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Taylor Stitch

Howdy,

I hope you're all having a lovely weekend! I've spent my Saturday knitting small bow barrettes, one for me, and another for the amazing bun in my life, ooo and aww-ing over Emmadime's Knitting by Design, catching up on my favorite magazine, Oh Comely, and wondering how cool it would be if someone came up with patterns for Ms. Effie Trinket's adorable wardrobe. That would be such a dream! Especially if it were possible to knit the most minimalist outfit she has...her District 13 uniform. Have any of you seen any simple patterns likened to the above over-sized shirt?

What are you knitting?

#knitting #emma robertson #emma dime #knitting by design #bows #oh comely magazine #effie trinket

The Traveling Stamps

Weeks ago, I received a sticker-covered little envelope that had made its way all the way from Australia. Inside were two handmade stamps.

The Traveling Stamps began with two tutorials by sustainable blogger, Summer, of tortoise & lady grey — Rubber Stamp Making 101 and 201 here on The Note Passer. Next, she showed us how to make the leaf stamps on her blog and then sent the little Traveling Stamps to me. The project is based on the original #travelingstamp over at Emma Dime.

The Ink

Having never done this kind of printing, I had some difficulties finding the right ink to use. I definitely wanted a solvent-free ink to ensure that I wasn't using harmful chemicals. To be honest, I thought I would use a soy or vegetable based ink, but those are very difficult to find and I wasn't interested in making them once I researched the process. I searched the art stores for low impact dyes within the fabric dye section, but the employees didn't know of any low impact fabric dye and I was stumped. Then Summer told me she uses a brand called Permaset and I realized I was looking in the wrong section; I should have been looking at screen printing inks. Once I figured that out, almost all of the options were low impact, water based, and non-toxic. They aren't necessarily advertised as such, but they are eco-friendly. I settled on the Versatex brand based on the price and employee recommendation.

Practice

Well, practice didn't make perfect, but it did help me figure out the patterns I wanted to make. These illustrations by Felicita Sala were my inspiration. I did the practice on paper which is a bit different than printing on fabric, so it still took me a few tries to get the pressure right on the fabric.

Stamp

I decided to stamp the organic cotton tote I received from Alabama Chanin at the Makeshift event since we were encouraged to make it our own anyway. I like to carry at least one tote in my purse and always take several to the grocery store so I can avoid plastic bags.

Using the patterns I had practiced, I started stamping the tote. As I said, it's difficult to get the pressure right. I don't mind the variation in opaqueness, but I could do without the blotches. Some of this was because of the bag's uneven surface. Learn from me: make your first attempt on a flat surface like a kitchen towel, cloth napkin, or t-shirt. I bought a foam roller, but since the stamps were so small, I found it easier to use the smaller foam brush. I was concerned about getting paint in the negative space, but it doesn't seem to be a problem if you don't press to hard.

Find detailed stamping instructions in Rubber Stamp Making 201.

Finish

After the ink dried, I ironed the fabric on the reverse side per the Versatex instructions. Now my ink is heat-set and my tote is ready to use!

The Traveling Stamps are now on their way to Hannah of Lifestyle: Justice. Follow her to keep up with the project! If you are a blogger and you'd like to participate, please let me know in the comments or by email.

Or you can learn to carve your own stamps with Rubber Stamp Making 101.

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