Update on Rust-dying Fabrics: Over-dyeing & Over-painting Rusted Fabrics

Awhile ago, I took the opportunity to over-dye a few of the lightly rust-dyed pieces I did a year or more ago. I'm working on a series of "rust works" and need more background material on which to work. Since we have some badly rusted hand-rails that I'm getting ready to paint, they were the perfect place to try over-dyeing some cloth. Here are the photos of the vinegar/water soaked cottons wrapped, covered & tied to the stair hand-rail.
And here are the results of that experiment:
Here's another one done the same way on rust-dyed pre-printed neutral-patterned commercial fabric:
This is a piece that's being rust-over-dyed on an old cookie sheet with a few rusty tools added for good measure. After soaking the cotton in vinegar and water, I placed the fabric on the cookie sheet, then dropped the rusty tools on top of the fabric. Then I put a piece of clear food wrap over the entire tray and waited a day or two for the rust to do it's job. Here is the result of the cookie sheet experiment: Notice the yellow in the cloth - it was a surprise element about which I'm quite pleased!

Over-Painting:
A view of my pile of rusted fabrics & some complementary fabrics... A view of my work table with supplies readied for working. I used both watercolor and Prisma colored pencils on my over-painting experiments. And the results: So far, nothing is completed - I'm still experimenting and having a grand time of it!

Challenge Quilt Progress

In November, Mary Manahan, one of the members of our Eclectic Quilter's group, suggested a group challenge. She made it very simple by offering each of us two smallish rectangles - one was marbled paper, the other was a coordinating organza - and challenging us to create something using the two fibers. Yesterday, our group met and shared the results of the challenge - what fun it was to see the variety of designs, sizes, and types of work!

As for me, I auditioned many coordinating/contrasting fabrics and objects over the course of the two months. You can see some of them here. I didn't begin actually WORKing on the project until Tuesday - can you guess that I work relatively well under deadlines???

Auditioning embellishments...

Flipping/reversing the composition + auditioning embellishments...

Rotating and adding some of my rusty fabric to the design...

Adding more design elements...

Auditioning embellishments again...

Adding MORE embellishments - this time it's way "over-the-top" with the lace!

The sandwich ready to quilt - note the fabric change in the upper left corner. I had done a leaf drawing awhile back on my rusty fabric and decided to use it here. I think the feathers will eventually join as embellishments, but the quilting must come prior to making any firm decisions on that.

So this has been my "process" up to the present moment - the piece is not done, but at least I have a good start!

Experimenting...

This is my diningroom table at the moment, covered with dried leaves, rusted fabrics, watercolor pencils and fabric markers of several varieties, and the first "experiment" I'm attempting on the rust-dyed fabrics. I chose leaves because oak leaves at this time of year seem to match the rust-color in the fabrics... and so I collected a handful of leaves on my windy walk today.

At the moment, I'm not satisfied with the results thus far, although I can see lots of potentials with regard to using these tools. I love to draw so drawing with my sewing machine comes very naturally to me - but these drawings are too complete. They don't need any sewing to define the image. Back to the drawing board... and more experimentation. Tomorrow.


Meanwhile, while the wouthwest and mid section of the nation have experienced extreme weather of the wintry sort, we here in central Jersey have had balmy days and nights much of the week. Late this afternoon, prior to the arrival of the cold front, this was what I saw while out getting our mail.


The view as reflected in a puddle...

And at dusk facing the East...

And facing the West...

The cold front did arrive around 8pm this evening with some wild wind and a bit of rain. The power dimmed numerous times, but stayed on and all is now relatively calm.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the millions who have no power tonight and for the unforseeable future.