Choclate cake for breakfast . . and a new discovery - B700 & B710

The MOST delicious chocolate cake

It's been a while! 
I have been thinking, you could probably hear the noise from where you are . .

My birthday was last week and I hosted a lunch for 12. It was more a celebration of me moving to Ireland and into this amazing house 8 years ago. A small group of friends and neighbours who have helped me settle so well into this great community. My sister was here for a week which really helped. Lynda got the housekeeping and cleaning gene that seems to have passed me by!!! She was godsend. An absolute star and I love her dearly. (not just because she cleans!!)

Pavlova with fruit decoration - one I prepared earlier!

I don't entertain a lot at home, the house is usually too messy - anyone who makes will understand. But I do love feeding my friends, so it was wonderful to cook and create a big spread for my guests. I had such a great time, I didn't take ANY photos . . very rare for me. 

There was some chocolate cake and trifle left and some of the pavlova, which I have been slowly working through over the past few days - heaven. I am glad to say there is nothing left now - so it's back to more sensible eating - but it was good. Chocolate cake for breakfast!!!

***

I made an exciting discovery last month, something what will help develop different textures in my layered works. And of course, it involves a Vlieseline product. 

I tend to use synthetic and often shiny fabrics for my layered applique seaweed pieces. I have been wanting to include a more matt surface and have recently procion dyed some cotton organdie in plastic bags. I was going to iron Bondaweb on the back and then cut the seaweed shapes ready to layer up with my more shiny shapes.

Interesting colours and textures - but I need a matt texture

Then I remembered that Vlieseline had just launched a new iron on lightweight cotton interfacing with their new eco glue on. Mmmm!! I wondered, would cold water dyeing in a plastic bag with procion dyes, affect the glue on the interfacing. If it dyed well I would have a matt farbric in the correct colour all ready to cut to shape and iron down. No need for Bondaweb. Well I tried it, and it worked!!! Squeal, I was very excited.

You can see how fine the cotton weave is

I used the B700 and the B710

The spaced dyed B700 


You can see the weave and the matt surface, a perfect contrast to my shiny synthetic satins

A piece of the dyed B700 ready to layer with my other shapes

I also wanted to see if I could paint this fine cotton interfacing, and you can, with watered down acrylic paint. This gives more of a firm handle to the fabric. But it doesn't make it stiff. The watered down paint didn't affect the glue. Paint it as you would do Bondaweb. Just let it dry - and you are off,

Painted B700

A seaweed shape cut from the painted B700 ready to iron down.

And then I had another thought  . .  I wonder if you can print onto this lovely interfacing? And of course you can. Quite easily. You just need another Vlieseline product - Fuse n Tear. This is an iron on stabilsiser for embroidery that you peel off when you have finished. It is also really useful for ironing fabric onto to put through an inkjet printer. I use 2 sheets of Fuse n Tear to make sure. 

Because there is glue on the back of the B700, I wasn't sure if it would stick permanently to the Fuse n Tear. But it peeled off, it was a little fluffy on the back, but this this didn't interfere with the printed B700 sticking to the black fabric I ironed it onto. I was very excited. So  . . .

Plain white B700, ironed onto Fuse n Tear and run through an inkjet printer. The B700 was then peeled off the Fuse n Tear and ironed onto black cotton.

The same, but I used a dyed piece of B700

 You can find out more about this fab interfacing here - https://www.vlieseline.com/Products/Woven-Interlinings/B-700

And the Fuse n Tear - https://www.vlieseline.com/Products/Creative-Range/Fuse-n-Tear

 

So - I am going to be playing with my new discovery this week. I will be including a few seaweed shapes cut from B700 in my next layered and overlapped applique piece. Great fun will be had. . . .

***


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