For the past several weeks I’ve been sketching again; drawing whatever comes to mind, whatever is sitting in front of me, or ideas for future projects.
Tonight, in the midst of pouring 120 large candles for a corporate gift project, I played. While waiting for each batch of wax to melt I sorted through several of my drawings from the last few weeks and even some from the last few years.
Now back up a few steps, over the past week I’ve also been sewing, making gifts to sell here in the gallery. I’ve been making heat packs to soothe tired muscles, draft dodgers to keep out the cold, wine bottle bags for gift giving, and the list goes on.
My biggest frustration has been the lack of available cool fabrics that fit in with my personal design sensibility. I want something different. I’d heard rumors about being able to print on fabric using an inkjet printer. Tonight I tested that rumor and found it to be true!
Armed with little more than my iMac, a stack of drawings, a list of ideas, an iron, a few yards of prewashed-unbleached muslin, an inkjet printer, and a box of freezer paper I got to work. I cut the fabric into 8.5 x 11 pieces and ironed them onto a piece of freezer paper cut to the same size.
A few hours of playing with layout and design on the computer yielded 3 designs I was pleased with. Into the printer went the muslin ironed onto freezer paper and out came some fabric that made me yelp with joy. Giddy as a goofy school girl I heat set the fabric with my iron, cut out my rectangles of fabric, and stitched together these snazzy heat packs filled with rice.
Heat these bad boys in the microwave for a minute or two and you’ll have a muscle reliever, stick them in the freezer and voila’ a hangover cure. [And still the candles cool]
Feeling a little crafty yourself and you want to make one on your own? See the basic instructions below.
Not feeling the least bit crafty? Don’t feel bad, just buy one of mine!
Hangover $15
Bed Bugs $15
Counting Sheep $15
To make your own you’ll need:
2 pieces of fabric cut to 6″ x 11″
Coordinating thread
scissors
sewing machine
iron
18 oz organic rice
Place the right sides of the fabric together. Keeping a 1/2″ seam allowance, and starting on a long edge, stitch around 3 sides of the fabric backstitching at the beginning and end. Clip the corners. Turn right side out. Make sure your corners are turned neatly. Press the seams flat. Top stitch along the sewn short side approximately 1/8″ from the edge for extra security. Fold in the open top edge 1/2″ and press. Fill with 18 oz of rice. Pin the open edge. Stitch approximately 1/8″ from the edge to close the pillow.
Sweet!