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Painting and Color

A Victorian Journal 

A trompe l’oeil or faux painted background is the backdrop for this crazy quilt inspired journal cover as embellishment is taken to the extreme! Beginning with a miniature landscape as a focal point, a wide variety of techniques add to the effect: surface, counted, and pulled techniques, including random eyelet filling, couched trellis, pulled four-sided stitch, personalized shaded script initials, metallic textile paints and threads, and silk ribbon add layers and interest to the small journal cover.  Included journal is 3” x 4” and class time will include easy finishing instructions. 2 day class Intermediate/advanced.

   

Crazy Quilt Pin Keeps 

A trompe l’oeil fabric painted background on silk dupioni is the background for this 2” square pin keep. Painting, stamping, surface embroidery and silk ribbon embellish the design as well as a stitched initial. A finishing form with a felted insert supports the design with beautiful large head pins completing the vintage look. Students may choose a different color way to work their piece or work the pin keep as shown. This is a fun and easy introduction to working with textile paints with a project that is small and easily finished…a wonderful addition to any sewing basket! 1/2 day class All levels

Miniature Fabric Painted Necklaces

Explore the possibilities of adding color to your work with a miniature painted landscape! This class is an introduction to fabric painting which is a fast and easy method of expanding a composition’s color palette and making your work more interesting and eye-catching! Surface embroidery stitches worked in over dyed cotton floss add to the color experience with accents and texture. Two of the landscapes can be displayed in the metallic frame which is 1" x 1 1/2" ; class time will be spent making a custom length chain for the necklace. You do not need to know anything about color or painting to create a unique and beautiful design!  3 hours

Believe: A Special Sunrise

These small friendship booklets were designed to give as gifts for your friends, family and loved ones filled with specials notes and affirmations. The cover is worked on 32 count linen with a inspirational sunrise which will be hand painted in class. Students will learn how add beautiful and striking color effects easily with the Jacquard textile paints set which is included in the kit. The booklet cover is neatly finished with a Four-sided stitch fringed edge which covers an accordion folded booklet. These booklets are great pick-me-up’s for those under the weather or needing some TLC. Make a special one for yourself and have your friends sign it! (Shown folded up in picture below on bottom right) 1/2 day class

Fabric Painted Landscapes

Explore the possibilities of adding color to your work with a small painted landscape complete with a home, pond, tiny animals, and a beautifully landscaped yard! This class is an introduction to fabric painting which is a fast and easy method of expanding a composition’s color palette and making your work more interesting and eye-catching! Counted and surface embroidery stitches worked in over dyed cotton floss add to the color experience with accents and texture. The project is finished with the four-sided finished edge and mounted invisibly (without glue) on a 3 ½” X 2 ¼” paper maché box.  This is a class for all levels of students and you do not need to know anything about color or painting to create a beautiful design!  1/2 - 1 day class (intermediate)

Sailing Away! A Keepsake Box

Come and explore the exciting world of fabric painting on silk dupioni with padded and textured surface embroidery! Your ship will be in full sail on a beautiful costal waterway as we paint the water and shore and then layer all the fine details with hand dyed cotton threads. This class will introduce you to the many possibilities of textile paints which are pH neutral and leave the fabric soft and pliable.  The small project (2” round) is worked on white silk dupioni and is quickly finished; it tops a 3” diameter paper maché box which holds a special surprise inside! Finishing techniques will cover some unique ways to easily finish and mount needlework that are archivally safe, secure, and beautiful! No prior experience with color or painting is required to make a beautifully painted landscape.

Also available on 32 count Belfast linen.

Nautical Sunset Keepsake Box

This is the second in a series of nautically-themed keepsake boxes with concentration on illumination and shadows. This class will focus on fabric painting on darker backgrounds and how to convey the illusions of sunsets and evening skies as well as reflections on water.  The small project (2 ¼” round) is worked on 32 count linen and is quickly finished; it tops a 3” diameter paper maché box which holds a special surprise inside! Finishing techniques will cover some unique ways to easily finish and mount needlework that are archivally safe, secure, and beautiful! No prior experience with color or painting is required to make a beautifully painted landscape and shore.

2 day intermediate class at ANG National 2010.

      

A Knot Garden

This beautiful knot garden interpreted in an antique palette lies behind the stone walls; counted and surface embroidery are combined with hand dyed linen and fabric painting to add exquisite detail and emphasis. This class will focus on perfecting the double running stitch so that accurate, straight lines can be made when needed and that same stitch can be used to interpret curves and circles smoothly. Counted and surface embroidery add fine texture and color to the vintage palette flower sections. Small touches of fabric paint are used to mark emphasis in the design. These are easy techniques, which when done properly, add to a design to make it very special. Come and learn about vintage palettes and how color, patterning, and stitch selection are used to contribute to a design’s theme – A Knot Garden will be a special heirloom treasure!

1/2 -1 day class (Intermediate)

The Color of Seasons

Explore the wonderful color changes of the seasons as we delve into the exciting possibilities of fabric painted backgrounds and landscapes! This class will introduce students to the use of fabric paints with surface embroidery while exploring the changes of seasonal color. The projects are four 2” rounds worked on Dupioni silk which can be finished as lapel pins, pendants, or pin keeps. Students will work with a selection of over dyed cotton floss to enhance the beautifully painted backgrounds. This is a great introduction to add color to your work, with four small projects which are easily finished!

 2 day class (intermediate)

 

Trompe l’Oeil

Fabric Painting for Surface Embroidery

A wonderful and colorful world comes to life with the addition of a fabric painted background as we completely control shapes, color, and the appearance of texture and embroidery applications on silk dupioni! Our project, a beautiful crazy quilt inspired design, begins on a piece of white silk dupioni which lends itself to many wonderful color applications including painting, stamping, rubbings from woodcuts and textured surfaces, and surface embroidery. This is not a pieced quilt, but a trompe l’oeil painted background. The painted design will be exquisitely embellished with over dyed cotton floss and silk ribbon, metal filigrees, charms and a custom monogram; students may bring sentimental keepsakes to add to their design including snippets of lace or tatting, special buttons or charms or anything, which would personalize this heirloom. The completed design and lower band are mounted on a commercially available sewing box included in the kit. A companion needle keep accompanies the sewing box. No prior painting or color experience is required as we explore an amazingly fun technique learning about color and painting for embroidery!

2 day class (all levels) offered at ANG National 2010 as a counted technique project.

Shape of box may vary depending upon availability.

       Updated 8/15/2010           Photos by Dennis Jordan        Catherine's Designs™ 2005      Link to www.ReturnMyBags.com          NEW: ART GALLERY: www.CatherinesDesigns.tumblr.com