Experimentation Part I

If you read my last post, you know that I'm trying to bring some spontaneity (and creativity) back into my quilting. I've started by experimenting with printing on fabric.

I found that all the recipes for homemade "Bubble Jet Set" (the stuff that makes printed images permanent) are exactly the same. What you do next - that's a whole other ballgame.
Sooo...I gathered my supplies, mixed them according to the recipe, which you can find by searching online. I'm not sharing it right now because, well, read on...

I used a photo I took on a recent trip to South Africa, played around with it a bit in Photoshop, then printed it onto 100% cotton Moda Bella Solids 9900-97 PFD.
I did not rinse the fabric after applying the homemade mixture, just dried it in the dryer.

I added some borders, and then decided it needed a little spray of water to get it perfectly smooth. Oops! I guess it's not colorfast.
I stopped right here and decided that it's kind of a cool artistic touch. But this one is definitely not going to be washable. Since it was going to be an "art quilt" anyway, it's not a big deal.

Up next, I'll try my hand at thread sketching.
Then more experimenting with printing and colorfastness.