Soldering Tutorials - Art Tutorial 16, Extraordinaire, By Lynne Suprock

Soldering Tutorials- Art Tutorial 16, Extraordinaire

By Lynne Suprock

Over the past few months, I put together four simple, but popular videos that feature the "How-To's" of basic jewelry soldering techniques.  These techniques are not my own innovations.  The process of soldering has been around for dozens of years and used in various art or commercial media.  It takes practice and lots of work to incorporate this media into your own awesome projects 

These basic videos come in handy for students who want to learn the basic how-to's of soldering before completing projects in a class.  Click each link and watch these short and sweet, easy- peasy tutorials and ENJOY!

How to Solder A Jump Ring To Charms

How To Make Solder Dots

How To Solder A Circle Necklace

How To Stamp Into Solder - Successfully

How To Alter An April Cornell Piece Using Extra Fabric And A Gel Press: Art Project Tutorial 15

How To Alter An April Cornell Piece Using Extra Fabric And The Gel Press: Art Project Tutorial 15

By Lynne Suprock

Oh my, oh my, OH MY!  Seriously, there's been a sewing frenzy here once again!  Oh heavens…. the paints, the Gel Press, the scissors, and this poor little, sad little, old little shift, all meeting up on my dining room table…..and then strewn there  for days!  Lol

So the back story goes…. in 1986, I actually discovered the April Cornell line of dresses and honest to gosh, swooned.  I did not have the money to spend on the outfits that I coveted, but on outlet sale day in Baltimore….. I got an ensemble!!   This wine colored silky frock came with a navy tulle over coat that had matching embroidery.   Ou la la.  Well, ou la la in 1986 anyway!

So now it is 2018, but I throw away no outfits once coveted.  The tulle coat still makes an appearance, although a bit tattered.  However, this shift has definitely seen better days…..did I just say DEFINITELY seen better days?  Be that as it may, I wanted to experiment, and sew I did.  J

Let’s walk through the transformation.  This time I am using Gel Press with my fav stencil for March, "Scribble Scratch", from Carolyn Dube and Stencil Girl Stencils.  I think the best thing to do with this dress is to add a few good pleats.  For those inserts, I will pop slices of color onto the fabric.

Step one:  This will always be my Step One... so I will type it and reaffirm. Take a deep breath and say....."well, I don't like it anyway, so nothing I do to this piece is going to make it worse"...... lol. Now proceed to step two!

Step two:  Find that extra fabric to paint, cut, and insert later into pleats.  Lay out your stencil and measure so you will have enough to cut for the six pleats. Set that fabric aside for now and move on to let's say..... make an over slip of another colored fabric that will match the eventual pleats.  I thought why not?!

I have a fav Tina Givens pattern that would work perfect for an over slip, and I liked a see through gray sheer nylon fabric, so decided to use that with the pattern.  As well, I thought I would add a wine colored trim!  Oh yeah.  That was the yum!

Step three:  Follow the pattern instructions.  I left the facing off the sleeves and neckline, and just turned, pinned and sewed the fabric under.

 The trim was pinned and sewn into place.  The whole slip was so lightweight and had such movement.  

Step four:  Time to paint, paint, paint!  So, here we go.  Keeping it simple, I used equal amounts of GAC-900 and Golden acrylic, mixing in a teflon pan for ease.

Step five:  I could hardly wait to get my awesome Stencil Girl Stencil onto the Gel Press.  Then I rolled the paint generously over the total stencil, and removed it.

Step six:  Each of the square pieces of fabric that were cut to the length and width of the widest part of the pleat to be inserted.  Then, each piece was gently smoothed over the Gel Press and allowed to dry.  In between gel pressing the fabric pieces, I wiped off the press with a baby wipe and repeated the process of rolling paint over the stencil times six.

Step seven: I collected all six panels, cut them, and pinned them behind the vertical slits cut into the shift.

Step eight:  I made the final press at this point and of course.... put on one of my necklace designs and..... swirled around the yard for a sorta fashion show!  :-)  Again, great accolades to the photographer!

Follow me on FB where you can instant message me with any questions.  I also have an Instagram page at lynne_suprock

If you like video tutorials, join me for a few on www.youtube.com/user/lsuprock

Stay tuned for the next Segment, with more stories, images, and tips throughout the weeks and months ahead

How To Alter A FLAX Bag Into A Wearable Frock: Art Project Tutorial 14

How To Alter A FLAX Bag Into A Wearable Frock: Art Project Tutorial 14

by Lynne Suprock

SEW.....  not much around here stays plain for very long.....

A few months ago a good friend sent me a few things from her local FLAX boutique.  Let me say, "I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, FLAX clothes" and was sew excited when the package arrived.  Anywho, there was also a plain cloth bag that arrived in the package along with my ensemble, and although it was FLAX awesome as well, it screamed for a chance to live the dream of being an actual supercalifragilistic FLAX wearable.  

And "SEW" again……….  I decided to give it a whirl and set out to alter the hungry little bag into a marvelously stitcherized frock!  Apologies. I don't have my image of the bag in its before state.  Close your eyes and imagine a basic sac with handles, tag on the inside.  OK? Ok.

First things, first.  Let's turn it inside out to see that adorable little FLAX tag. Yep, let's leave the tag showing! Next it was time to tear out the bottom bag seams and then cut the fabric off, straight across the bottom.  That gave me some extra fabric right away. I used that fabric to create a few free motion stitched appliqués as add-ons.  

Next it was time to remove the bag handles and stitch them on their opposite sides, to use as jumper shoulder pieces. I also removed the side seams so I could later add 3" from the shirt mentioned below, to have better movement under the arm part of the piece. Heart flower motifs made nice appliques, so a few were added and eventually sewn with black thread and free motion stitching. 

This is where things got a little crazy because it was time to introduce my FLAX hybrid to the make or break supercalifragilistic moment regarding a must have union with a neutral colored thrift store shirt.  (Men's size large). I cut two, 2" strips, from the shirt and free motion stitched the word “wirth” to one of those strips.  Both of the strips were positioned in the back, their ends sewn between the repositioned bag handles, to keep it all from slipping off my shoulders later.  

Out of the rest of the rest of the shirt, came two side panels under the arm areas and a purposefully uneven strip to add to the bottom.  Too plain again......so I free motion stitched some more hearts, in black, along the bottom of the added fabric.   The string of hearts matched the free motion appliqué designs earlier placed on the front of the frock.

A little bit of tidying loose threads and hemming it all up, ahhhh .......and voila.  

This was a fast, free, and fun frock to make and layer over another smock or wear over leggings. 

And yes, indeed, I paired the outfit with one of my little purse necklaces.  Yum.  Kudos to the photographer!

Frock Over A Smock...

A Different Look Over Leggings...

Follow me on FB where you can instant message me with any questions.  I also have an Instagram page at lynne_suprock

If you like video tutorials, join me for a few on www.youtube.com/user/lsuprock

Stay tuned for the next Segment, with more stories, images, and tips throughout the weeks and months ahead