A Pretty Picture

When I made the crush bag for Nico, I made it using Acrylic Medium transfers, a process in which you can take magazine pictures and transfer that image onto fabric. The possibilities are endless when you have actual pictures on fabric, and they’re surprisingly easy to make.

You’ll need…

Water
Acrylic Medium (found at any craft or art store, acrylic medium is used by artists to extend paint)
A paintbrush
Fabric
Images to transfer
Time/Patience

First, using your paintbrush, cover each picture with a substantial coat of medium and place them face down on your fabric…

 

Now you wait, patiently, for it to dry. I usually paint the images before I go to bed and then let them sit overnight.

When the medium has dried, pour a quarter size amount of water directly on top of the image.

And ever so gently, begin to rub away the paper.

Gently, gently continue. If you go too quickly or too roughly the image will rip.

Sometimes a thin layer of paper will remain, obscuring the image when it’s dry. It’s particularly noticeable in images with a lot of dark spaces. In those cases grab your paintbrush and rub a little more vigorously.

Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.

Beautiful.

 

Now go make some more.

Technical notes:

A lot of tutorials say that you can also do these transfers with images from a LaserJet printer. I haven’t had much luck. The images tend to be washed out and rip very easily.

When washing items made with image transfers it’s best to hand wash them or turn them inside out and place them in a delicates bag for the washing machine.

There are several other very good tutorials floating around out there. I’m happy to answer any questions, but take a look at these as well…
Annie Temmink for Goodwill
A Beautiful Mess

Intentional Knitting

A friend from home, a woman I looked up to a lot in high school, recently got some bad news. And as it goes with this type of bad news there was an initial flurry of activity- friends and family told, doctors visited, treatment plans decided upon- and then the waiting started.

Waiting to start treatment, waiting in the room while the poison does its best, waiting to feel the effects. And for those of us on the outside, and especially those of us who live far away or have fallen out of contact, there’s the waiting for news.

I thought a lot about Jayne while I was making this shawl, and I tried to make them intentional thoughts. As my fingers slipped stitches I prayed for her family, her doctors, the community supporting her and for Jayne herself.

The end result is huge. Large enough to disappear under, or to wrap up her entire family if they so choose. I just hope it’s also big enough to hold all the hopes and dreams and love that she’ll need in the next few months.

Pattern

Mountain Goats Triptych-ish

About a month ago one of my roommates moved out. Now, I’ve had good living situations before and I’ll have good living situations again, but this particular arrangement- with these two boys, in this particular house- was just the best. THE BEST. Rob literally moved  a block away. We all have keys to both apartments (and access to a sweet roof deck that we did not have access to before) and I see him about as much now as I did when he lived with us. But. But.

But it’s not the same.

The evening of the day that we spent moving him from our house to his new one, we all went to a Mountain Goats show.

When JD and Peter played “Woke Up New,” Rob put his arms around me and sang near my ear and I bawled. I didn’t know what I was going to do without him, and a month later, I still don’t entirely know.

The first encore that night- following a homily about how bands that pre-plan their encores are guaranteed a spot in hell if it does in fact exist- was The Best Ever Death Metal Band in Denton. I don’t know how I’ve ignored that song from All Hail West Texas for so long, but that night it stuck with me. And wormed it’s way into my brain and repeated itself over and over. Hail Satan, man. Hail Satan.

A triptych is 3 pieces of related art. Usually religious and usually hinged. I’m a big fan of the rule of 3. It’s prettier and nicer and more succinct (rule of 3, right there). But really, these were the only two pieces that screamed at me to be made: I didn’t have to think, I just had to do. I have ideas for the completion, and rough draft sketches, but this triptych (which will obviously be unhinged) is still working its way through me.

Birds of a Feather

Confession: I’ve never sewn a zipper before.

Shocking, I know, but two gift-giving events in quick succession (a friend’s birthday followed by the teen worker at RealJob’s high school graduation) sent me on the search for a quick but classy DIY and this exceedingly clear tutorial from Skirt as Top  gave me the inspiration to whip up two avian inspired clutches.

I’ve been experimenting with paper piecing, as you saw a few weeks ago, and I absolutely loved the tangram swan from Sarah and Eric’s baby quilt. Here the swan matches the lining, with an interior pocket made out of the same blue fabric as the main body of the clutch.

I found an insane pair of peacock pants during my last trip to the thrift store. They didn’t fit, and were in fact so small I will never have any hope whatsoever of fitting into them, but I couldn’t pass them up. The fabric was just too good. I think this bag proves I made the right call.

Crush Bag

When we were in 8th or 9th grade, I spent hours decoupaging an old box for my best friend’s birthday. It was covered in cheap acrylic paint that flaked off almost as soon as I put it on and (AND!) pictures of cute boys. The only one I remember for certain was Jeremy Sumpter (the future JD McCoy of Friday Night Lights fame), but I’m pretty sure that was around the time Vanity Fair put out their Young Hollywood issue, so Ron Weasley was probably also involved.

Think of this bag as the grown up version of that crush box.

Image transfers from a variety of sources, but again, mainly Vanity Fair, cover the lining and give the  a little pop. A little something extra if you will, to brighten any day.

And if you’re noticing that this collection of crushable dudes is a little… ahem… white-washed, trust me, you are not alone.

It is remarkably hard to find magazine photos of men of color in proper beef cake poses. Not even beef cake poses, I take that back. It is remarkably hard to find magazine photos of men of color where you can clearly see their face and they’re not wearing some sort of ridiculous costume or make-up. I mean, Star Trek JUST came out, where are the photo spreads of John Cho and his luxurious hair?

Garrett Hedlund and his side-eyes do not approve.

The bag itself is liberally adapted from this tutorial from Between the Lines.

Standing Up

Photo via Tom Reel, San Antonio Express News. Used completely without permission, but it’s fantastic and I hope he doesn’t mind.

After last Tuesday’s inspiring stand by Wendy Davis and most of the senate Democrats (I’m side eyeing you with disgust, Senator Lucio) to defeat the uber-restrictive SB 5, Governor Perry has called another special session of the Texas state legislature to re-introduce, and most likely pass, the bill. The special session starts today and there are rallies and protests planned for all over. Even if, like me, you’re not in a position to be physically present please do whatever you can to support Texas women and the lawmakers working to protect their rights.

“Partisanship and ambition are not unusual in a state capitol, but here, in Texas, right now, it has risen to a level of profound irresponsibility and the raw abuse of power.”
-Senator Wendy Davis

“And if she could read slowly, I’m a slow learner Mr. President.”
-Senator Rodney Ellis

“And may I note, Mr President – she’s a woman. The rule refers to his desk, his chair, and that note doesn’t apply to Senator Davis.”
-Senator Judith Zaffirini

Senator Zaffirini: running down the clock, sticking it to the republicans, and making a salient point about gender specific pronouns all at once. 

“At what point must a female senator raise her hand or her voice to be heard over the male colleagues in the room?”
-Senator Leticia Van de Putte