Gelli Play plus

 If you ask the blog to load a selected photo only it takes no notice and loads everything so these will be a bit messy. If you want excellent service, go to World of Sewing and chat with Richard. Every year when we go to Ally Pally, he is so nice and friendly and helpful. I have been trying to get a light bulb and a screw for my Babylock embellisher - no luck in OZ so I asked Richard and they arrived before we did and he wouldn't take any money for postage. People in my workshop will remember I haven't had a light bulb for yonks and my screw fell out so I have been one needle short. It's all go now.

 Today I have been gelli plate aplaying -I have been working on different surfaces and with different things. i have used Opulence paints - they are quite viscose and thick and full of mica which you can't see so well on the screen - just take my word for it. I tended to spray the plate first with water to help the paint move.I also used Textile paint and the Sun Dye fabric paint which is very runny but interesting. I think you should try whatever you have because you will always get different results. The Textile paint is transparent. I especially didn't use an opaque paint like Neopaque today.

 I was aiming to create layers and the results are not always clear but you want to build up layered backgrounds which you can then print onto or stitch onto or whatever. I was pleased with this one - I have used Khadi paper which is a dream to colour and to stitch on. I applied paint - lay a stencil on and then my fabric/paper etc on top for one take. Then I lifted the stencil for a second take and finally I turned the stencil over and pressed it onto my surface for an extra take. it gets lighter and this keeps it interesting.

 This is my favourite - you cannot see the build up of gold paint but trust me it is rich almost like velvet. I also did some masking with shapes.

 This is Tissutex which started out sprayed with blue and it has quite a few layers

In the middle of this, I spied this photo of us at Ally Pally on
Emma's blog and since I rarely see a decent photo of me (my fault entirely), I stole it with Emma's permission. Do go visit her blog though - wonderful work to see.

This is my favourite again - since these came in so muddled I shall leave it here.

 Again using a letter stencil but so subtle - the prints are individualistic which makes them great.

 For this one, I could not resist using my Starburst Sprays which incidentally did not stain the plate - I just washed it off - sprayed the surface with water as I worked and wiped with a piece of fabric. So the top layer is using the sprays on the plate through a stencil.

 Again playing with layers on Evolon - love this fabric - I shall stitch and carve

 Part of the same piece of Evolon

Finally - paint on the first layer and sprays for the top layer.
There are lots of people out there having fun with the gelli plates and there will always be interesting things appearing. I find it easy to use and clean and I can pop it back in its case and know I won't lose it. I have a pile of 'fabrics' assorted to play with. Most of my pics have an orangey tinge - I did stick a bit to yellow/orange/magenta type colours mostly.

I also painted up a piece of calico yesterday with the Sun Dye fabric paints - lay a stencil on top and put it outside wiht stones on the edges where the sky was black and not long after it rained. Amazingly it had worked this mornign when I found it all tucked away - sun dye probably means a bit of light! I was most impressed.

In Perth it has been wet, lightning and thunder but the new people in the flat next door upstairs have been quite determined to try their new bbq - they have had the cover off and on all day - obviously very excited and pleased with their purchase. Just not the best day for them to start!

Don't forget that November is Fibres Month http://www.thethreadstudio.com/catalogue/fibre/fibrefront.htm