linen and paper

Lino block prints. Experimenting on linen and paper.

The cards are in the shop. And so is the linen tea towel.

The end of summer has found me eating too many fresh figs with blue cheese. I guess things could be a whole lot worse!

texture

I love the course texture of 100% linen. But it's not the easiest fabric in the world to block print on. This is a test run on an oatmeal linen tea towel. I'm still perfecting it but think I like the dirty red colour against the warmth of the oatmeal.

UPDATE: I've worked out all the kinks and so now have some of these in my shop.

three

The succulent blossom design is back.....
This time I've printed it a bit differently with 3 succulent blossom motifs to one block so it's quicker. These were block printed on natural linen and will eventually become tea towels.

all things blossom-like

And this is what the block printed succulent blossom fabric was used for - pajama pants. And not even for me I might add.

Speaking of succulents, I was mezmerised by the light and shadow play on my living room wall a few mornings ago. Dried succulent flowers (a different kind to those in the pjs) were responsible for the lovely shadows. Don't you just love autumn light?

succulent blossom en masse

It's really interesting how doing something repetitive for a long period of time can be strangely meditative. And I think it has to do with your frame of mind at the time and how you choose to see the task. This 1.7 x 1.2m piece of light-weight cotton fabric took me hours to block print my succulent blossom design yesterday afternoon, but oddly enough I enjoyed it. I didn't focus on my aching arms or the time. Instead I just went with the flow. I thought I might stop half way through and do the rest today but once I got into the rhythm it was strangely addictive. And moving about the fabric also kept me warm when I knew the room was becoming chilly. The hardest part was navigating a hungry cat who kept getting under foot for about the last 40 mins.

Then I baked an apple cake and had a glass of red as a little reward.

succulent flowers in red

Succulent flowers in red block printed by hand on cotton/linen blend fabric.

I had a lot of fun printing this piece. Unfortunately the light in these pics (especially that third one, what's going on there I wonder) makes the base fabric look slightly pink. Rest assured it's not. Instead it's a lovely natural shade. More like ivory. I have a piece printed with the succulent flowers in black ink that I'm tempted to sew into a skirt. I like the idea of using it in one panel at the front and perhaps the rest of the skirt in a dark light-weight denim. Sewers out there - is this idea a bit crazy?

flight

A test run of a dragonfly lino block print on natural cotton/linen blend fabric. I wonder where they're off to?

The hiatus is over - the shop is open again. It might take me a little while to restock.

Harvest Textile Studios has just announced their next round of classes. Sign up here.

test run

A test run of the succulent design block printed on a natural linen/cotton blend. Pics are in B&W but I did use black ink. I still have to work on removing some of those textural bits that pop up with lino printing although I kind of like what it adds here. When I see a whole lot of the succulent images together in black like this it reminds of how the Australian bush can look after a fire. Have to go rest now as still not feeling super great and it's very hot today. No fires though as far as I know.

fabulous brooklyn

I braved the heat and humidity today and took the subway to Brooklyn to find myself in the middle of the Atlantic Ave Art Walk. What good timing! I found the just opened Fact and Fantasy where the lovely Kristen from Moontea Art has her block printed bags and pouches stocked (images above). Her work looked just beautiful there on the walls. Yay Kristin! The girls from Fact and Fantasy have a wonderful collection of hand made goodies and a sweet little shop too.

Another great find on Atlantic Ave was Artez'n who also stock a lot of local artists/crafters.

It was hot out there today and will be again tomorrow. If you can cope with the heat and are in the area check out all that great Brooklyn art on offer because it's on again tomorrow. A lot of artists have their studios open to the public too.

block for fabric printing

I've been really inspired by the beautiful fabrics people produce by block printing. So I'm carving out a dragonfly on this lovely piece of red lino and hopeful to experiment on some ivory Indian cotton I've purchased. As a woodblock printer, I find lino so funny to work with. It's all slippery and smooth and not at all like wood. I loved Jesse's tip about keeping your block warm by sitting it from time to time. A good tip on a cold day like today. I have a feeling from what I've read that I'm not cutting deeply enough for fabric printing. I guess I'll soon know if that's the case once I start pressing the block onto the fabric.

hand printed textiles

I'm so in love with these block printed fabrics hand made by Galbraith and Paul. Thanks moontea artwork for drawing my attention to them. I feel like I've died and gone to heaven after looking at their prints, and that studio space of theirs is just so dreamy and wonderful I want to teleport myself to Philadelphia to work there. Seriously. Who wouldn't want to block print fabric all day with such amazing designers? Ok, maybe not everyone. Just nerdy printmaking folk like myself and a few other odd bods probably. But look at the love in those hand printed textiles!