annie_anne52 left this comment on my April Bead Journal photo (the blue one - see post below) in the Cloth Paper Studio Yahoo group, so I thought I would give my response on the blog, just in case others are interested:
"This is absolutely beautiful!!!! Just a couple of questions? What is the finished size? How do you get started on a piece like this? I LOVE IT!!!!
Thanks, Annie!
The finished size is 6" X 6" and it's constructed on peltex. Peltex is a heavyweight interfacing, originally used for the brims of hats. It can be purchased as fusible one side, two sides or not fusible at all.
This series of pieces (the blue one for April is my latest) starts with the serendipity landscape or seascape. It's an acrylic paint monoprint. Very simple to do and just involves tube acrylic paint, an old credit card, freezer paper (or a sheet of glass) and some recycled fabric.
-When the print is dry, I baste or fuse the monoprint onto peltex (or fast-2-fuse which is lighter) choose an area that looks roughly like a landscape and enhance it with free motion machine stitching. I basically torture the thread to get it to do what I want (tighten the top tension, loosen the bottom - or pull sideways to distort the stitch). I also add hand stitch and may even go back into the piece and machine stitch over the hand stitch. If the work is going well, I enter a "flow" state where time is lost and all that's important is the work. Warning! Sandwich the print between two sheets of parchment paper before you use the iron AND work in a well ventilated area. I'm not sure how toxic heated acrylic paint is, but it does give off a distinctive order, so please be careful! You do this at your own risk!
-I cut out the shape and baste it to the 6" X 6" square of peltex.
-Then I bead, bead, bead.......
I gather up my beads and then peyote stitch the bezel around the focal shape. After that, everything else is intuitive! It's an explorer/gatherer type of thing. You bead for a while.....get an idea for something odd to attach and then bead around the shape......jump to another area.........search for something interesting........bead some more........run to the bead store &/or thrift store.......repeat until you're finished.........
The most important part of the process is to have fun!
6 comments:
Thanks for being so generous with your secrets. Your work looks incredible and I, too use peltex for everything. It is great for threadpainting projects.
good description, thanks for sharing...k.
I always enjoy a glimpse into your head, Anne Marie!! Such interesting goings-on, and they always ring a true note!
Somehow I missed your last post, the one before this one, so I didn't see your gorgeous blue project until just now. It is so fabulous, I remember why I follow you;-) And today you explain a bit about how you create these. Really great, your work has so much depth and significance. Your stitched backgrounds make your work so unique, I just love it! I want to go back and look at your past posts now. I have been trying to do more beading, you are really inspiring me.
Wow!!What FABULOUS bveadwork!!!I love the encrusted look too. Love seeing what you do!!
"Peyote stitch the bezel"... new one to me.. I don't bead very much, so I was completely off your planet with that line. I figured out that a peyote stitch is something I could learn, but what is a bezel?
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