This week has been great by way of multicolor printing. I am working out the kinks of putting images in repeat, carving rubber, cutting foam and making stencils.
I love upholstery yardage sheets, whenever I see them, I nab one. I love the tiny drawings of chairs, chaise lounge, sofas, sectionals. Such great shapes cultered together. The above is inspired by a yardage sheet and is printed on paper, using Tsukineko inks. Working in paper before moving to cloth seems to be crucial to my design process right now. It is a quick way to make sure the print set is working together, allows me to figure out which segment of the image needs to be printed first, and shows me how to align each print. Getting to know an image on paper also allows me to play with color choice.
On a side note, I bought a copy of Victoria Findlay-Wollfe’s 15 Mintutes of Play. I L-O-V-E this book. I am inspired by it. Love what the book discusses. I love the mechanisms that Victoria suggests to get your quilts flowing, like I said, I really love this book. These polkadots are a direct result of Polka Dots Squared on page 43 of the book. I need many variations of polka dots, from dark to light. I want to make a throw using my own cloth.
So, I have been printing up a storm!
Yep. True to my obsessive compulsive self, I have been stamps in every size, shape and variable that I can imagine. All that I learned while getting my Associate’s Degree at the Fashion Institute of Technology is coming to fruition. It has been fun to experience and great to grow visual and technically while doing so.
The work I am doing with Carol Soderlund is helping me grow and expand too. When me moved to Brooklyn, I convinced myself that working with dye is not possible given the constraints of apartment life. Carol has shown me how to compact the process, while really getting the results I want to see. I feel reinvigorated in my use of Procion MX dye!
I have signed up to take Carols Color Mixing 2 at ProChem October 21-25. There are 4 more spots open (I just signed up and a friend is going with! The web site has not been updated yet and still says there are 6 openings).
I bet you want to go! I hope you do.
Would you like to know how much I love this little bundle of Peach-y goodness? This cat is a badass. I am sorry to swear, but this word sums up Peach to a T. She is soft, gentle, centered, intelligent, curious, amazing, belligerent, athletic, pretty, satisfied and awesome.
I saw Tig Notaro at The Green Space/Sound Check a couple weeks back.. Just being near Tig, who is also a Flattie, was like being a kid in a candy shop. I crave connection with other women who have been through bilateral mastectomy, without reconstruction and who choose not to wear breast forms.
Tig Notaro is one of my heros.
I got totally flustered and couldn’t say any of the smart or sincere things I had rehearsed in my mind prior to forcing her to take a photo with me! She doesn’t look much worse for the wear, so I think I can forgedaboudit. But geez does it make me happy that I got the photo!
By the way, that Tshirt I am wearing? It says
Sew?
underneath the machine and was given to me as an ironic-flat-pride-type statement. It was printed by and can be bought from Diane Muse. I love this tshirt and am going to wear it to tatters.
Melanie Testa 
Kinda like when I met you! It’s hard to get thoughts together when you are star struck. 😉 So glad you got to meet Tig. It looks like she was having a good time.
Your stamps are A-MAZE-ING!!! So much detail in such a small space! Looking forward to seeing the quilt you put together from your polka dots. I have been trying to decide which project to make with my hand made fabrics as well. I know I want to do something with free form piecing. Victoria’s book is a great resource! Have fun!
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So much to gush over! I am absolutely in love with the Twenties bird stamp. It is marvelous! The video made me long for “Mornings with Melly” on the Clever Guild channel. 🙂 Whenever I see upholstery sheets or catalogues with a variety of chair shapes, I think of you. Loved the music, too.
Miss Peach-y Goodness is so beautiful. I am so happy that you found each other. Your description of her made me think about how much your personalities overlap. Imagine what she could create if she didn’t worry about getting dye/paint on her paws.
Tig!!!!!! I was so hoping you would be able to meet and have your photo taken. Woo Hoo!!!!!!
Have a happy! (From the looks of it, you are.) xoxo
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Melly! I have signed up to take two workshops with Carol, back-to-back, at the Nancy Crow barn next spring. After having a long discussion with her at the SDA conference I believe these workshops will help me get a better grasp of dye color mixing. It seems like the right time to do this. I love the print work you are doing! It is very lush and gorgeous.
L
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