Fun with Stencils

So far, this is the most complicated stencil I've made.

This design was placed on the back of a satin pajama shirt I gave my husband for Christmas.

Normally, I only do a project once, but since it took me several hours to cut this out,

I hoped to use different elements on other things.

Unfortunately, the stencil tore when I removed it, making it a one-of after all.

Whatever your artistic skills may be, there are times you just can’t beat a good stencil.

Stencils are great for a variety of applications. Many people think of wall decoration first. There is a great variety of applications for walls – from small accents and borders, to impressive large murals. The creative person can take the use of stencils well beyond walls, though. One of my favorite applications is embellishment of clothing and other textiles.

Sometimes, stencil options can be limited when you look at them in craft and art supply stores. There are internet vendors, who specialize in them, and they often have an impressive inventory, but occasionally nothing beats making your own. Designing your own stencils opens up all kinds of opportunities for customization.

I wanted a custom spirit t-shirt for the school where I worked.

This is the front. The design was painted and accented with rhinestones.

The acanthus leaves were deliberately painted splotchy to give them

a distressed appearance.

 The fleur-de-lis on the back was the catalyst for this t-shirt design.

These are the elements for the front of the t-shirt.

I set the type in 2 different sizes, then decided after the page was printed

what size I wanted to use.

 After I printed and cut out the back stencils, I changed my mind

and decided I liked "Knowledge" better than "Perfection."

My hand-cut stencils are usually printed on 80 lb. card stock.

The t-shirt stencil doesn't have the intricacy, and small spaces, of the Chinese design,

so I still have it in my stash.

Even though I doubt I'll use it again, it did take me a few hours to design and cut it out.

It may be a means to an end, but it was still a project in its own right.

Which is probably why I haven't put it in the paper recycling.

This lampshade was painted recently. It came with the lamp base it sits on.

Project queens can't have boring, white lampshades, especially after

they paint the base to look like oil-rubbed copper.

I have this purchased stencil in my stash.

It's 18" long, which made it a bit awkward for use on a lamp shade,

but I was hesitant to cut it.

I used a green Sharpie marker to outline the acanthus elements I wanted to use.

Originally, I planned to leave the shade background white.

The marker bled on the fabric which meant I had to paint the background

if I wanted sharp edges.

After the initial panel, the remaining panel backgrounds were painted first.

The marker didn't bleed after that.

I bought the stencil for this 12" square polymer clay tile.

Rather than painting a baked tile, I placed the stencil on the clay

and used a pallet knife to carve the elements.

A metallic pigment powder was brushed on before the clay was baked.

I would be happy to give more detailed information about making stencils. However, I can't assume others have the same resources I do. If anyone has questions, feel free to ask. I'll do my best to answer.

The Project Queen

 

No-Bake Oat Bars

I know Spring hasn’t quite made an appearance for everyone yet. (My younger daughter attends college in SD. Her birthday was earlier this week. She complained it was snowing that day.)

Regardless the weather, it’s great for cooks and bakers to have no-bake cookies in their repertoire. A recipe is even better if you don’t have to cook it either. Those hot summer days are not so far away. Who wants to stand by a stove cooking anything?

The following recipe came out of a vegetarian cookbook my mom used to have. A while back she loaned it to someone who felt they had more need of it than she did, so I can’t tell you the name of the book or its author. My mom purchased it in the early 1970s so the odds that it might still be available are pretty slim.

My brother and I used to like making these cookies when we were kids. It requires one bowl and a silicone spatula for mixing the ingredients, plus a few measuring devices. So it doesn’t create a lot of dishes. If you’re just introducing your kids to the kitchen this is a great recipe to start with since it’s not necessary to use sharp tools. They can learn how to measure ingredients, easily stir everything, then pour and smooth out into a small pan. I would recommend chilling the bars before attempting to eat them, so there won’t be instant gratification. However, everything comes together very quickly, making this recipe ideal for short attentions spans. (Or adults who need to make a dessert in a hurry.)

A brief note about the original recipe: It calls for ½ c. of margarine. Margarine is a highly processed ingredient. For that reason I don’t use it for anything. Instead of bars, these cookies were shaped into balls and rolled in coconut. If you use the ingredients I recommend, you will see why bars are definitely easier.

¾ c. Honey

½ c. Coconut Oil, melted (Organic Extra Virgin)

1/8 tsp. Salt

1 tsp. Vanilla

1 c. Natural Peanut Butter (I like crunchy.)

3 c. Old-fashioned Rolled Oats

1 c. Semi-sweet Chocolate chips (Optional. Cut the oatmeal to 2 ½ c. if using.)

Unsweetened Coconut

Put all the wet ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Stir in the oatmeal and chocolate chips. Sprinkle coconut over the bottom of a 9” x 9” pan. Pour the oatmeal mixture over the coconut. Be careful not to disturb the coconut too much. Sprinkle more coconut over the top of the bars and chill until firm.

For those who are gluten-free or on the Paleo diet, coconut is probably the most likely substitute for the oatmeal. You will still want coconut on the top and bottom of the bars so your fingers don’t get too messy while eating these. The peanut butter can be substituted with the nut or sunbutter of your choice. Want to cut the honey back a bit? Try ½ c. and decrease your dry ingredients a bit. You can always add more if the batch looks too runny.

The Project Queen

Yes Capes!

I like Animation, and I’m not ashamed of it. I’m quite partial to the Disney/Pixar films. One of my favorite movie quotes comes from The Incredibles. You have to love a fashion designer who is absolutely certain she knows what is best for a client. “No Capes!” Edna Mode emphatically declares when Mr. Incredible describes his new, dream super suit. (The sign of a great movie quote? You can use it in a large variety of situations, and it’s great for a giggle every time.)

I know capes have been growing in popularity with the fashion conscious. (So there, Edna!) I can’t say owning one was high on my wish list, however. Now, I can’t speak for other project queens, but every once in a while you encounter a pattern which unexpectedly speaks to you. A cape pattern in the Winter 2013 issue of Stitch magazine became just such a project for me last fall. (I didn’t get to it until January, but that’s another story.)

I think part of this pattern’s appeal is its simplicity. On occasion, it’s nice to work on something easy which can be finished within a few days. “Easy” means you can give extra attention to the details. Sometimes “easy” might also be just the thing to suit something special in your stash. I have some wool coat fabric in my collection that was acquired during a trip to New York City in 2007. I bought it from a shop in the garment district, and I can quite confidently say it’s the most I’ve ever paid per yard for apparel fabric. I think it was worth it. The wool is densely woven and surprisingly soft. If I had to make a guess, I would say it’s probably Merino. I actually purchased it for a coat pattern I have. Though the coat pattern is nice, I never got anxious to get it made. I guess I was waiting for just the right project for my precious wool fabric.

While this post is about my cape, it’s just as much about the details, especially the lining. I paid $35 a yard for the wool and always felt the finished project deserved a special lining. Outer wear, especially dress coats and capes, can require a rather substantial investment in time and materials. They are something you usually make with the intention of using them for a very long time. So why not take a couture approach and choose quality fabrics, including the lining? Remember, the lining may be next to your skin. I can’t think of anything better than the feel of a luxurious outer garment to ease having to go out into the elements. No one sees the lining you say? Well, maybe not, unless you like to show it off. Here’s your justification for spending more on a lining. Think of it as a special, decadent secret you get to enjoy whenever you wear the garment. And 

you’re worth it!

The wool fabric is a subtle heather which allows these ornate, gold buttons

to stand out.

 I used metallic thread for the top stitching on this cape.

Gold was used on the outside.

It's a subtle detail on the wool. (A little difficult to see in a photo.)

 This is the underside of the collar.

Copper thread was used on the lining side.

The lining is Chinese brocade. 

I've wanted to use it inside an outer wear garment for several years.

It's a heavier fabric than most labeled as lining and far prettier

with the dragons and phoenix. 

Since it's in a cape, there will be occasional peeks of it as the wearer moves.

True Chinese brocade is rarely wider than 36 inches, which means you may have to redesign

the construction of the lining a bit. 

There may be some additional seams, so get more yardage than the pattern calls for,

especially if it has a pattern that obviously travels in one direction.

It will allow you to experiment with layout of the pieces and to determine

if a piece normally placed on a fold might need to be 2 pieces with a center seam.

I originally thought a center seam might be necessary in the back piece of my cape lining.

Because the pattern traveled lengthwise, that meant keeping the fold in the long direction

if I wanted all my dragons moving in the same direction inside my cape.

After placing the back piece on the fold for evaluation of my options,

I made the happy discovery that only a small part of the bottom corner was cut off.

It made more sense to fill a small gap in the side seam at the bottom, 

than to have a large seam down the middle of the back.

I didn't use as much yardage as I originally thought, which isn't a bad thing.

 

    The Project Queen