This blog is a place to archive project processes and techniques from Painted Threads with descriptions of how work was produced. I am including comments that contain questions and answers pertaining to the work from many of the original blog posts.

Monday, June 16, 2008

Playing with tea bags and more... Birds and Bees

The paper on the top left with letters is a kimwipe, the one on the right is a large black tea bag for making iced tea. The white paper below is a tea bag from hibiscus tea, the bottom two dark tea bags I left the tea dry in the bag for several days before tearing it open, I love how stained it became and kind of brittle. It really looks aged. I used a fine sharpie to draw on them.
I painted a bird only using brown paint. After it was dry I glazed paint colors over the bird and leaves. I mixed a little brown in the colors to soften them, I wanted the painting to have a vintage look. After the bird and twig was painted I mixed a diluted brown wash and painted the fabric with it.
The papers are collaged to the fabric with Golden semi-gloss gel medium.
Several of the other images are from decorative wrapping papers, and a scan I made of a page from a children's school book from the 1800's. Then I cut green rice paper leaves and collaged them to the fabric.
I quilted it with wool batting. The areas not quilted are very puffy and look like trapunto. The dark tea bag with the bee really looks leathery and old.
Karen said...

Judy,your works blending paper and quilting are so wonderful! I really like how you have achieved a vintage look with this. Can you tell us how you did the border, it looks like couching.

judy coates perez said...

Hi Karen, it is couching. When I make small quilts I trim them to size and do a straight stitch along the very edge. Then I take multiple yarns and couch them to the edge of the quilt with monofilament in the top and regular thread in the bobbin, twisting the yarns as I go.


3 comments:

  1. Wow--what a great idea for tea bags. Your work is beautiful. I found your blog by way of another blog and am becoming a follower so that I can pop in often. I try my hand at art, but it seems like life gets in the way sometimes. Your work is very inspiring--maybe it will help me through my "dark" spot. Hope to chat with you again.

    xoxo Faye

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  2. Hi Faye,
    thanks for stopping by. I am well acquainted with those dark spots, sometimes the best work comes out of those. So just keep creating, it will help get you thru.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thank you for sharing your prodigious talents. I love the idea of using tea bags in my mixed media but as i am drawing challenged, will have to try stamping instead! Your work has inspired me.

    ReplyDelete

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