Paper and Threads

I've been spending most of my leisure time since Christmas sketching and painting and I needed to remind myself why I named this website Paper and Threads.  For most of my lifetime my passion was for fabric.  As I began to dye my own fabric (background and pink fabric here), I learned about painting fabric with instant set dyes or thickened procion MX dyes.  This required me to improve my drawing and sketching ability and I reopened my sketchbook and bought some watercolor paints.  This Quilt Journal Page (so named in the quilt community because it is exactly 8.5 X 11 inches) is one of many that I made to play with designs and some of my dyed/painted fabric.  She hangs above my sewing machine as my muse....

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 My Fabric Studio:  This is the old maid's room in my 1920s New York City apartment.  The previous owner made this 7 ft 3 inch by 9 foot 9 inch room into a small library and the lovely cabinets/bookshelves that line both side walls are just visible.  It would be hard to catalog all of the fabric, thread, and supplies that fill this small room - there is one ceiling to floor cabinet that is just filled with procion dyes and all of the supplies necessary to paint/dye silk. 

Below: EDM Challenge #9 - Controlled Chaos

This is a quick sketch of my fabric studio.  I love this space and can lose myself for hours in the midst of all of this fabric and these supplies.

My rudimentary art supplies:  French School student grade pan watercolor paints, several 5 ml Winsor Newton primary color tube watercolor paints, assorted brushes, a plastic palette, Pigma micron pens (03 and 05), a Derwent graphic 2B pencil, and a Bic click eraser.  I don't have room to expand so I'll have to continue to work in small format journal sketchbooks!

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Santa Christmas Ornament Collection: EDM Challenges #19 (A Collection) and #46 (Holiday Themed)

For approximately 30 years I have selected and made a prototype ornament each Fall and then made 20-24 of the same ornament for gifts for Family and Friends.  Each of these is made entirely of fabric, usually scraps from my many quilting projects.  I couldn't think of any specific thing that I collect for EDM Callenge #19 until I started to decorate our Christmas tree this year.  Although I have a small collection of reindeer, angels, and birds, the Santas are my favorite.  Each of my children have a full set of these ornaments for their Christmas trees.  It was fun to paint the fabric designs.

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The top 2 Santas are flat.  The star Santa is heavily stuffed.

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This 7th Santa is made on a large red jingle bell and is the family favorite.

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