W.I.Ps: Printing, Dyeing, Crochet and Pastels.

/ moragnoffke

I have three projects I want to showcase today. No 1 is finished while No 2 and 3 I am still busy with. (If you want to know what a W.I.P is have a look at W.I.P.s and vulnerability.)

1) Finished W.I.P. Oak leaf printing/painting.

This one, I share with you, is part of the eco-printing experiments. I tried my printing technique on old pair of trousers that I use for gardening and walking the dogs in the greenbelt mainly because I found them too green, I had previously dyed them from blue to green so it was my own doing but they were very bright; like a blade of grass. Although I like green I don’t want to run around like a blade of grass all the time.

  • Oak leaf print on cream cotton.
  • Indistinct leaf print
  • Just starting to boil.

So I collected oak leaves of different sizes. The best way to do this is to merely pick a twig with a whole bunch of leaves; there will be varying sizes. The planning of eco-printing is important as first you have to scour the cloth; then soak it in soya milk mordant for 24 hours and let it cure for a week. After that you can make the rusty water, using old screws, nails and such which you soak in the water for a while. You could start that process before the week ends for curing the cloth. Then soak the leaves in the rusty water for at least 30 minutes. I just share these details with you so that you get some idea of the time and planning that is involved; this not a tutorial.

Once I was ready I found my dowels for rolling the material onto; one for each leg. I started at the bottom so the edges closest to the feet were deepest inside the roll. This is important to know as it affected the colour of the pants. It created an ombre effect because as it boiled, the outer layer of the rolls bled the most, releasing the yellowy green colour. This revealed a more teal/blue-green colour at the top while the bottom kept the yellowy green colour. I was pretty happy with this affect yet it was completely unplanned.

After I completed the boiling process a lot of yellow-green dye bled into the water and I used it to dye a white gilet

  • Dyeing with the leftover water. M Noffke.
  • I am not fond of wearing black or white. M. Noffke

The actual printing was a fail and only left a suggestion of colour looking more like a shadow of a leaf or muddy dog footprints. Not effective. Derek’s comment was that it looked subtle. But it was more of a miss than a hit. So I decided to hand print/paint leaves over the marks using fabric paint. Fabric paint worked well but do remember to iron it with an iron at the setting for the clothes and check the washing inductions for the fabric paint. Mine says it’s okay for dry cleaning. I will not be dry cleaning it and I will deal with the consequences then. I am happy with my end result although it was not at all what I intended. 

  • Mixing fabric paint.
  • Applying paint with roller.
  • Finished project.

2) W.I.P. Learning to crochet.

I have always knitted but not enthusiastically. I found that knitting irritates my wrists and after doing some repetitive art I landed up with carpel tunnel syndrome in 2017 where I could not write or do art for 4 ½ months until I eventually had surgery. Since then I have tried not to do anything that involves too much repetition. My daughter, Ellie from Elliementalist and xYOOPx, is amongst other things, a fiber artist and does spinning, knitting, crocheting and lace making. She also designs patterns which she sells. When I see her work I always become very inspired and so under her guidance I have been using one of her beginners patterns to practice my crochet as it seems to bother my wrists less. She also puts out YouTube video tutorials for her patterns. Here is my first crochet project: they will be a pair of cut off gloves when they are finished. Ellie designed this little project especially so that one can practice the stitches and turns of the rows.

  • Rows of crocheting, Thanks to Elliementalist.
  • Cut off gloves, waiting to be sewn up, M Noffke.

3) W.I.P. Pastel drawing of flowers.

  • Soft pastels W.I.P, M Noffke
  • Still life for painting, M Noffke.

I hope to finish this pastel in the next week.

Have yourself a wonderful weekend and take care.

33 thoughts on “W.I.Ps: Printing, Dyeing, Crochet and Pastels.”

  3. This may sound strange but I’ve thought about learning to crochet! In the end, I decided to try making spoons which is not going too well! You’ve done some great work and had fun Morag! Well done! 💐👍

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

  4. You have a good sense of art, Morag! Finished goods look better than WIP due to efforts put in. I had seen my mother and sisters crocheting and knitting, but now it’s getting rare. Your pastel drawings are also quite attractive. Thanks for sharing!!

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

  8. I must admit, I’m really impressed at your different art works … I admire people who are creative and your pastel drawing is just beautiful!
    My mom loves knitting and crocheting. My contribution is to go with her and help her choose wool and yarn from all the beautiful colours in the shelves.
    You know, I sometimes get creative on folding our socks in different ways, but that’s about how far my “art” abilities goes 😅.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  9. I love your projects and creativity! I’ve never tried pastels before, I love the soft look. I am hooked on crochet though and find it more relaxing on the hands than knitting — lucky you have a good teacher! And I was about to buy some fabric paints, but I recently read that you can use acrylic paints if you mix then with a fabric medium, this makes them easier to use, flexible and durable, so I’ll be eperimenting with this… Good luck with your projects!

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    • Thank you for stopping by… I think it’s most important to find the medium where you can loose yourself, almost get right into the movement and flow of the medium. I love oils, pastels, watercolor… And the different results. I think I enjoy blending and the physical feeling as well as the intensity of my body when I work in blended mediums but I love watercolor because of the surprise element. Maybe it’s also the rhythm one gets into, which includes crochet, it’s almost hypnotic. I love your comment about using acrylic paints with a fabric medium. I have even used acrylic with lots of water to “overdye” curtains. I had to paint them while they were hanging up on the line 😂😂 creative-ness is a happy artist.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  10. Wow, amazing job on all of your projects!!! I love the pastel green pants with the faint leaf prints. The gilet turned out stunning with the off-white/light green color! The gloves are so pretty with the muted rainbow colors. Lastly, I absolutely love your painting!! It looks so happy and cheerful. 🌻

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

  11. All wonderful projects! I loved learning about the eco-printing process – I had no clue how much time it involved!
    I love to knit and crochet but also have to take care not to overdo it. Your crocheting looks beautiful! Happy creating and art making!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  12. You constantly amaze me with your multiple talents! I loved the lacy “gilet” Is that the same as a vest or sleeveless sweater? You have so much vision to see these projects through, not knowing when they will be worth all the work you put into them. You are one talented lady!!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

Leave a comment