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Intentional Printing by Lynn Krawczyk and giveaway!

The drawing is concluded.  Any comments left now (after 5 pm Saturday) will be appreciated but won’t be in the drawing.  The lucky winner (chosen by a random number generator on the internet) is comment number 16, Sylvia!  I’ll email you directly.

Sometimes the right book comes along at the right time.  For me, Intentional Printing by Lynn Krawczyk was that book. Lynn is funny (love her Facebook posts), creative and has been able in her book to get me (and hopefully you) to just “fling some paint” and have fun making cloth you will actually USE.  So I’m going to tell you a bit about her book.  Then I’m going to send you over to her website and blog:  if you’d like to win a copy of her book, comment here by 5 pm East Coast Time on Saturday, October 18th (that’s SOON), and tell me something that you liked about her website and/or blog.   Here’s her site, Smudged Textiles Studio and her blog.  Read on!

Lynn Krawczyk's Intentional Printing

Lynn Krawczyk’s Intentional Printing.  Here’s a link to Lynn’s website page about her book, complete with a fun video of her telling you about the book and showing her printed cloth.

For years now I’ve been buying books about dyeing fabric and surface design, yet I do precious little (almost no) surface design in my own work.  So WHY do I keep buying the books?  There must be some deep desire to make my own cloth in a way that goes beyond dyeing fabric.  Many of the books I’ve purchased are intimidating:  so much to do, so many options, too many supplies, too much set up and clean up time.

With Lynn’s book, which is about paint (not dye),  all of a sudden I got up and started DOING.  No fuss, perhaps some mess (the fun kind), and productive work that has got me to develop a whole new workshop that combines the best parts of a class I used to teach (and eliminated because I hated teaching the other parts of the class) with Lynn’s approach to paint on cloth.

Lynn discovered that the pieces she made just didn’t quite work, didn’t fit what she wanted to do.  So she figured out how she could work to create pieces she wanted to use, was inspired to use, while keeping the spontaneity of the process intact.   The chapters of the book are:

  • Introduction
  • Chapter 1:  Exploring Intentional Printing
  • Chapter 2:  Tools and Materials
  • Chapter 3:  Fabric Printing Techniques
  • Chapter 4:  Handstitching
  • Chapter 5:  Layered Printing
  • Chapter 6:  The Projects
  • Templates
  • Acknowledgments, Resources and Index

Inspired by this book, I worked up two pieces that you’ve seen recently on this blog, The Nest and my X and O (Hugs and Kisses?) pieces that I’ll be teaching in the Fiber on a Whim Booth at International Quilt Festival in a mere two weeks!   Here’s a link to more information about my mini-class and to my thermofax screens blogpost (and to Fiber on a Whim where you can ORDER those screens!)   Once you see the inside of the book, you’ll see Lynn’s X and O piece, which must have been in my subconscious when I made mine!

Learn to make the painted fabrics in this project in my mini-Whimsy class at IQF-International Quilt Festival Fall 2014.

Learn to make the painted fabrics in this project in my mini-Whimsy class at IQF-International Quilt Festival Fall 2014.

And some art cloth--this is SO not my typical, but I could see playing with surface design, a lot, to make more fabrics to use in my more typical style.  I wanted to have something totally "not me" though so that students get to try both representational and not!

And some art cloth–this is SO not my typical, but I could see playing with surface design, a lot, to make more fabrics to use in my more typical style. I wanted to have something totally “not me” though so that students get to try both representational and not!

What I really liked was that Lynn’s approach can work for the way I use fabric.  So many of the surface design books are by people for whom the fabric and the process are the be-all and end-all.  Once the cloth is done, no more needs to be done.  But I don’t like abstract stuff very much, and I don’t think the cloth is the artwork (for me! if it is for you, that’s great, but it’s not what I want to do), it is something that goes into creating the art.  With Lynn’s book, the cloth can be the goal and the finished product, OR it can be a component that goes in to the artwork.

In The Nest, for example, I used a couple techniques Lynn covers in creating the background fabric, the nest, and the eggs.    In a quilt that I will share with you next week, Insalata, I dyed the fabric for the background but it just wasn’t quite enough.  So I used paint and a couple stencils to create background texture that got the fabric from “pretty good” to “just right.”  That’s exactly what Lynn’s book is about:  getting the fabric you need for the idea in your head / the project you want to make.

For novices to surface design, this book is a great start.  For folks like me who have tried it some but just weren’t jazzed, this book is a great way to help focus random flinging of paint into a process that will give you something with which to create (instead of a pile of “what am I going to do with that now?” cloth).  HIGHLY Recommended!

So if you want to WIN A COPY, here’s what to do:  go to Lynn’s website and blog,  Then come back here and  leave a comment  by 5 pm East Coast Time on Saturday, October 18th (that’s SOON), and tell me something that you liked about her website and/or blog.   Here’s her site, Smudged Textiles Studio and her blog.  I’ll post the winner probably on Sunday–Eli has a Cross Country meet that will last all day Saturday.   ENJOY!

And thank you Lynn for offering a copy of your book…I LOVE IT!

25 Responses to “Intentional Printing by Lynn Krawczyk and giveaway!”

  1. Susan Kennedy Says:

    Wow! Such inspiring work! I especially like the comment about worrying about not having enough time– spend 10 minutes creating, rather than sitting and worrying about it. I’m going to take time out to make thermofax screens from some of my inspiration photos and sketches.

  2. Kathryn Says:

    I’ve just spent a bit of time enjoying Lynn’s blog and loved her piece about “How to make are in 10 minutes”. Thanks for the inspiration!

  3. Vicki W Says:

    I’ve been following Lynn’s blog and FB page for a long time. She’s very inspiring and VERY funny. I wish she lived near me (and wish you did too!). This book is on my next buy list for sure!

  4. Sue Andrus Says:

    I have also followed Lynn on FB, and have loved seeing what new she has been showing. her book looks like so much fun! I also love the bright cheerful header on her site… 🙂

  5. Susan Armstrong Says:

    Reading Lynn’s blog is a joy, the entries are concise and straight to the point. They are also very informative. Love it!

  6. Beverly Hart Says:

    i enjoyed Lynn’s ‘where I stand Sunday’ posts, in addition to all her other inspirational content. And her art work is gorgeous too!

  7. Julie Mackey Says:

    Thank you for introducing me to the book & author! Sounds like a great book, technique & learning experience!

  8. Dodie Holst Says:

    An artist cannot fail; it is a success to be one. ~ Charles Horton Cooley
    I also love her “Where I stand” photos. A sweet fun lady to have a class with too!

  9. Sharan Egan Says:

    I ❤️❤️❤️ Lynn’s layering … Revealing…concealing … Beautiful! Her enthusiasm is contagious 😉

  10. Cheryl Edwards Says:

    love the polarid type photographs and especially the photo of the run down building . Inspiring

  11. Whiskers Says:

    Lynn didn’t just give herself “permission”, she did “it”. I will be back to absorb more of her philosophy and work. I do understand about a studio becoming so overwhelmingly cluttered, crowded and out of control. I have one at the moment, and really need to take the time and organize, put away, and clean. When I am overwhelmed, I am paralyzed–all the way around.

  12. Kathleen Ely Says:

    Lynn’s blog and FB page have been on my daily reading list for about a year. If she’s not saying something wonderfully funny, she’s inspiring you with new takes on color and technique. I think Lynn is great!

  13. Marjolijn Says:

    What an inspirational photos I have seen on her blog and website. This book looks awesome. I love printing on fabrics.

  14. Dina Says:

    Really enjoyed lurking in Lynn’s blog. The Silver and Light video she posted, as well as many of her own comments, validated the way I feel when something JUST WON’T WORK. Yup, the seamy underside of the textile life, which I love so much…most of the time.

  15. Betty Hahn Says:

    loved her 10 minute suggestion! I’m adding her to my list of “must reads”. Thanks for sharing her with us!

  16. Sylvia Says:

    I like the hint she posted about snatching 10 minutes a day to work on your art! Thanks for the chance to win this wonderful book!

  17. Rebecca Lilly Segura Says:

    Love the book and love Lynn’s blog… Inspiring and delightful!

  18. Diane Says:

    I love Lynn’s work, can’t imagine not loving her book!

  19. judi Says:

    Enjoyed Lynn’s site and blog. Thanks for the links. Enjoyed the tutorials, might even give mistyfuse another chance. Her Where I stand and inspiration posts make me want to go back to visit. And her work! Love the mark making. I am just getting into painted fabrics, Intentional Printing sounds like just what I need! Thanks for the chance.

  20. Angela Says:

    I loved her photos! Very inspiring!

  21. Barbara Dahlberg Says:

    Love Lynn’s website. Chock full of her beautiful work and I like the layout, very inviting.

  22. Marcia Says:

    I enjoyed discovering Lynn’s site and blog. I really like the Tall Paintings!!
    Thanks!

  23. Judy Carpenter Says:

    Thanks for introducing me to Lynn’s new book! I’ve been out of the loop for a while, but am happily dipping my toes back in to surface design and art quilting. I certainly understand about creating fiber art that later won’t work with the piece one has in mind! I loved looking at Lynn’s photo of the brick building with the windows partially opened, and also her state my that she is 2 deadlines behind with the quilting bee group – who isn’t behind these days?!!
    Thanks for offering this giveaway and introducing me to Lynn’s book. Even if I don’t win, I’ll be purchasing her book.
    xxoo
    Judy

  24. Catherine Says:

    I too have been intimidated by some the surface design techniques I have wanted to try… and This does seem so much more doable. I’m inspired by this!

  25. Sarah Ann Smith Says:

    Any comments left after this one will be appreciated and read but won’t be part of the drawing, which has now ended.