Added Ink or Ink-like products

A recent question came to me about other products I might use for colors other than included in Tsukineko's 45 bottled ink line.  Know first that I LOVE Tsukinekos inks.  I do acknowledge I'd be an even happier gal with a warm yellow in the line.
Hope this is somewhat helpful :

As to OTHER PRODUCTS  you might like to try... I've included a photo showing the following left to right.. 

• I have played with  Acrylic Inks by FW, and  Dr Martins Bombay Pigmented India Ink   
• I haven't played with Speedball inks  but would give those a try.(not shown in photo) 
• I've played a wee bit with Dupont Inks though I'm not clear there is a wide range of colors... I've seen these on silk where  color/value was fantastic.
• I know some who really like INKtense by Derwent .. though they apply differently beginning as a watersoluble pencil
• Airbrush inks like Creatix,,, I believe there are many transparent airbrush inks that might be  winners
• Some like Jacquard DyeNaFlow
• Golden Airbrush Colors
• Golden Acrylic "Fluid" 
• I often use  Pebeo (thinned w water)  Setacolor Transparent paint ... usually for "wash"  or "glaze" like efforts rather than detail. Have attached a photo as reference

In markers, I sometimes use a pigment ink pen (when I can find) ZIG

Is Streaking a Problem???

Try to Avoid Streaking ( of any type) !!!!!!

Okay... that's a bad joke...

BUT I did get a email question from someone about problems she was having with using her Fantastix Applicators with Tsukineko Ink and getting some undesired ink streaking in her painting on fabric.
I thought a general post might be warranted  on the subject. First though... a few basic things I've come to learn about working with the Tsukineko Inks and Fantastix. I DO LOVE THEM... and... there are things to know to make them really work well in a painterly fashion.

BASIC STUFF To CONSIDER  ...  

• A lesser amount of evenly distributed ink across the surface of a Fantastix applicator  coupled with little downward pressure on fabric surface ( i.e. a light hand) gives the painter a much better chance of a soft value with more even distribution.
• One bottle open at a time and place OFF the fabric being painting. .( SAVES spills)  but admittedly has nothing to do with streaking. 
• Particularly with newer stix and painter experience, rub down( on test scrap cloth)  stix to a light value and repeat strokes if necessary if needed to increase value. 
• Once one is familiar with inks on the fabric being used for a specific project, your intuition will take over and you'll better know how wet or dry to work.  
• New Fantastix applicators  need 'brakeing in'. Following it's early use dips in ink... test ink AND stix on scrap fabric... rolling the stix a quarter turn for several strokes, repeating with additional turns. In almost every case... too much ink on a stix will produce streak-like results when the painter really wanted a soft even value (almost pastel chalk look). Go dry and repeat strokes instead 
• Tsukineko Inks 'like' natural fiber (cotton/silk etc.) Avoid natural/non natural fiber blends. 
• An uneven surface beneath the fabric or drawing will often produce uneven inking results
• Don't store inks in a freezing environment... keep them in the house in cold climates. This is a distributors recommendation so I've never tested it. 
• Use Fantastix brush tip applicators on their side ... ie as parallel to the fabric as possible. This covers more area and  extends the stix life as well as the point of the brush tip.

Some POSSIBLE CAUSES OF STREAKING  ..?  

I'm brainstorming here...

1. IF... Fantastix were used at a 45 degree angle or more and have created excessively relaxed the fibers of the stix, one could during ink application  be hitting the fabric with the EDGE of the plastic cyclinder on the stix.  
  
2. The Fantastix got exceptionally dried out and needed work to loosen up. This usually doesn't happen so soon but does happen on stix that haven't been used for a year or so or maybe in an exceptionally dry geography.

3. Often a bit too much ink on a stix.. can streak a bit.

4. A really coarse fabric does tend to "grab" ink more than a higher thread count and/ or softer fibers... so prewashing a coarse fabric might be good. There are sometimes downsides to that tho and too soft fibers tend to 'ball' when painting. 

5.  I will hope a painter experiencing streaking problems didn't use Tsukineko's white or a metallic with on some other colors Fantastix applicator now causing streaks as opaque inks stiffen stix.  I clean opaque inks stix off with scrap fabric before putting them away in the cap. 
   
6.  Also .. if the stix are  overly 'limp'... either though rough use or  usually over alot of repeated use over time... it is  time to replace. 

Hope this is helpful and I welcome your comments on other ideas/learning. Thanks all... Patt

Far Too Long to meet Persimmon Cookies

A new discovery for me... Persimmon Cookies are " D lish !!!  "

First, I finished the 2 quilts from last post, made matching bedsheets ( oddly a challenge using 42" wide fabric) , and packed and shipped all grandkid Christmas gifts including those bought. ( I really didn't think anyone would want to see a post on wrapping/packing)... Such a relief to have that behind me. I am DONE with Christmas shopping and now doing January/February family birthday purchases.  Anyone who has shopped for gifts in January knows the pickings are slim so best do now.

 Today  I am making a treat for my small group from church....  these  cookies are soooo good I wanted to share the recipe. ( This is a simple 2 persimmon recipe that makes appx 3 dozen "delicious"  soft cookies that to me resemble a muffin top consistency.  TASTY!

First the recipe for Persimmon Cookies: 

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 ripe persimmons, pureed
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
2. Dissolve baking soda in persimmon pulp and set aside.
3. Sift flour, spices and salt together, set aside.
4. Cream together butter or margarine and sugar until fluffy, beat in egg and persimmon. Stir in dry ingredients. Stir in nuts and raisins.

Drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet. Bake for 15 minutes.    ingredients source... allrecipes.com    

 Gathering ingredients.. getting ready                 

 2 ripe persimmons pureed including skin (with 1 tsp baking soda... mix and set aside. )

1. 
   
   
   Mix 2 cups flour , 1/2 tsp each of nutmeg, cinnamon,cloves,salt in a separate bowl and set aside. 

 In a separate bowl, 1 stick of softened butter or margarine ( I cut my butter into small squares to start) , 1 cup granulated white sugar .  Cream til fluffy, then add 1 egg. Next stir  pureed persimmon/soda  in to this mixture.  Then.. Stir in flour mixture.

 Finally stir in  1 cup each of raisins, chopped walnuts.

 Drop by teaspoon on a  prepared baking sheet.  Bake 350 degrees as few as 11 mins - up to 15 mins... check for light browning and they are done.

Cool and enjoy.  Caution... they are kind of like potato chips. Can't eat just one.

It started with a pillowcase!!!

Sometimes art quilters do other types of quilts. Right now, I'm making twin bed covers requested last summer by my east coast grandsons.  One plays Lacrosse..the other Football... twin boys...different as can be. They loved their sports oriented pillowcases I made for the routine summer slumber parties with their cousins. Smart boys..." I'd sure like  bedding like this fabric"...one said... "Me too!" the other... and so the quest to find 10 yards each of already sold out fabric began. It worked out!

I must admit, this is pretty cool sports fabric.  

The bed cover comes fist...   later some matching top sheets. 

Have this first one done and bound. 

Admit I love the ghost image line drawings behind each player.

  Now to get this one bound!   Maybe I'll be favorite grammie for a day!

I've been doing some other things too.... one is a commission painting I can't show yet. But I really want to.... Mid December ... I can post.

Final 2013 Houston Favs

This quilt just looked like FUN! It may have been a bit tedious to make but the maker made it into something remarkable.  Click on any photo for an enlarged view.

       From above quilt:   A Closeup

Who doesn't recognize and love the work of David Taylor!

So... who knew a bulldozer could be so interesting?  The makers use of varied fabrics made this piece truly amazing. Now... what to do with a large quilt of a bull dozer?? I'm sure there's a family story behind this quilt so a home was probably planned in the making thereof.

This fun stacked cake quilt came from Japan. The quiltmaker made herself a great purse with one stacked cake.  Too fun!

Exciting to me to see a 'gesture' drawing/applique of  spider mums. Gorgeous.

This was a first place winner as I recall.. I loved it. 

This fascinating piece by Hollis Chatelain is much larger than this photo would suggest. 

Added Houston Favs

Jane Sassaman is BACK! Hurray!  One of the top 8 winners. Jane's designs are always completely original and so interesting!

I had to include this loving pair. This is a larger art quilt... questimate 50" x 50" or so. Beautiful feather treatment.!

A first place in portrait category.... The man credited with saving the country. Who could possibly want to be President in such a time as his?

This was 1st place in digital imagery. Love that dog!

1st place miniature by Mary Ann Hildebrand who also had a spectacular entry in our Route 66 exhibition.

I LOVED this piece by Cherrie Johnson of Oklahoma. It takes me back decades to the farm of my youth.

Home From Houston...Tired but Happy!!!

What an incredible week at Houston.... teaching 4 classes plus a lecture . It was all good!!!!
My small "Winters Veil " piece  took first place in the art painted surface category.  I was both shocked and excited.  

Now to unpack and do laundry, put things away.  By the way.. here are a couple of my favorites from the show.   My overall favorite.. "WIND"... a miniature won a $5000 award. So exciting and well deserved... and it was done by a gentleman quilter from Japan. 

Best Of Show! $10K winner

For quilting... This piece by Helen Godden of Australia 'knocked me out." It's both creative and PRECISE!!!!!   click on photo for enlarged view. 

 detail     

Beautiful!

There ofcourse were hundreds of beautiful quilts though I had little time to see and photograph .  Congratulations to all including my friend Vicki Bohnhoff who stole the awards ceremony show with her surprise and joy in receiving her 1st place ribbon for "Roo"