I finally got myself back on track, after having a near meltdown. My printer ran out of 2 colors of ink, and I had to wait a couple days until I could get the ink. Just as I was settling down for a day of printing, and working on some small pieces, you guessed it…. The printer refused to print the 2 new colors! I tried all I could, and then gave up, and called the dreaded tech support (not my geek son). I was given a number for a repair, and found that it was going to be cheaper for a new printer, than the charge to fix it!! I needed to print some things for a show I was going to, so I went back to Staples. They did say that it could possibly be bad ink, so they replaced the ink I puchased the day before. I did also buy a new printer- hoping that I would get home, replace the ink, then be able to return the new printer- NOT. Upon replacing the 2 cartridges again, none of the colors were working!! Out came the new printer- Epson C-88+, the newer version of what I had. I got it going, and set things up so it printed notecards even after I went to bed.
The show came and went, and I was a bit worn out from the hassle of the printer as well as setting up and tearing down for the show (most everything is still in the van). Yesterday, I began to think about the printer. It has a newer version of the Dura-Bright inks. I remember doing a test print on fabric many years ago, when I got my first printer with those inks, and found the prints were much better with the use of "Bubble Jet Set", which I hated dealing with. This is a "new and improved" ink, what would happen if I printed on fabric?
The test began. The first piece of fabric jammed, (loosened from the freezer paper). re-ironed, tried again, and success- I scrubbed it in hot water with dish soap- probably more that any quilt would get- No ink loss!! The wheels began turning again in my head- I had just taken some real great photos of some of my flowers in bloom. I also remembered that I had some silk that has been longing to be used. I fused some of the silk- fairly heavy with a great sheen- to Wonder under, and cut it for the printer. SUCCESS!! The resulting prints are beautiful!!
This is the piece I made using the Snow Glory photo- I cropped it, and printed it out at 5×7 also. I had bordered it on 2 sides only, and it needed something, so I added a strip of the dark blue silk to this one, also. In all of the pieces, the photos are fused to the batting, and a black and gold yarn is couched around the edges of the prints, and used as the binding. I am still debating if I will add more yellow with dye pens to the centers of the flowers.
I guess there was a reason my other printer decided to quit. If it hadn't, I wouldn't have tried these. Now my silk is finding a use- the photos are so beautiful with the shimmer of the silk. It is different to work with, but I think I like the results. Prints look good on cotton, also.
You never know what good will come from what seems like a disaster at the time you are going through it. All quilts are available for sale- Click on the picture to see the price in the description, just email me (click on email- upper left). Shipping will be free if purchased from my blog- Any would make a great Mother's Day Gift.
I am a former textile artist and new pattern designer with a degree in horticulture, wishing to share my love of nature, flowers and gardens with everyone through my photos, sunprinted fabrics, and now pattern designs. Chronic Lyme Disease has caused major changes to the direction my life. I have to limit the amount of time spent digging in my gardens, and quilting has become more difficult. I discovered pattern design as a way to get art back into my life. I now use my gardens and photos to inspire designs that can be used on fabrics and print on demand items.
These are great. I love blue and I love iris. I posted a nice hibiscus picture on my blog today.