Carving a Leaf Stamp

After hosting the stamp making play day a few weeks ago I realized that I have lots of unused materials and that I haven't made any new stamps in a long time. I have several 4"x6" pieces of rubber, the perfect size for a leaf on my 6" weekly square. Last year I printed a sweet potato vine leaf in a sketchbook and it was the perfect size.

I traced it onto a piece of 4 x6 paper.

Turn the paper face down onto the block of stamp making rubber and firmly rub the back of the paper to transfer the drawing.

Then carve into the traced lines with a small v-shaped lino carving tool.

Then using a larger u-shaped point, carve around the outer edge of the leaf image.

Then use a sharp craft knife to cut away the outer pieces.

I usually print a test print at this point, using a black ink stamp pad and print it on paper so that I can see if the design needs any touch up. I didn't with this one because it had been so long since I used the stamp pad it had dried up. You may also leave the extra around the design, just carve it down so that it's lower than the leaf. This will give more of the look of a wood block print.

I used green textile paint that I applied to the stamp with a sponge.

Then added lots of stitching!

The Weekly Leaf #39

The Void for August

Daily Stitching updates

Line Dance #267-#272

The Daily Paper #195-#200

Linked to "Off the Wall Friday"

Published in Quilters Newsletter

Some of my weekly leaf pieces are in the newest issue of Quilters Newsletter, Easy Lesson section.

Mary Kate Karr Petras the editor that worked with me on this lesson also did a blog post on Sept. 18 about doing demos of the technique. She showed some of her samples and I love the way she has stitched them.

Yesterday was the start of the second week of SAQA's annual auction. Go check it out and bid on some great art quilts.

Although it is still very green around here, some of the leaves have already started falling so I guess autumn is really here. Speaking of leaves, when I pulled out my stamping samples for last weeks play day I found several leaf prints that I had forgotten about. 

These inspired me to revisit this technique for this weeks leaf stitching. I've used a few of my hand carved stamps, freezer paper and Jacquard textile paint.

Every time I stamped a leaf onto my fabric I also did one on a piece of freezer paper.

While the paint dried on the fabric I cut out the leaf that was stamped on the freezer paper. It was then ironed on top of the leaf that was stamped on the fabric.

The next layer was stamped.

Freezer paper cut and ironed on.

This was repeated until I had finished stamping.

No need to cover the last stamp (lower left). Next step is to remove all the freezer paper to reveal the layered looking piece.

When you work this way the first image stamped will appear to be on top, and each successive layer appears to be deeper in the pile.

Week #38

Daily Stitching updates

Line Dance #261-#266

The Daily Paper #189-#194

Linked to "Off the Wall Friday"

Miscellaneous

The annual SAQA auction started on Monday, runs for three weeks with new artwork each week. Check out the great selection of 12 x 12 works, my leaf piece is in the second weeks offering.

The blog hop for the new issue of Quilting Arts Holiday magazine is still going on, daily posts and giveaways.

Friday, September 12, Vivika Hansen DeNegre, http://quiltingdaily.com/
Saturday, September 13, Lyric Kinard, http://lyrickinard.com/blog/

Sunday, September 14, Claude Larson, http://randomactsofpiece.blogspot.com/

Monday, September 15, Linda McLaughlin, http://notesfromstudiob.blogspot.com/ and Kathy Kerstetter, http://artndl.blogspot.com

Tuesday, September 16, Lori Miller, http://lorimillerdesigns.wordpress.com/

Wednesday, September 17, Melanie Testa, http://melanietesta.com/blog/, and Liz Kettle, http://www.textileevolution.com/index.php/our-journey

Thursday, September 18, Susan Brubaker Knapp, http://wwwbluemoonriver.blogspot.com/

Friday, September 19, Lisa Chin, http://somethingcleveraboutnothing.blogspot.com/

Saturday, September 20, Sarah Ann Smith, http://www.sarahannsmith.com/weblog

Sunday, September 21, Catherine Redford, http://catherineredford.com/

Speaking of giveaways, you have until Sunday to comment on my post to win a copy of the magazine, the thermo fax screen that was used and a set of four napkins printed with the screen.

Last Friday we had another play day here in Studio B, this time we made stamps. I totally forgot to take pictures but luckily Lisa remembered and took quite a few. I hadn't pulled out my stamping samples in a long time and had forgotten about some of the cool prints I had. You can see some of them on Lisa's blog.

The Weekly Leaf

This weeks leaf is from an unwanted tree that started to grow in my garden. I used my Gelli plate and Jaquard textile paint to print it. As you can see in the picture below my gelli plate has turned green, guess I haven't been very diligent cleaning it.

The print.

Week #37

Daily stitching updates

Line Dance #252-#260

The Daily Paper #180-#188

Linked to "Off the Wall Friday"

Holiday Blog Hop and Giveaway

My project for the Quilting Arts Holiday issue was fabric postcards. I have made fabric postcards for Christmas the past several years and have found that making a thermo fax screen is the quickest way for me to make multiples of the same design. Unfortunately after making the cards the screen was never used again, so now I've come up with several other ideas to use the screen.

The screen I used was made from a photocopy of a christmas tree that I had hand stitched. That screen has now been used to make; ornaments, note cards, decorated napkins and tablecloth, aprons and custom christmas yardage. Some of these ended up as gifts and others I used myself.

The thermo fax screen will last a long time as long as it's cleaned well after each use. Wash it well with cool water, never let paint dry on it and store it flat.

Clockwise above are the notecard, napkins, postcard and ornament. The post card and the ornament have red french knots added, the napkins and notecard have dots of red paint.

Now to the giveaway part ... leave a comment on this post between now and Sunday, September 21 at noon MDT and one person will win a set of four napkins, the thermo fax screen and a copy of the Holiday magazine.  Due to shipping costs, only US participants please. Be sure to leave a way for me to contact you.

Be sure to check out the rest of the tour.

Friday, September 12, Vivika Hansen DeNegre, http://quiltingdaily.com/
Saturday, September 13, Lyric Kinard, http://lyrickinard.com/blog/

Sunday, September 14, Claude Larson, http://randomactsofpiece.blogspot.com/

Monday, September 15, Linda McLaughlin, http://notesfromstudiob.blogspot.com/ and Kathy Kerstetter, http://artndl.blogspot.com

Tuesday, September 16, Lori Miller, http://lorimillerdesigns.wordpress.com/

Wednesday, September 17, Melanie Testa, http://melanietesta.com/blog/, and Liz Kettle, http://www.textileevolution.com/index.php/our-journey

Thursday, September 18, Susan Brubaker Knapp, http://wwwbluemoonriver.blogspot.com/

Friday, September 19, Lisa Chin, http://somethingcleveraboutnothing.blogspot.com/

Saturday, September 20, Sarah Ann Smith, http://www.sarahannsmith.com/weblog

Sunday, September 21, Catherine Redford, http://catherineredford.com/

9/21/14
The winner of the drawing is Rebecca Tilinski! Congratulations.

QA Holiday blog hop

I'm participating in the Quilting Arts Holiday issue blog hop, my turn is on Monday and I'll be having a giveaway. Here's a list of all the blogs to check out and get some Holiday inspiration.

Friday, September 12, Vivika Hansen DeNegre, http://quiltingdaily.com/
Saturday, September 13, Lyric Kinard, http://lyrickinard.com/blog/

Sunday, September 14, Claude Larson, http://randomactsofpiece.blogspot.com/

Monday, September 15, Linda McLaughlin, http://notesfromstudiob.blogspot.com/ and Kathy Kerstetter, http://artndl.blogspot.com

Tuesday, September 16, Lori Miller, http://lorimillerdesigns.wordpress.com/

Wednesday, September 17, Melanie Testa, http://melanietesta.com/blog/, and Liz Kettle, http://www.textileevolution.com/index.php/our-journey

Thursday, September 18, Susan Brubaker Knapp, http://wwwbluemoonriver.blogspot.com/

Friday, September 19, Lisa Chin, http://somethingcleveraboutnothing.blogspot.com/

Saturday, September 20, Sarah Ann Smith, http://www.sarahannsmith.com/weblog

Sunday, September 21, Catherine Redford, http://catherineredford.com/

Published! Quilting Arts Holiday

The holiday postcards that I made and wrote about for last Christmas are now in Quilting Arts Holiday issue. There's also my favorite Holiday Biscotti recipe included.

Many other very appealing gift ideas are also in the magazine and the little jacket ornaments on the cover are pretty darn cute. Pick up a copy and get started on your holiday list.

Be sure and check back for the Quiting Arts Holiday blog hop starting on Friday.

Every year I plant several coleus in a large barrel planter by Studio B's door. This year they have been spectacular.

The one on the left above is my favorite.

So I decided to duplicate it in stitch for my weekly leaf. I drew the leaf very lightly on my fabric with colored pencils.

I now wish I had just painted the leaf and added some stitching, but that's not what I did. I stitched the entire leaf and it took forever.

Weekly Leaf #36

I did a very close duplication, but it reminds me of the stitching that I did back in the 70's. To me it feels very controlled  and I prefer something a bit looser. But it's done and it's now time to get on with the next one.

Daily Stitching updates

Line Dance #244-#251

The Daily Paper #172-#179

Linked to "Off the Wall Friday"