Tuesday, April 26, 2011

on new designs and process

burlap pouch 2
It was so fun for me to show you another corner from our home yesterday. I'll have to clean up the books and blocks on the north side of the sun room before I show the rest. But now you know where (and why) I take almost all of my close-up photos... the room with windows and a well used wooden plank bench.

Not being able to share the bazillion things I'm working on (book stuff) has been challenging for me in so many ways. I feel like my creative soul is tucked into that pouch above and can't wait to be unzipped. So, it's with great pleasure that over the next few weeks I will be able to introduce you to at least a couple of new designs that I'm working on for the Squam Art Fair on June 5th. The art fair is on the last night of the retreat and has been an amazing experience to be a part of over the last few years. It only lasts a few hours, but is always filled with a happy swarm of enthusiastic textile-loving folks. Mostly I'll be bringing out the tried and true burlap/linen/printed items that have filled my shop in the past. I cut cut up coffee sacks until 1 am the other night! But, I'm also trying to use up my scraps in new, fun ways... I finally got around to a opening a big bag of vintage zippers that I scored at a flea market a few years ago.
burlap pouch
 And have been carving again! Hallelujah for carving stamps... makes my heart sing. I have had a yarn stamp idea for over a year and finally got to experimenting. These are the preliminary sketches with a magic marker. I often jot down ideas alongside my kids, so I just grab whatever tools they're using. Markers offer a thick line which helps to visualize the positive and negative spaces of a print. They were just right for these doodles.
process
In the end, I always illustrate in pencil (this one had a very poor eraser, thus the smudginess) and then flip it over and transfer it to a carving block.
sketching

carving yarn
The first prints of a new stamp are always a surprise and with luck- a delight!
yarn prints
These worked out nicely for such little stamps... so I'm printing them on fabric, too. More on that soon.
yarn prints2 Pin It

28 comments:

  1. drawing yarn is harder than one might think! I recently made a flyer for my coffee shop for my weekly knitting group!

    I'm happy that little feet will be arriving here soon, but oh, this was the year! The year I was GOING to go to Squam! Have a GREAT time! Someday, it will be my turn!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I want that yarn stamp on everything I own!!!! Love isn't a strong enough word!

    ReplyDelete
  3. What great stamps! I love these and I love that you shared the process! So inspiring!

    ReplyDelete
  4. So beautiful. And I always feel enlightened seeing other creative processes, and this was no different.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I carved a stamp very similar to yours with the needles in it and used it to make a transparent label for the pickle jar that holds my DPNs. It's now a quite snazzy needle vase. :) I like the rather instant gratification of carving stamps, and the way I can do it in bits and pieces, which is sometimes the only way I get to do anything creative.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I love that stamp! And I like seeing your design process too. It's very inspiring.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Such a cute stamp. I can think of several people who'd love that on a card or something. Also, that pouch is beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
  8. oh I am SO getting to your booth FIRST in line-- I love love love what you are making that pouch is heavenly! xoxox, E

    ReplyDelete
  9. What a great yarn ball! I adore it. What sort of ink/paint do you use to stamp with? It has a nice coverage and I haven't been able to find one I like yet. Good luck at Squam, I'm hoping to make it to the art fair as it's been a few years. I scored a garlic bag at one.

    ReplyDelete
  10. The stamps ame out so well! you must be stoked, =) can't wait to see them on fabric x

    ReplyDelete
  11. I have a yarn ball sketch in my journal that I would love to carve someday, too. Yours is so clean and the stamp came out so crisp--I love it on the tag card!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Oh I love them!!!!
    ~ joey ~

    ReplyDelete
  13. Love the new stamps and seeing the process. Looks like fun - I've been wanting to play with the soft carving blocks for a while now.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Gorgeous stamps! Have you considered making more stamps and adding the actual stamps to your shop? I bet they would be a real hit! :)

    ReplyDelete
  15. These look so cool, Maya! Thanks for sharing a peek at some of your process, too - always inspires me to see how others go about their work. How do you hold your stamps when pressing? I recently carved a few pieces of the same thickness, and having no experience, I felt all awkward trying to position it and get a good press out of it.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Hi Everyone! Here are some answers to questions:
    Linen and Tulle-I use versacraft stamp pads for fabric and color box pads for paper. Do a search on Etsy for suppliers.

    Seaweed and Raine- I'd love to offer stamps one day, but carving them by hand makes it an unaffordable option right now.

    Jan- I use great care when lowering and positioning each stamp on the surface. Then I use several firm presses on each side, but mostly the center. I always stamp standing up for more leverage. Just takes practice and the willingness to flub a few every time:)

    ReplyDelete
  17. Love the pouch and the new stamp, Maya. is it wrong to covet a hand carved stamp? I don't think so.

    ReplyDelete
  18. I also doodle alongside my kids, the best ideas happen there amongst play. I love your ideas and can't wait for the book:)

    ReplyDelete
  19. That's such a good idea! I love it!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Looks complicated, but I like the stamps. Makes me want to learn to knit.

    Jody

    ReplyDelete
  21. Love, love this stamp!! —that's it I'm going to carve something today.

    ReplyDelete
  22. LOVE your yarn stamp! I also love that first print, excitedly waiting to find out if it is as I had imagined it would be!

    ReplyDelete
  23. those are so pretty. And I also like the yarn puches you made. it looks like a very useful thing for knitters.

    ReplyDelete
  24. That stamp is fabulous! I must try my hand at that....

    ReplyDelete
  25. this is such an adorable idea!

    ReplyDelete
  26. this is gorgeous! What do you make your stamps out of?

    ReplyDelete