3 Ways

This weekend I get to teach this class, which is always fast-paced, fun and messy.  We'll be using Shiva Paintstiks (chunky oil sticks), Neocolor II watercolor crayons, and Dye-Na-Flow silk paints, making patterns and visual textures on black and white cotton and silk.  We'll use various techniques including spraying water, sprinkling salt, texture rubbings, resists, stencils, stamps, and faux-dyed effects.  This class is designed to give students a taste of how each of these fabric paints behaves and what effects are possible, and students will go home with several good-sized samples of their explorations.  They can choose to keep the samples for reference and inspiration or make them into a project of their choice.

When I first started graduate school in Fibers, my professor looked at my quilts and asked, "Do you ever use non-commercial fabric?"  I had no idea what she was talking about--wasn't all fabric commercial?  Soon I was introduced to the wide world of surface design using dyes, paints and a myriad of other techniques.  If you're a quilter or sewist who doesn't want to limit your choices to what the local fabric store happens to have in stock, this class is for you. 

Here's a peek at what's possible:

Neocolor IIs on cotton, hand and machine stitch

Neocolor IIs on cotton, salt effects and stamps

Shiva Paintstiks on black cotton, using stencils and rubbing plates

I used Shiva Paintstiks to alter commercial fabric in my art quilt, Sam at Glacier

My art quilt, Ways of Looking at Dodd Creek #6, used Dye-Na-Flow silk paint on dishtowel background

My art quilt Cherith Farm includes Dye-na-Flow on linen background and Neocolor IIs on organza (eggs)

Doesn't this look fun?  I'll be offering this class again in the Atlanta area on Saturday, Oct. 3.  Click HERE for more information and scroll to the bottom for the class description.