Finishing Touches and Apron Initiation

This concludes my presentation of Tree Castle Apron, a mixed media, face painting, fabric collage project using Inktense Pencils. 

Video: Finishing Touches...alternative video link.

Video: Apron Initiation....alternative video link.

********************

If you are new to this free offering and want to start at the beginning, there is a list in the sidebar. 
Or you can start here:

What is This

1. A Studio Ironing Board

2. Inktense Color Library

3. Inktense Play

4. Inktense Faces

5. Selecting and Altering Collage Fabric Bits

6. Apron Pattern
7. Tree Template Pattern
8. Castle Journaling
9. Tree Castle Building
10. Embelishing & More Stitching
11. Sewing Instructions
12. Apron Hems and Ties

Time to hang it up. I hope you enjoyed and found inspiration and tips to just play and touch fabric with your hands, paint and Inktense Pencils.

Apron Hems and Ties

We are getting down to the finishing touches with today's post. There will be one more post showing my finishing touches and I plan to post that tomorrow.


Video: Apron Hems...alternative video link.



Video: Hand Stitching Hem...alternative video link.

Video:  Apron Ties...alternative video link.


Video:  Tie Attachment....alternative video link.


********************************
 

If you are new to this free offering and want to start at the beginning, there is a list in the sidebar. 
Or you can start here:

What is This

1. A Studio Ironing Board

2. Inktense Color Library

3. Inktense Play

4. Inktense Faces

5. Selecting and Altering Collage Fabric Bits

6. Apron Pattern
7. Tree Template Pattern
8. Castle Journaling
9. Tree Castle Building
10. Embelishing & More Stitching
11. Sewing Instructions

Apron Sewing Insturctions

I hope you can follow the sewing instructions. Basically, just follow the numbered sections.

You may save to your computer and print out a copy.

And can you tell I had fun trying to get it all on one sheet?

If you are new to this free offering and want to start at the beginning, there is a list in the sidebar. 
Or you can start here:

What is This

1. A Studio Ironing Board

2. Inktense Color Library

3. Inktense Play

4. Inktense Faces

5. Selecting and Altering Collage Fabric Bits

6. Apron Pattern
7. Tree Template Pattern
8. Castle Journaling
9. Tree Castle Building
10. Embelishing & More Stitching

Embelishing & More Stitching

Video: Embelishing.....alternative video link here.

Video:  More Stitching...alternative video link here.

If you are new to this free offering and want to start at the beginning, there is a list in the sidebar. 
Or you can start here:

What is This

1. A Studio Ironing Board

2. Inktense Color Library

3. Inktense Play

4. Inktense Faces

5. Selecting and Altering Collage Fabric Bits

6. Apron Pattern
7. Tree Template Pattern
8. Castle Journaling
9. Tree Castle Building

Tree Castle Building

The Tree Castle Apron is beginning to come together today. I must say as much as I love free motion stitching, I'm feeling inspired to sit down and hand stitch an apron. That could be because I haven't done any hand stitching since finishing Tim's Cloth. I'm thinking a new apron might be on my list for next year.



Video: Tree Castle Building...alternative link to Castle Tree Building


Video: Free Motion Stitching...alternative link to Free Motion Stitching.

If you are new to this free offering and want to start at the beginning, there is a list in the sidebar. 
Or you can start here:

What is This

1. A Studio Ironing Board

2. Inktense Color Library

3. Inktense Play

4. Inktense Faces

5. Selecting and Altering Collage Fabric Bits

6. Apron Pattern
7. Tree Template Pattern
8. Castle Journaling

Castle Journaling

Castle Journaling Video....alternative video link....

********************************************************************************

If you are new to this free offering and want to start at the beginning, there is a list in the sidebar. 
Or you can start here:

What is This

1. A Studio Ironing Board

2. Inktense Color Library

3. Inktense Play

4. Inktense Faces

5. Selecting and Altering Collage Fabric Bits

6. Apron Pattern
7. Tree Template Pattern

Tree Templet Pattern

Here is another fun pattern full of tips and notes. As before, I suggest you watch the video first. 

 Look for these.

Video: Tree Template......click here for alternative link to video.

 TreeTemplateA.pdf

 TreeTemplateB.pdf

 TreeTemplateC.pdf

 TreeTemplateD.pdf

 TreeTemplateE.pdf

 TreeTemplateF.pdf

 TreeTemplateG.pdf

 TreeTemplateH.pdf

 TreeTemplateI.pdf

TreeTemplateJ.pdf

TreeTemplateK.pdf

 TreeTemplateL.pdf

TreeTemplateM.pdf

TreeTemplateN.pdf

*********************************************************************************

If you are new to this free offering and want to start at the beginning, there is a list in the sidebar. 
Or you can start here:

What is This

1. A Studio Ironing Board

2. Inktense Color Library

3. Inktense Play

4. Inktense Faces

5. Selecting and Altering Collage Fabric Bits

6. Apron Pattern

Apron Pattern

Watch for the Sister Helpers. Just as a side note, here is how the sisters came to help.

First, I tell you I had crazy fun designing this apron pattern. Before I could make it fun for you, it had to be fun for me. In my eyes, it had to be art. So, when I was working on how to present a pattern that could be printed and then put together like a puzzle, I called on my Sisters.

Very early in my discovery of mixed media, I painted a series called Sister Reunions. In addition to the first Sisters Reunion, there was Sister's Wedding; Sisters Follow the Leader; Sisters in their Nightgown; Sisters Meeting in the Moon Garden; Sisters Tea Party and more. 

So as a way to show the pattern "trim" places with a little splash, I showcased some of the sisters. They make me happy and as Paul Harvey would say, "and now you know the rest of the story".



Video: Apron Pattern....alternative video link......Please watch the video before printing and cutting out the pattern

About the PDFs. Below each jpg picture of the pattern part there is a PDF permalink. I don't know how it is working; however, it appears to be working for me and loads pretty fast. If you are on a slow connection, you may have to wait a little for the PDF to load. If it doesn't work, I am very sorry. I fear there is nothing I can do. 

ApronA.pdf

 ApronB.pdf

 ApronC.pdf

 ApronD.pdf

 ApronE.pdf

 ApronF.pdf

ApronG.pdf

Selecting Fabric and Altering Fabric

Good Morning!
I am among the living. I'm not at 100% yet but that bug that jumped on me was a doozy.

Do you sometimes just need to touch your fabric stash? I do and I hope these two videos take you down that path and maybe another one that you haven't been down before. Remember I'm goofy about mixed media and this is where I mix it all together.

Inktense Faces

Just in case I don't get back here for a day or two, this five videos of 90+ minutes should keep you busy for a while.

Inktense Play

VIDEO No 3: Inktense Play
Just playing with Inktense and other media on fabric.

Playing the Videos

You will now be able to watch the videos. If the "play" ►arrow is in the bottom left corner, click on it and you can watch the video here on the blog. 

If you still get a privacy screen on the video, click on the video and it will take you to Viemo where you can watch it there. 

Please note that I am only changing the video settings when I post them here on the blog. So, for now you will not be able to see any of my private videos. 

There are 23 videos in the class. Eventually, they will all be for public view there at Viemo. I have 285 videos posted at Vimeo. Most are private class videos. Who knows, someday they may all be for public view. 

Enjoy,
Sharon

Inktense Color Library

Make an Inktense color library on cloth with all of your pencils.

Supplies are listed at the beginning of each video. You can pause the video if you need; however, for your convenience, I will list them here also. 

SUPPLIES FOR COLOR LIBRARY
muslin
freezer paper
micron pen
spray mister
Inktense pencils
brush
cheesecloth
iron and board

*************

WOW! yesterday was just like day one of a new class. A great thing except many were able to watch the video while a few were not. I'm sorry to say, I'm not sure I can help with that. 

A Studio Ironing Board

Just to get started with the class, Tree Castle Apron, here is a short video of me sharing how I made my studio ironing board. This is something I always wanted/needed and can't tell you how much I have enjoyed it. 

*********

It may take me a while to get the hang of presenting this on the blog. So, I wanted to let you know that I may post more than once each day or I may skip some days depending on time. Tis the season you know. I don't mean to string it out. It is just a lot to organize and post.

To keep up or watch in order, check the Class Index in the sidebar where each segment listed will be a link to the blog post.

Remember, because of privacy settings, you will only be able to view the video here at this blog. 

In The Spirit of Giving

What is this?

This is a free offering from my online class inventory.
I made a decision last year to close my classroom site and here I sit with all this good stuff.
Many of my "cloth loving" friends are discovering Inktense Pencils and I think I can offer a few tips.
In the spirit of giving, I want to share with anyone interested.

Here is how it will work:

• First, you can read all about the class, Tree Castle Apron below.
• I will post the videos, PDFs, and any other class content right here on this blog, The Cloth Side of Me. 
• It will show up as a regular blog post. This means as I post each class segment, it will be in reverse order.
• There will be a Class Index with links in the left side bar so you can enjoy the class in the correct order. 
• If you want to follow along, you might like to follow by email. The sign up for that is in the left side bar too.
• You will only be able to view the videos here at this blog.
• You will not be able to download the videos.

All you have to do is show up and enjoy.
I will be adding all of the class content just as it was originally presented.

♥ ♥ ♥ Tree Castle Apron ♥ ♥ ♥

a mixed media face painting and fabric collage project

 This is a technique and project class using
Inktense Pencils.

If you love painting faces, you will love discovering one more medium to paint with and one more substrate to paint on.

I share technique demonstrations from both my art studio and sewing studio. You will be able to follow along the videos and fun patterns to fashion a beautiful apron that you will want to wear every time you are in your studio.

This project is all about function and beauty. When you wear it while creating, you will feel special and full of inspiration.

 

You will need a sewing machine; however, if you love hand stitching, you can probably adapt with your own style.

A Prologue and Another Epilogue

After all was said and done, I had my own washing ceremony. It is simple. I ran Tim's Cloth through the washer and dryer on all normal settings. I've been anxious to wash it from the beginning. Not because it was dirty but because I wanted to see the "bloom" on the edges of the raw edge applique. It did not disappoint.

Another trip to the Garden Palace for a photo was the final stage of my washing ceremony.

♥♥♥

I do hope you, dear readers, were not bothered by all of the editing I did during this last week on each and every post of this blog. Actually, I edited each post numerous times. It was a nightmarish headache.

You may remember that my intention upon completion of Tim's Cloth was to make a blog book to accompany the gift. In short, I was not happy with the way some things were coming out and my only recourse was to edit on my end. I did and the book is on the way.

♥♥♥

This is the final chapter, another epilogue of sorts, of this project. But first, I wanted to share the Prologue that I wrote. I wanted Dear Timothy, the book, to have a preface to give my explanation about the how and why. To get the prologue at the beginning of the book, I had to trick blogger by back dating the Prologue blog post. It is the very first post of this blog; therefore you may not have seen it.

I'm sharing it again here.
♥♥♥  



Prologue
written October 2015

"Do not go where the path may lead,

Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail."

                                  ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Dear Timothy,
I found this quote on my Mother's fridge after she passed away. For many reasons, I hold it close to my heart. Tim's Cloth is where I veered off where there was no path and am now leaving a trail for you. 

When I first started down my own path, May 2010, I considered my audience to be all those known and unknown to me on the world wide web who might happen upon my trail.

On Monday, September 26, 2011, I understood my audience was you. Therefore, I began to address my post directly to you, Dear Timothy. 

Frequently, when I shared my thoughts, photos, discoveries, inspiration and explanations of construction, I found myself giving you bits of my learned experience in the form of advise to you. For example, one day I said, "...keep your eyes and heart open. And give your imagination a place to go." And on another day, "...sometimes we have to let go and just keep the beauty an inside memory." 

I hope you will discover these bits of me that I have left on this trail and know that my personal spirit, heart and soul is also left on the trail. 

I found the song birds and jungle birds; the shooting stars and wishing stars; the green moons and circles; the forest and jungle; the beast and dueling dragons; the flowers and garden path; the seasons and moon trees all there on the path that no one else had gone down. They are the spirit from my heart and soul....... 

And the love I have for you, Dear Timothy.

Epilogue

Epilogue

Dear Timothy,

I enjoyed every surprise, challenge and puzzle before me on this path. I also realized moments of pure joy.

I can't help but think about you keeping warm and hugged under the covers of Tim's Cloth. 

There are two things left to say. One is about the "storyline" still being blank. I think I will hold off on that until cold weather. I presume this is my way of not letting go yet. 

The second thing is a little puzzle for you. In one or more early post, I showed two components that did not make it into the cloth. I totally thought they were to be part of this cloth. Even though they are not, I chose to leave them in the book. Can you find them?  

With all my love,
Nana

The Finish

Dear Timothy,

Your cloth is finished!

I was trying my best to finish by the end of August. So I guess going over two days is good enough. I did my best. 

Your cloth turned out quiet large. As a matter of fact I had a hard time getting photos of the whole cloth. Turns out the only place that worked was in the Garden Palace on the parlor floor around noon.

Green Moons Forest

Around the big green moon

Dragoneosorus

dra-gone-o-so-rus

On the Back

Corners

Timothy, as with many of my big projects, at the very end and when all is finished and done, I am left without words for a few days. However, I will share here one revelation that merely came to me while trying to get final photos. 

It is about the dueling dragons. It is simple and only you and I will understand. I now recognize their symbolic presence on the backside. They came quietly from the dye pot and when they did, we both knew what they were. But who were they? They are us. You and me. Timothy and Nana. The dueling dragons.