Monkey Quilt Cover (Duvet) and Natural Dyed Materials

I've utilized the monkey (chimpanzee) print to make a quilt/duvet cover for a single bed.
I utilized the naturally dyed pieces of cotton that I have been making over the last months. The dyed pieces  include eucalyptus with iron (grey material) , eucalyptus (deep brown),  fennel heads  (light brown/green), young fennel leaves (yellow)

The backing is a patchwork of strips of material. I had just enough to complete it

The only thing to add is some buttons and straps to hold the quilt together at the bottom. I've included a pocket to slip the quilt underneath to help stop it from falling out of the cover when in use. I threw it on my daughters bed just so you could see it on a bed.
I'll be selling this one when finished as my boys are too old for this and my daughter wants to stick with her Paris theme. It was a great exercise in utilising my printed material. I'm actually pretty happy with it and really like the effect and colouring of the naturally dyed pieces with the print.

Easter Inspiration

A Happy Easter To All

I'm getting in early, otherwise I might forget. I also put out my easter plates on display today and felt the need to share.

Lampshade and Natural Dyeing Pieces

My thrifted lampshade, that I bought a couple of weeks ago, almost completed with new shade of hand printed fabric. I just need to find some tape to tidy up the inside edges. 

I haven't got a light fitting that I can actually hang it from so the next best thing - hang it in the bush - what any sane person would do!

Once again I had problems getting the leaves to print evenly, but at least you know its hand printed

Some solar dyeing with eucalyptus leaves giving off a nice orangy brown.

This piece of materrial has been an on going experiment and has been roasting on and off in the sun for a month. I was hoping for a leaf imprint but I think that to obtain that you actually have to leave the rolled up material alone and not investigate the material weekly  to see what  is happening.

Some of the naturally dyed pieces waiting for my next project - thought I would utilize them with the monkey prints. That little exercise will have to wait until my next days off.

 And some doilies that have been given a colour treatment in berries. They actually look pinker when seen by the naked eye

Oh and my daughter loved her new monkey t-shirt

Thrift

 I picked up some Christmas ornaments for 50 cents each - little glass birds on a nest. I picked up feathers  on my way into work where the rainbow lorikeets have lost their feathers, I must have picked up 20 feathers in a few minutes just walking across the car park. Mind, you do have to beat the groundsmen whom clean the carpark each morning with big air blowers

they look cute sitting in the tree

Thrifted 3 very large jars to collect things in.

And found this wonderfful cake decorating box (I  would have bought it for the box alone) with cake decorating tools and stand still inside. The large nozzles in a cake store sell for about $7 each so if  I get a piping bag things will be grand for cake decorating with larger swirls. I do have a cake decorating nozzle and plunger set already but not one that does the large swirls.

Also purchased some more blue and white wares for my sister and forgot to photograph them before I gave them to her and the biggest reel of grey yarn for crotchet, well that is my intention anyway. My girlfriend thinks it is rug wool for weaving.

Monkey Run

The first of the chimpanzee run with block ink. Just a quick trial run on brown paper before I went off to work. I am undecided whether I should carve more out of the darker side of the face and risk loosing some of the contrast in colour.

It kind of reminds me of Planet Of the Apes. 

 I think I'll carve the space away above the arms and give the monkey more definition. Yes/No??

The first print below held only very little ink, as is usually the case the third prints are usually the best before the block gets saturated.

The lino carving as is at the moment. Maybe trial printing on fabric before I make a decision.

Monkey Warhol

 My wall of "Andy Warhol " monkey prints. Actually its just my prints drying on the floor but it would look good to have repetitive prints on mount board  on the wall.

I did   a t- shirt  but of course it had to get a blob of ink in the middle of its nose. Cheap t- shirt,so it doesn't really matter

And one for Jordy, but she is away on camp at the moment. Monkey can rest awhile on the chair.

Eye Spy

I've got to say I got a little tired of printing and needed a change of scene for an evening. Added to that my husband gets a little frustrated with the printing equipment spread across the dining table and the general clutter I do generate. So screen printing and stamping is done when no one else is home. 

Saturday night I fetched out my last piece of lino and decided to monkey around for a bit. Chimps are fascinating creatures don't you think and I fell in love with some of the images/ photographs on line of chimps.

So a combination of photos and this little fella is being carved out with particular reference to form from this photo.

I'm really looking forward to meeting this little fella and emblazoning him on a t-shirt