Samples (that have gone right)

Well, I've finally sorted the sample fiasco - spent all yesterday in college printing and painting and what not and this is the result...

This one is various colours on cotton sateen

...on cotton sateen again

Same but on silk

and calico

I was so scared when I washed them incase they bled everywhere again but I had remembered to mix the colours into a paste this time so it wasn't going to. Phew!

While I was waiting for them to finish in the steamer I had a bit of a play with some other prints I'd done on calico...

They're to put your wigs in :p

Changed my mind, hate it again.

See, I'm just too fickle for this course.

Well, I've spent the last 2 days in the print room being a good girl and printing some samples on fabric and carefully hand painting them so they looked beautiful and I showed my tutor and she told me to steam, wash and iron them so they were fixed and I did and look what happened...

This one isn't too bad - just a few green spots everywhere so I might be able to salvage that but it gets worse...

 The entire background of this one has gone from very white to pink with a hint of purple and blue

I think this one kind of speaks for itsself.

Turns out that if you dont mix the dyes with manutex or indalca they do that when they've been steamed and washed.
If I'm honest I'm glad I found out that it happens now and can do something about it than it happening on my final piece and not knowing what to do. Although, I'd rather it didn't actually do that but if it has to...

OK, so I officially love this course

To be honest, it's been pretty touch and go at times - especially when they make me draw and I spend forever at college and dont seem to get anything done - but theres times like these when I'm too happy and can forget all that because.......I've finished my floral bag!
(I even had a cookie as a reward lol)

 I was so excited I had to have a little dance around our sewing room! I think I love my carnations most and not just cos they're silk! I do like my butterfly and daisies too, especially the ones on the strap.

Well, thats been my excitement for the day, if I get this excited about my cushion and tea towel I'm not sure if I'll be able to do it :)

Playing in Printing Cushions

Before we broke up for this lovely Easter break we had an afternoon playing at making more designs for our cushions and teatowels. These are my 2 fave's from then mainly because I think I have a slight obsession with the colourful wigs.

Layouts!

Quite excited, have lived at college this week (for a change) to the point where I think my tutors actually believe I have a bed under my desk, but I've finished my essay, my design layouts and have even had chance to add some colour to a few! I have 3 cushion layouts, front and back, at 41cm square and 3 tea towel layouts at 43x76cm (not so sure about the sizes but they're big)

Cushions!

I think my fave ones are the top 2 and I dont know which to make, or if I should make both, but because they're printed I'd need about a million screens which is a bit unfair on everyone else if I've stolen them all lol. Although, I'm not sure about the middle one having the wig the same colour as the border, I thought it was quite ncie at first then I thought it looked too similar and now I cant decide...

Tea towels!

Now I have the same problems with my tea towels, I quite like them all and dont know which to make! Colour wise, I think the top 2 would be naturally coloured - so the wedgewood stuff would be blue etc - but the wig one would be like my cushion so they'd be like a matching set.

Think I deserve a cookie

I've actually finished a drawing sheet without having to work till stupid times of the night! It's before 4pm!This one is Neo Classical Architecture and cos a lot of it is based on Greek designs there's lots of patterns and columns...

I've even got a few bits I actually like to show you close up...

Tra laaaaa! Now there's only 1 more to do and I've done, I think thats gonna be fashion but I'm gonna leave that till Monday as I might have a cookie and a nap now.



Once again I'm handcuffed to a drawing board...

... And with every drawing sheet I finish my tutors push the food bowl a little closer.

We've started on research for our printed cushion and tea towel now, so theres lots of drawings in period styles - mine is Neo Classicism and so far I've produced this sheet of Mr Wedgewood's beautiful Jasperware:

Not sure if you can get high from watercolours but I think I've managed it having my nose about 2cm away from that sheet all day.

I even have some close ups for you to admire...

I think the woman is my fave but I think my man look a bit like Lucius Malfoy crossed with Severus Snape which has kept me entertained for the million hours I've spent on this drawing sheet :)