Preparation for DSP & Some Holiday Gifts

Recently Judy Simmons and Mary Stori blogged about their art group's day of deconstructed screen printing (DSP)--using thickened dye and assorted items to "mark" a screen with designs. The screen with the dye design is then dried and, one print at a time, the dye is dissolved and screen printed onto fabric using a sodium alginate mixture to dissolve it. If you're totally confused, go to Kerr Grabowski's You Tube video here to see how it's done.

The process and end product were so interesting that our Quilting Arts Alliance group took notice and decided that we wanted to learn how to DSP. We've met a couple of times to watch Kerr Grabowski's DVD on DSP and to make screens and collect supplies.

Today I soda soaked some fabric...

...and dried it on the line. It was cold today, so it took a while to dry.

Here is one screen that's nearly done...


and another that's ready for use...

Tonight I'll mix the sodium alginate (thickener) and make thickened dye mixtures and print paste for tomorrow's print day. I found some wonderful plastic fern leaves and palm leaves for designs. The organic designs are my favorite. More on the finished product later.

I've also been working on some holiday gifts. My friend Jude doesn't have a computer so I can show hers here without worry. She lives in cold country and this little rice pack will warm her feet on cold winter nights. I pop mine into the microwave for one minute and then put it under the sheets at the foot of the bed a few minutes before I hop in. Mmmmmm, nice & warm.


Isn't this Japanese fabric lovely? It comes from my favorite fabric shop,Waechter's Fine Fabrics (pronounced Wockters) in Asheville, NC. Here's the rice packet that goes inside...



It's slipped inside the little case...

I'm off to light a fire in the fireplace and prepare for tomorrow.