MistyFuse: Woe is Me

Depressing. This project has been downright depressing. I have been too depressed for several days to blog about this project or even take a photo. But I got brave today. Just like Ree, I'm keepin' it real ; ). Here it is:


Blech.

After a panicked SOS phone call to Needleroozer, I figured out how to use the stuff. THANK YOU! I followed her clear instructions and got the layers fused together. But.

But.

The MistyFuse does not work and play well with my style, apparently. I like the shiny background of the Lutradur and then the lace on top. However, the MistyFuse, although fused, is still "there" and somehow cuts down on the shiny-ness. Seriously cuts down on it. I tried to apply some layers of paint over it, but it still looks like a black hole underneath. I call it the "dead" look. I couldn't seem to compensate for it although I tried several things. I tried to add some colors on top but it's still just awful, IMHO.

Let me show you what I mean. I threw down a random bookmark (not even close to one of my favorites). The bookmark has a fair number of Lutradur surface only shiny places, so it's a good contrast. The photo shows the bookmark next to a section of the piece in question:

Quite a difference. And it's a difference that matters, to me anyway. So, after I took these shots, I literally drenched the thing in purple shiny paint, trying to salvage it. It took quite a dousing to get inbetweeen all the cracks of the MistyFuse. But now the paint is soooo thick that the whole thing is a textured monogamous surface and you can't distinguish the lace pieces from the background.

Well, my brush was loaded from the heavy paint layer, so I cut a few more pieces of lace, painted them too, and stuck them on top of the whole mess, just to see what it would look like. My thought was, "Perhaps I can just start completely over and use this as a background." It's still drying, so I can't move it to a sunny spot yet to get a good photo. But I'm not sure it's going to work. I'm not sure this piece can be salvaged. Got any bright ideas?

Finished Bookmarks #3 and #4

I'm pretty happy with both of these sets. I actually finished them all in one day! I found myself with a block of time today because the weather was GORGEOUS and I couldn't bear to keep the children inside doing bookwork. I let them go out before lunch, served them lunch on the back patio, and they are still out there. There are large excavations going on in our dirt pit. Those who know me IRL can request photos via email if you'd like, but I'm not willing to post them publicly (sorry).

Anyway, I spent my time watching the engineering feats (complete with water to make mud from the dirt) through the window while sewing these bookmarks up. I have a few more batches after this, and then I'll be done.

I'm sort of taking a breather between "pre-Iditarod" studying-up and "tracking the race," which starts in earnest on Sunday. Then it will be head-down again, full-steam-ahead. This has been a busy, teacher-intensive time, but so far they seem to enjoy it.

Possible Hiatus

Got MistyFuse.  Got parchment paper.  Now, got *no time.*  

I've embarked on a major homeschooling unit study, following the Iditarod, so if you don't see any updates in this space, that's where I am.   (I am doing this because we are going to AK this summer and I want the children to learn about the state before we go.)

But if I get a chance to try these things I waited almost *four weeks* for, I will certainly let you know how it goes.

Thanks to Needleroozer for answering my SOS a few days ago.  Sorry I was in such a rush.

Finished Bookmarks #2

Here are four more bookmarks that I stitched today. I also stitched one more, but it was the same kind as yesterday's, so I won't waste your time showing you that one.

The wide lace nestled together (bookmark #2 from left) looks really cool as a piece of any size, but it sure is a pain to stitch around. The edges of that one don't look nearly as uniform as the others.

Yes, they all have a purple theme, but I'm stitching the ones first that I can use my purple thread with. I am trying to minimize rethreading, changing/redoing bobbins, and all of those sewing hassles. Did I mention that sewing isn't my fav thing? Oh, sorry, I'll give it a rest now.

One major good thing is that I went through DD's wardrobe with her last night, and I don't have to sew any clothes this spring! I have to let out a couple of hems, insert a couple of lace pieces to help with low necklines, and that's all! I had enough clothes put away waiting for her to grow into them that she is in good shape for spring. Next winter will be another matter . . . but I plan to "be Scarlett O'Hara" about that.

I. Hate. Sewing. (Also, Finished Bookmarks #1)

Well, I tried adding some numbers in Photoshop to the bottom of the photo, but they look soooo small . . .

These four bookmarks are from a piece that I didn't like how it turned out overall. They are OK as bookmarks, I think. Since I already had them basically finished, I just had to cut them out, add glitter spray, and paint the backs. This is why these were ready for sewing before some of the other bookmarks I've been blogging about. Those are coming along too but are not quite at this stage. More on those in the coming days.

I experimented on a piece of fabric before I started stitching these, but I guess the fabric bunched up. The Lutradur, however, most certainly does NOT. That means that I didn't think the border would be too wide, but it was!

My first try, the (1) bookmark on the left has a verrrry wide border. Machine was set to width of 5. Yikes. Try (2) was a width of 4. Still too much. Try (3) was a width of 3 1/2. Better. So I did (4) the same way.

NOTE TO SELF: Set width no wider than 3 1/2 for small projects.

And to my dismay, Needleroozer was right, and I had to go around twice. That's a lot of thread, and a lot of time. Just these four took me almost an hour! And I had to reload the bobbin (it had a lot of thread on it to start with, too). Waaaah.

This part of a L&L project is too much like work: I. Hate. Sewing.

Since it was sunny and fairly warm, I gave my children some time off of inside school and let them play outside in the dirt pit (a favorite spot). This is how I had time to work on the bookmarks in the middle of the day! ; )

However, the sunny day and the sewing reminded me that I really need to do some sewing for DD this spring. Ack.

So I guess after I get these bookmarks done I need to take a break from L&L and do some sewing.

I. Hate. Sewing.

Did I mention that I strongly dislike sewing? Oh, I guess I did. Sorry. End of rant.

Bookmarks at intermediate stage

Here are shots of some of the bookmarks in their intermediate phase. Truthfully, I think some of them are done, but I'm reserving judgment. Since glitter doesn't normally show up in the photos anyway, I took this before I applied glitter.

Here are four more below. Actually, I finally found a use for the hideous yellow ; ). It actually works well to accent the green on the sides of the "river" in the bookmark at the far right.

Here are five more: Some of these need more work, I think. I am thinking particularly of the bottom bookmark lying sideways, and the bookmark on the far right. The middle bookmark lying down is my favorite of the bunch.

Also, I know there are stray flakes of a different gold stuck on the top bookmark. I was painting the back and somehow some got on the front. I have to figure out how to either get rid of them or paint over them. Grrr. I already tried to scrape at them a little, with no success.


I like how the curves in the scrim bookmarks turned out (third from left in first photo and far right in second photo). If I make more bookmarks, I will make more of those. But I want to finish this batch first. In addition to these, I have some bookmarks I cut from "reject" pieces that I'm spiffing up a little, individualizing them a bit. And I have to paint all the backs and stitch around the edges. So I want to do all of that before I start more. And I don't want to end up with too many "in stock."

Bookmarks, Bookmarks, Lots O' Bookmarks

I decided to get some bookmarks worked up to take with me to used curriculum sales when I sell my stuff this year. There's one coming up in March, and another one will be in May or June. I thought it would be a kick to see if I could actually sell something! I don't know yet how much to charge.

Here are the first four. I decided to use some colors that were left over from my original Lumiere sampler pack:

I think I have a little more copper in the bottle. I think I might try rubbing it on one of the green hem lace backgrounds when these dry (one of the green pieces had copper underneath, and you can still see it a little, which gave me that idea). These have already been trimmed.  Also, on the hem lace pieces, I pressed them under a book while they were drying to keep them flat.

Here's three more. I really like the composition of first one (on the left), but the color is hideous. I just DO NOT like the yellow gold that came with the original set. I hate mustard the food, and mustard the color. And it looks even worse in the picture than in person! I tried to use this color up on the big lace that sucks up paint. I plan to thoroughly paint over it.  After I do that, I think this bookmark will shape up nicely. It is a similar composition to my first framed piece.

The next two bookmarks I'm not sure about yet, with the little bits of lace. I'll have to see what different paint layers do to make them more interesting. The color on this shot is a little strange--the bookmark on the right is actually silver, not blue. Again, I was using up paint for these foundational layers.

Here are some variations in scrim. The scrim is stuck, the bookmarks have been trimmed, and they now have a foundation color. I tried some different patterns of scrim. It will be interesting to see how well these are highlighted by layers of paint. They don't look very spiffy now, but I think they will turn out well.

The last four bookmarks are a step behind. I hesitate to post these, because they look pretty awful before they are trimmed, but then I decided to try to "keep it real." I had some more of the big lace, so I made another bookmark with it. Note to self: Halo Gold Violet is a very pretty color, but don't use it for a foundation color when you're gluing on lace. The gold tends to build up on the brush and makes a mess. Save it for highlights.

As for the burgundy one, I think I'm really going to like this one. Can you spot the double round center in one spot of the lace? This is where the lace edges met each other on the original pillowcase--they were glued together solidly. I kind of like it in there. It reminds me of the Oriental custom of deliberately placing one flaw in a work. I might keep this bookmark for myself! Also, it's the last of this kind of lace, which makes me sad. I'll have to start looking in thrift shops for more, and I don't know if I'll find more or not.


Here are the last two in progress. Whew! That's a lot of bookmarks! The purple one on the left has three different scraps of lace left over from other projects. Actually, I lied above. In the middle of the purple piece--THAT'S the last of the lace I like that I don't know if I will find again. I'll have to see how this one piece turns out--I'm not sure about it.

The blue piece on the left photographed strangely. The lace is the same color as the background, but here it appears lighter. I don't know why.

I also got brave and cut up three other old, experimental pieces for bookmarks, including the waterlogged disaster. I might spruce some of them up with new layers of paint here and there. This gave me about ten more bookmarks. As I cut up the old pieces, I realized that I've learned a bit since then about how to actually do this, which was encouraging.

All in all, I was pleased with the progress I made today. I know it has looked like I've been doing "nothing" on the blog, but I was indeed cutting out and preparing the bookmarks. I'm STILL waiting for my Joggles order--it's been 10 days since it was mailed. I emailed her this week and she said that sometimes it has taken three weeks. Boohoo. But I figured out how to lay my other two pieces out of the way, so I'm going to console myself with bookmarks until my MistyFuse gets here. I am enjoying doing them after doing several larger projects--I think I find them less intimidating.

Waiting for MistyFuse

I know I haven't posted in a while.  The last project that I was trying to flatten didn't turn out so well.  Some water leaked through wax paper onto my white history dictionary, which made me a VERY unhappy camper.  Very.  Also, the excess water clogged up the lace so that much of the texture was lost when I finally got the crazy project flattened after about four days of trying.  Sigh.  Experiments don't always turn out well!

So I picked up the clue phone and ordered some MistyFuse.  I have two other projects prepared and laid out, lace pieces and all.  One is a strips piece like the failed one, and another is a "bits" piece.  My MistyFuse should be here any day, so when it comes I will proceed and blog accordingly.