Spider Web Batk Tutorial

Creepy Crawler Countdown

Look out! It's coming! Only a few more days until all those little goblins will be knocking on your door!

This little countdown wall hanging will help your children keep track of the days in the week before Halloween. (Or use it all year to keep track of other things. For example, "Each day your room is clean the spider will climb one number  away from the child. When you have kept it clean for 7 days in a row, we'll celebrate!" 
The spider web block (there are two of them here) is an easy School Glue Resist project that you can let your children help you with! Take a look before you decide you can't do it. It's EASY!

The spider web blocks in the countdown wall hanging above were just unbleached muslin when I started. Here's how you can make your own:

1. Cut your muslin about an inch larger than the block you will need. If you want a 10 1/2" block, cut it 11 1/2" so that you can trim it to size afterward. It might shrink a little in the process.  Now, using ordinary WASHABLE school glue (it comes in a blue gel or in a white that looks like regular Elmer's liquid glue, not glue stick) draw a spider web on your fabric. Keep the lid on tight enough that the flow of glue is very narrow.  Let the glue dry well.

2. Now brush on your color. I've used Setacolor Transparent Fabric Paint, but watered down acrylic will work as will any fabric dye. Let this dry. I put mine out in the sun to dry. 
After it dries, press it well with a hot iron to heat set the color.

 3. Wash the residual color and glue out of the fabric. You may need to use a nail brush or toothbrush to brush out some of the stubborn glue. After it is all out, you can squeeze out all the water and then iron the fabric dry. 

4. You've made a batik!!! You can add a border and put it in a wall hanging or quilt. I sewed tiny glass beads on my web to mimic dew. 

5. You don't have to design a spider web, you could draw anything you want with the school glue and use any color over it you want! You can be a fabric designer! Give it a try! It really is very easy. 
I have several Halloween quilt patterns available in my Craftsy store.

Can't seem to make him stand up! This is Halloween Skeleton.

 You still have time to make one, especially if you use machine applique instead of hand applique. Just click on the Craftsy button on my sidebar and it will take you there. 
Until next time....... 

Using Tea or Coffee to Create Flesh Toned Fabrics

Many of my patterns have characters on them such as the children on this quilt. Because good skin tones are hard to find in fabric, I often have to dye my own.  In this quilt, I've used fabric dyed by either coffee or tea. You will notice that each child has a different color skin.  Coffee gives a more brown beige and tea gives a warmer beige.


 In this tutorial, I'm going to show the easy process of tea or coffee dying.

1. Materials: You will need  fabric (unbleached muslin, cream cotton, very light peach cotton, or light tan cotton are good choices) and very hot tea or coffee. Use about 2 tea bags to each 8 oz. of water. This should be a very strong tea. You will need enough to submerge your fabric. Keep in mind that you don't really need a large amount of fabric to make a face, hands and legs. A fat quarter will do at least a couple of figures. But be aware that it is very difficult to match a tea or coffee dyed color. Dye all you need for one quilt at one time. You need a container large enough to hold the liquid and the fabric. .You need 1/2 cup plain vinegar to set the dye. (Not pictured here.)

2. Add your unfolded fabric to the liquid and be sure it is completely submerged. Swish it around a little to be sure the liquid permeates the entire piece.

3. Let the fabric sit.The longer it sits, the darker it will become (up to a certain point.) At least an hour or more is needed. (In the photo I am leaving the spatula on top of the fabric to hold it under the surface of the water.) The fabric will look darker when wet thank it will when it is dry.. Rinse well under running water.( If you find that it isn't dark enough, put it back in the tea or coffee and leave it longer.)

4. Soak the fabric again, after rinsing, in 4 cups of water and 1/2 cup vinegar. This will help set the dye.
   Let it sit about 15 minutes, then rinse again.

5.Roll it up in a towel to absorb excess water and then dry it either naturally or in your dryer.

6. Press well. If the fabric is not dark enough to suit you, repeat the process. (If it is too dark, you can bleach it out.)

That's all there is to it! You might want to get some unbleached muslin and experiment a little. See how many skin tones you can make. Human skin comes in hundreds of colors.

Have fun and save all your "experiments". You never know when you might need just a little bit of flesh color.

Overdying Scraps

This little pumpkin was made using leftover scraps from doll clothes that I was making. The scraps were not in colors that went well together, so I overdyed them. This just means I put a wash of dye over the previously dyed fabric. It can be done with colors or even with just a tan or beige, to give an antiqued look.




These little doll clothes were made from cheap fat quarters that I picked up for $1 each. If you've been reading my blog, you know that I am making a few doll clothes every week until time to send them as a Christmas present to my granddaughter. I am trying to use only scraps and fat quarters. (I'm not sure WHY, but I made that a challenge. I think I just couldn't stand cutting into yardages when I would only be using a little bit of fabric!)  

Here are the leftover scraps. I have washed all the sizing and starch out of them and I'm ready to put them in a solution of hot water and dye.





I used Rit dye from the grocery store, but there are other dyes out there in all colors. You are probably familiar with "tea dying", another form of overdying using strong tea as the dye. I use a disposable plastic container. Because I am just dying a few scraps, I don't measure my dye. I pour a little in the hot water, stir it, and put the wet scraps in. I leave them in for about 15 minutes. (The time the fabric is in the dye will determine how much dye is absorbed.)

I remove the scraps, rinse them off really well, and put them in the dryer with an old towel. (I used a red towel, just in case!)
After drying, I press each piece well.

I decided to use these scraps to make a Fall Pumpkin. I have actually made two of them and have enough scraps to make more. I'm not even sure yet what I will do with them. They could be placemats, squares in a table runner, or even part of a quilt. Each block is about 14" x 17".
Overdying is a great way to repurpose fabric from old clothing!  It's easy. It's fun. AND it's a good way to use up scraps. To your children and grandchildren, it's magical. Give it a try with some ugly fabric scraps. You might end up with something you would love to use.