In the March/April 2018 issue of Cloth Paper Scissors, Lisa Thorpe shared her technique for using art apps in her mixed-media art. Inspired by images she created in the Waterlogue app, here she shares how she embellished a jean jacket by inserting a fabric panel on the back of the jacket.
Of the three apps Lisa used, she says Waterlogue is the simplest and most accessible. Just import a photo from your library into the app, and audition the photo in any of the 12 watercolor effects offered. Although you only have control over the brightness and the size of paint strokes, if you start with a good, fairly simple image, you can come up with a charming focal point to use in mixed-media art.
Materials:
- Denim jacket
- Pencil
- Parchment paper
- Straight pins
- Felt for backing
- Scissors
- Two-sided pressure-sensitive fusible web (I used Pellon® Ez-Steam II Double-Sided Fusible Web.)
- Inkjet printable fabric (I used Jacquard® Inkjet Fabric Sheets™.
- Fabric, for accents and binding
- Sewing machine
- Thread
optional:
- Design Master® spray paint
- Stencils
- StazOn® ink pad
- Letter stamps
1. Trace the shape of the back of the jacket where the inset will be, and create a pattern using parchment paper.
2. Pin the paper pattern to the felt and cut it out.
3. Apply the fusible web to the face of the felt, finger press it in place, and trim the fusible web to the size of the felt. Peel the release paper. The surface is now tacky, allowing you to play with your composition before committing to a finished design.
4. Print your images from the app onto inkjet printable fabric and cut them out. Arrange the image(s), along with other embellishments, on the tacky surface. I used fabric I stenciled with spray paint, some fabric scraps from my stash, along with two images from the app I had printed: a camera and a photo strip.
note: Because the jacket was going to be worn, I made sure to fold under any raw edges, tacking them down with the fusible web.
5. Add any other embellishments as desired. I decided to stamp “smile” under the camera using letter stamps and a StazOn inkpad.
6. When you are pleased with the layout, machine stitch the elements in place, making sure to catch all the folded edges of the fabric, so they don’t fray. Add some free-motion stitching for more texture and interest.
7. Bind the edges of the felt panel. I used some black-and-white fabric scraps from my stash.
8. Pin the finished panel to the back of the jacket and machine stitch it in place. I used a blanket stitch.
note: Most inkjet-printed fabrics can be washed. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to insure best results.
Voila, a fun artful jacket!