Shape Challenge

This is the shape I drew around to make these faces

And together with this shape

I created this pattern

Colouring Challenge & Free Embroidery Pattern

The above is for a colouring challenge by Letraset. I used Promarkers and Faber-Castell brush pens. You download an image they provide, colour it in, then enter it in the challenge to win a prize. Details here.

When I was sorting through a drawer I came across an old embroidery pattern I had drawn years ago and one of the designs was the above. I've stitched it on aida fabric [the fabric you would use for cross stitch] but it could also be stitched on plain fabric. If you are new to embroidery it is easy to stitch on aida and to follow the graph, as the aida is a bit like graph paper. You may copy the pattern to use, click on the image to enlarge.

Rabbit & Butterflies

This is my entry for the Take a Word  challenge - Butterflies

The rabbit and butterflies were images from The Graphics Fairy, altered.

The background [from a doodle] and flowers [from a photo] are my own creations.

I tried posting this yesterday, but it just would not save or publish, so hopefully it will work today. Hope I'm not too late for Brag Monday [Graphics Fairy]

Challenges x 3

I thought I would enter the above drawing for today's 'Illustration Friday' challenge - 'Mysterious

and I have entered a new challenge this week on Take a Word and the word is 'Time'

[the purple/pink thing is a snake if you can't make it out]

I have received my prize from the Fibre Arts/ Mixed Media challenge in July. I could choose from a range of books and craft items and I chose a quilting book by Anna Faustino called 'Simply stunning woven quilts'. And I agree with the title, the quilts are stunning. If you like bright colours you will like the quilts in this book.  The prize was a random win, so anybody could have won, so are you going to give it a try next month?

More from my sketchbooks

I did the above after looking in an English Heritage magazine.

Below - more fantasy creatures I made up

and doodles of the heart

Shape Challenge & RS 45-47

Two shape challenges - set by myself for myself. I used the scrap of paper shown below for the one directly above. For the top one I used something similar except it was card and not as curved.

Three more rolling stamps, two are textured wallpapers. These make lovely rolling stamps.

The middle on is made from fun foam, quite intricate, inspired by the branches of a tree. As you can see in the picture I drew the pattern on the foam before cutting.

The bottom roller is one flower, a large flower cut from wallpaper, you could probably make this one as a flat stamp if you preferred but it would take up less room as a roller.

Promarker ATC, Rat & RS41-44

This ATC was created using promarker pens, then enhanced with stitching using a red thread.

I saw that rat lurking about in the garden again!

Knitting makes nice textures on rolling stamps.

this one is lace

more knitting [ I cut up an old jumper]

Distressed ATC's

I've been having a little sort out and came across a sample of layered, distressed [burnt] & stitched fabric [dyed net, gold fabric and some brown fabric with blue specks]. I've juggled the bits around a bit, ['torn a bit off here, moved it to there' kind of thing] added extra embroidery and made them into ATC's.

Doodles and IF

A couple of doodly patterns above.

 below - I entered this picture for the Illustration Friday challenge - 'disguise'.

It is also a picture from the shape challenge. A friend gave me a little spoon to make a picture with,  in the centre the spoons are 'disguised' as people.

Is anyone else interested in doing a shape challenge, either you find your own shape to make a picture with or I could suggest a shape to use? You could make a pattern or use the shape to make something realistic, anything goes.

Update - Fabric Samples

This is what I have done with the fabric samples so far.

This piece was cut up then stitched together. After sandwiching with some thin wadding and backing fabric I quilted them together with a decorative machine stitch.

For the boat I outlined with freehand machine embroidery, then stitched it to a sketchbook page which I had torn out. I reattached the page with hand stitches.

Another boat also outlined with machine embroidery.

I used a red thread for the freehand machine embroidery to quilt the three layers together.

This one is my favourite so far.

I have one large piece of fabric that I've not done anything with yet

Fabric Printing Workshop & Sketchbook Challenge

I got together with some friends for a fabric printing session. I used water soluble pencils and crayons, chalk pastels and emulsion paint, some marks were drawn freehand, some with a handmade stencil and some using texture plates. 

To fix onto the fabric we used screen print binder applied using a screen print screen and squeegee, then iron fixed and rinsed. You can see what happens if the binder is not applied properly [below]

The printing was inspired by watching the dvd of Kerr Grabowski [deconstructed screen printing]

I've been sewing!!, I shall show you the results tomorrow [if I get the photos done]

I've done another couple of drawings for the Sketchbook Challenge - Everyday Items