|
 Block Printing
When the fabric is dry and ironed, you can proceed to the overprinting.
You will need to design and cut your potatoes for this. Again, think simple as you can
create something complex from this. Once you have your potato cut or stencils could be
used as well, made from card or polystyrene, you are ready to print or stipple if using
stencils.
 You only need to dip the potato into a dish of dye and then press it into the
cloth wherever you wish. It may be a good idea to experiment first on a separate piece to
determine whether the colour is right or the dye thick enough. You can add fabric medium
or PVA to make it thicker. Consider the colour that you have already got on your fabric in
order to determine what colour or colours you print or stencil with. Generally, darker
colours will be seen over lighter ones and visa versa. You might, for instance make a
yellow dye heavy enough to stand out over the colour.
You may have to adjust your original design once you have tried things
out.  When you have
your design completed, remembering to leave margins around the edges if you are planning
to hem them or to affix them to say a wooden frame, allow the piece to thoroughly dry and
then iron it.
Once it is finished, it can be stretched over a frame, hung as a
banner, made into a cushion or a small quilt or cover - the limit is your imagination!
I would suggest that you wash it separately for the first time to
ascertain whether or not it might bleed colour before you put it into the washing machine
with other items.
|
