Whenever I remember I now put a piece of fabric underneath anything I am working on when I am using paints and dyes. It absorbs the wet paints better than paper but also gives me a ready made surface for wiping my fingers or simply taking the excess off a used stencil. Often I use up the paint that is left on my palette on my drop cloth, never thinking about what I’m doing, just adding layers as I go. Recently I realised that I had a rather nice piece that was already the basis for a picture.
Using some items that I made some time ago – a flower pot stamp made from funky foam and a lemon stencil that I’ve used many times before – I set about quickly composing a picture, using the frame on the drop cloth as a window. I used my old favourite of bubble wrap to create the impression of geraniums in the pot – as you can see, the paint is rather thick.
The original drop cloth was a thick piece of curtain lining fabric, so I was able to free machine straight onto it without a frame. I used one colour thread all over, a dark brown/burgundy and sketched quickly with the machine. Stencilling and stamping took about half an hour, the machine stitching an hour. Quick and easy.
JOLLIETEXTILES 
Very nice Elaine, good idea for using up excess paint etc and to mop up. Did you wash the curtain lining first?
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Hi Lesley,
I hardly ever wash my fabrics first – unless I’m doing a special, pre-planned piece. Mostly I’m trying something out or, as in the case of the drop cloth, have a happy accident. In this case the curtain lining probably still had some dressing in it which was helpful as I like to free machine without a frame. My only exception to all this is when I dye my fabrics, then they are all pre-washed.
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Thank you.
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