It’s always a leap of faith when I try to follow directions in a magazine. Will I forget a step? Will my minor supply substitutions cause an epic fail? Will the directions be specific enough for me to feel confident of the steps?
Recently I’ve been on a sewing room purge. Now that I’m acquiring painting and collage supplies space is at a premium. My back issues of Quilting Arts and other related magazines were a good place to begin de-accessioning. As I scanned them for any articles I wanted to save I found a method to make paper cloth. It called for cheesecloth, freezer paper, matte medium, and lightweight paper such as tissue paper and decorative paper napkins. I possessed all these items, so I went to work.
While I read the instructions through first, and heeded the author’s warning to have all supplies at hand before using the matte medium, I kept halting the process to figure out specifics. For example, I was to have foot square pieces of cheesecloth, but did the author mean a single layer or the multiple layers as cheesecloth comes packed. I first tried a single layer and decided it seemed way too wimpy so I went with a double layer. Then, I was to use “several” tablespoons of matte medium on the freezer paper and add more medium once the cheesecloth was placed on the initial layer. Yet more was to be added after the paper was put down. I had a hard time defining “several.” I ended up using almost half a container of liquid matte medium. The back of the cheesecloth is solid acrylic. Don’t you just love it when the final instruction is “Experiment and have fun!”
I realize I may have overthought the process, but the results were underwhelming.
I stamped over both of them to see if I liked them better. Meh. It may be that my choices of light weight papers weren’t best suited to the technique, but I can get similar effects more easily with paper or fabric collage. I realize that the end product is meant as raw material for a finished piece, but I can’t see sewing over the thick, rubbery material I created.
If I do anything more to these two square feet of paper cloth it will be to paint over most of it and add it to collages.
The Snarky Quilter 
You are always trying interesting things! I have also (after finally getting back to quilting, and possibly blogging) been purging my sewing room, after a fashion. In my case it is of scraps and orphan blocks.
Goodness, I wondered where you went, so to speak. Welcome back to planet quilting.
I think the finished pieces look interesting even if they are too stiff/rubbery for what you hoped to do with them. Can you cut coasters out of them or anything like that? Not sure the size of each piece, but if you can get 4 coasters out of each one they could be holiday gifts or boutique donations if you’re in a guild. There are no failures in art. 🙂
Well, that’s a handy thought. Each piece of cheesecloth is roughly 12 by 12 inches, so that’s easily 4 coasters per. Thanks for the reminder about failures in art.
Don’t beat yourself up over this. I tried paper fabric a few years ago and was not thrilled with the results. I think that you can use yours in a collage, combined with other things.
I realize that not every experiment is a success. Because I’m cheap I resent using supplies for flops. Of course it’s not like the wolf is at my door, it’s just childhood conditioning.
Well, I think your pictures look pretty.
I have discovered, now that I’m doing my own video editing, that there is a direct connection between really clear instructions and (video) length. I guess it may be the same for print instructions: While writing to fill only the allotted space/word count something is lost.Though I could buy that “take the class” theory too.
Thanks for your belief in them. Also thanks for pointing out possible space limitations. I just wanted more specific details. There’s an exercise used in writing classes where students are asked to write the steps for making a PB&J sandwich. Then someone is brought into the class to follow each set of directions exactly. Usually pandemonium ensues.
OMG, yes! The PB&J instructions! My kids’ preschool teacher had a similar project she did with the kids. She had them make little turkeys on construction paper with their handprints and then she asked them to tell her the “recipe” for cooking turkey dinner and wrote down what they said, word for word. It was hysterical!
Aha! Sounds like de-accessioning gone awry, a situation with which I’m very familiar 😀
Indeed, I’m now quilting tops and designing new work from leftovers I found in my decluttering. I’ve also pitched stuff so it’s not been all bad.
Sounds to me that although she was telling how she does this in the article she really did not want to share the actual measurements that are need to be successful as in cooking. You really need those to begin to experiment and have fun. Bev
The directions did seem a bit sketchy and she does teach classes on this technique, so if I were cynical as well as snarky I’d think she wants readers to sign up for her classes. In fairness, many of the articles in QA are short on specifics.
Hmmm, the method I tried used muslin as a substrate, and worked very well. No, it’s not sheer, but it’s sturdy and I did plenty of stitching on it. I will forward you the tutorial just on the off case you want to try it another way. Sorry that it used up so much matte medium as that is a precious commodity for us collage people.
Thanks for the alternative method. It may simply be that I misinterpreted what “several” tablespoons were.