Art Quilts · Designing Quilts · Quilting · surface design

Oh, what to do…what to do…?

quirksltd

When a process you are counting on for a project doesn’t work, you’d better have a backup plan or plan on getting creative!

I had my images all picked out, copies made and ready to transfer for my next project (and I’m really pushing the deadline on this one!). I was going to use Citra-Solv and transfer the images right onto my fabric. I liked the look I got when I-recently-learned this method. I had everything ready to go…

and it didn’t work! Apparently my copies were not of the correct toner type for the Citra-Solv to work. Ooops! What now?

Back up plan was to print directly on to fabric, cut out and applique. Did not ever like that idea, so I thought I’d try printing on the organza or silk type and I was resigned to heading out to the store to buy some.

But wait! Look on the shelves of your fabric stash!!! More mystery fabric–grainier than tulle, finer than netting, different texture than organza…what could it hurt?

Mystery fabric and fusible–a winning combination!

It didn’t melt when I added fusible and the ink stuck to it when I ran it through the printer. I was very excited because it looked like it was going to give the effect I wanted…hooray for happy accidents!

This is quite close up and you can see the grain of the fabric and that it’s slightly different in color than the background. I’m actually quite happy with this result…I was aiming for a feel of faded newspaper and I think this does it.

I am so eager to finish this project now. I actually like this better than my original idea. Sometimes lucky is better than good and my initial panic was unnecessary. But when your eyes open wide in that panic state, sometimes you see what you need. Lucky, lucky, lucky!!!

8 thoughts on “Oh, what to do…what to do…?”

    1. Nope–my mystery fabrics are all from a woman who started as a seamstress in the 50’s or 60’s and worked right through until her death in about 2009, so I have no way of knowing. They are not like anything I find nowadays. If I get curious enough, I could send them in to a textile dept. at a university for analysis. I’m just thrilled when I get the look I’m going for!

      Like

  2. What kind of fuzable did you use with backing?… I have a project with words, I am up against the wall with time also. I was going to use the Organza, but I also have unknown in the cupboard that it might work with. Did you use a standard square of fuzable or cut it to paper size for the printer. vivianhelena@sti.net

    Like

    1. > > I used wonder under because it was the only paper-backed fusible I had on > the shelf. I fused the material to it and then cut it to size. It won’t > hurt to try what you have…I was happily surprised, but I was keeping the > organza pre-made as a back up! >

      Like

  3. That citra solve transfer has never worked for me. And I don’t know any place that has that old type of toner. Now, the last time I tried to put organza through my printer, it came loose and ruined it. So I never used it again. Congratulations for your success.

    Like

Comments are closed.