I must apologise …

to everyone in the UK whose weather has deteriorated today.

It is entirely my fault.

I bought a sun hat yesterday. 

We went with Babybel, her mum, dad, and dog, to the wood festival at Queen Elizabeth Country Park, where a good time was had by all. Babybel was equally fascinated by a heavy horse pulling logs, a man carving with a chain saw, and drawing in the children’s activities tent.

But it was very hot, so on the way out I bought a hat.

And today it has been cloudy and cool.

It did mean I had no more excuses, and had to face up to going out in the garden and screen printing.

I made some freezer paper stencils, which is my preferred method – not that I know a wide range of methods…

This was the first, and the least successful. Note to self – metallic fabric paint does not work well for screen printing.

 

This one, inspired by our cupressus hedge, was more successful. Apologies to those who dislike cupressus, but it does have fascinating fronds. B****r to cut out, though.

As you may have noticed, I like positive/negative patterns.

 

 

This was the most successful – or is it just my liking for 60s patterns obscuring my judgement?

Some of the colour choices are a little odd, based on what came to light in the hand-dye stash, and setting myself to use up some fabric paints I’ve had for far too long. [Note to self – pearlised fabric paints don’t work too well for screen printing either.]

I found something else in the stash cupboard while I was in there.

 

 

 

I ended up with 20 screen printed ‘drawings’ - some on fabric and some on paper. Not all of them will go in the homework book, and those that do will probably get some stitch or more printing – I fancy a leafy linocut – except it won’t be lino…

I also think I’ll use up my transparent fabric paints with some sun prints – anyone know if sunprints work on paper? That’s assuming I haven’t driven the sun away permanently.

Of course, when the sun did come out this afternoon, I forgot to wear my sun hat.