Testing, Testing 123

I am trying to expand my artistic endeavors to include surface design.  I do have some experience with silk screening from my high school days but I wanted to learn how to paint on fabric whereas the hand of the fabric is affected very little.  So, I purchased some textile paints in traditional colors (shown above) and the lovely fluorescent colors below!

I drew squares with a black fabric pen on pfd cotton.  Next, I applied the paint for samples.  Later I will cut and glue them in my fabric swatch notebook to refer to later.

After testing each color, I had to start playing and playing I did!  Below are some of my first feeble attempts at fabric painting.  This is one piece of fabric from the beginning to the end and then a small project I made with my fabric....

I decided to cut the fabric and try a small nine patch, one of my favorite traditional quilt designs!  After putting the blocks together, I added some batting and free motion quilted around the edges of the blue and a tiny bit of pink. 

I am pretty happy with how it turned out.  To finish off the edges, I experimented with a technique from Lyric Kinard's book- sew all the way around the edges and cut a small slit in the center to turn inside out. 

This is also some of my pink hand dyed fabric.

Now I just need to finish off the back and I will probably make it into a brooch!

I will be posting more examples of my fabric painting experiments soon- 

Still sooooo much to learn on surface design on this artist holiday-

hannah