E-Reader Cover using a Textile Card

E-Reader Cover

The creative sewer, Joan, removed the Textile Art from one of Eileen Gidman's Textile Art Cards and used it to make a padded cover for an electronic book Reader. Wow, original art and an original pattern!

This E-Reader Cover  can be seen at Eileen Gidman's booth, May 30 – June 2, 2012 in the vendors mall of Quilt Canada, at Dalhousie University, Halifax, N.S. If you are coming to the show, visit the artist's booth and select a Textile Art card to make your own E-Reader Cover.

Lighthouse Mementos at Quilt Canada

The 200 free lighthouse samples are all packaged and ready to travel to Halifax! 100% quality cotton material was hand painted with fibre reactive dyes that leave the hand of the fabric soft, washable and colourfast. The fabric was then stamped with one of two stamps created by the artist.

Eileen Gidman, a member of the Federation of Canadian Artists, will have a booth at the Vendors Mall of the Quilt Canada Show May 30 - June 2, 2012. Each day these special 'Show Mementos' will be given to the first 50 people attending Eileen Gidman's booth. They would make a great quilt label or can be used in other sewing projects. If you need 4 of them for a set of place-mats you best come early each day or bring along some friends!

Hand (dye) Painted Samples with Stamped Lighthouse

Packing for Quilt Canada

Packing Textile Art

My Bags Are Packed, I'm Ready to Go!

My Bags are packed and full of hand (dye) painted quilt panels, designed fabric, 6 1/2 X 6 1/2” squares, Textile Cards, scarves and Wall Hanging Kits. You can win the Wall Hanging kit shown here with the blue house in a free draw. The Kit includes a hand (dye) painted original piece of art on cotton fabric, additional commercial cottons and pattern to complete the Wall Hanging.

Visit Eileen Gidman's booth at the Vendor Mall of Quilt Canada, Halifax, N.S., May 30 – June 2, 2012 to enter the draw to win this Wall Hanging Kit. The draw will take place in the afternoon of June 2 but you need not be there to win.

Textile Art Cards

Textile Art Cards

Beaded Purse with Textile Art Card

 Textile Art Cards ready for packaging.

These Textile Cards will be first showcased at Quilt Canada May 30 – June 2, 2012. Each one is hand-dyed and additional details are often stitched in black thread. Some designs Eileen created for the national quilt show are Lighthouses and Puffins.

The cards make a special small gift and as well the Textile Art can be framed or used in sewing projects. Sewn samples such as the 'Beaded Purse' will be displayed at Eileen Gidman's booth in the Vendor Mall.

Visit the booth early and come often as the card display will be replenished throughout the show as supplies last.

Jacket using Hand-dyed Fabric as Accents



Jacket Front

Jacket Back

The hand (dye) painted fabric used in this jacket front are place on the upper right of picture below the neck band, mid-way on the left side, and the rectangle on the right above the dark blue. Also note this special fabric is on the back of the jacket on the upper left of the picture.

Coordinated commercial fabrics along with one of Eileen Gidman's hand (dye) painted fabric make this jacket outstanding. Seamstress Mrs. C, sewed this beautifully designed jacket using a Lorraine Torrence pattern,  'Talk of the Town Patchwork Blouse'.

What fun was had choosing commercial fabrics to complement the rich hand dyed piece of fabric. A harmonious colour scheme (colours close together on the colour wheel) was chosen with the addition of the neutral white which added a light to the value scale. Using the hand (dye) painted fabric as an accent piece made made good use of a small piece of fabric.

The general placement of the fabrics were auditioned before cutting out the pattern pieces. Special attention to sewing details such as decorative button holes, sleeve cuffs lined in turquoise, fabric swatches not only on the front but also the back of the garment put this jacket in a class of it's own.

Purse with Dyed Fabric

Crazy Quilted Purse using a Textile Card

Eileen Gidman hand paints fabric with dyes and thread sketches to create Textile Cards. A creative sewer, Joan, took the Textile Card with the free-moition stitched heron and created this Crazy Quilted Purse. Now isn't that clever!

Note a harmonious/analogous colour scheme was used following the hues in the Textile Card. Striped and checked fabrics are great choices to add structure to the organic shapes of the heron piece. Note the glass beads on the handle, a design detail in keeping with the artful nature of this purse. This purse will be on display in booth 303 at Quilt Canada, Halifax May 30, 31 and June 1 & 2. Hope to see you there!

Workshop Painting with Dyes

Workshop Participant's Piece

Workshop Participant's Piece

Workshop: Painting with Dyes

Last week I had a wonderful time giving a 2 day fabric dyeing workshop in Nelson, BC. What a time the 11 of us had. The group process brings out so much creativity.

What did we learn together?

Lots of people learn by doing, so after a brief lesson on the products needed for dyeing, safety issues, and a demonstration of the direct painting method for applying dyes, the participants got right down to working on their soda soaked fabric. Some started by tracing one of the three designs I brought and some began with their own pictures. Soon the thickened dyes were being applied to the fabric. Over the two days I demonstrated several techniques and with much time devoted to painting, each participant's style emerged----so exciting to watch.
What did I learn from the group?

Capture a memorable moment in life by painting it. Painter's brushes should not be idle. Border Collies look good painted. Painting after a night shift can be done. Think about fabric designs not just paintings. A blender works well for mixing dyes. Try things in 3's. Kleenex boxes have wonderful design ideas. Simple designs can be the strongest. Painting can be very intense, yet fun.
What will happen to the fabrics painted at the workshop? Embellishments such as beading, thread painting, and the addition of commercial fabrics along with the sewer's imagination will finish these dye painted fabrics into one of a kind art pieces.