Success and Failure

Autumn squish time! Whee!

Ash Tree berries, Holly berries, two shades of mini petunia, zuchinni ivy (not the veg but an ornamental, blue hydrangea, asparagus leave (yes the veg, not the houseplant) and another grass I don't know the name of. All of these look so luscious. Ignore the yellow beans, that was dinner.

Sometimes I think I'm succeeding. I adore these blue hydrangeas.

I have been waiting with huge anticipation all summer for the blue hydrangeas to bloom. A friend gave me two flowers off her bush last week. I was so thrilled. We have had a terribly dry summer and I wasn't sure the hydrangeas would be up to it. But this lovely shrub was. Out came the rolling pin and for an experiment, some acrylic paper.

petunias

 Acrylic paper is the kind that is best for using acrylic paints on. It is not made up of acrylics. It is thick and takes lots of pin pricks well. A good candidate for stitching into. One big difference between this paper and fabric is that you have to use all your muscles to get a good squish going. The edge of the rolling pin is essential and the flowers move around willy nilly. Good, I love this kind of accident.

Asparagus frond before

After

 

Other times I know I've had a colossal fail.

The squishing on the fabric went as usual, but then..... Idiot me..... I soaked the fabric in vinegar to set the colours. WRONG. It should have been alum. I have lost ALL the colours in this fabric. I have been squishing for two summers and autumns and now my winter goal of stitching up these textiles is ruined. I feel sick.
The paper pieces are an experiment and I have no love for the process of stitching into heavy paper. I don't mind the lighter ones, I can iron on some interfacing on the back to support the stitching. Now what?