Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Print Table Of Love

The studio is humming this week!


But the news that I'm having the most fun with this week is that I've found a brilliant way to utilize wasted space.

For a long time, I've had a small homemade table, approximately 31" x 46", sitting at the end of my primary work table. I've used it mostly as horizontal drying space and horizontal storage space... frankly, it was simply too low and I am too tall for it to be of much use for anything else. (Ten extra Brownie points to anyone who remembers what I used to have in that space and how I rigged it to provide a flat surface when needed!)

Last year when Greg and I originally built the table we used half inch melamine-covered plywood cut to size (any Hardware Big Box store will do this for you for free), and four telescoping legs from Ikea. The whole thing cost less than 50.00 and because the legs came with all their own hardware, took all of about 30 minutes to assemble. Of course, then I threw a tarp over it and forgot about the legs. The ones that, yanno, telescope.

This weekend, giving in to the demands of my back, I put my mind to the task of devising a tall print table. Predictably, it took me most of a full day to remember the table with t-e-l-e-s-c-o-p-i-n-g legs. Greg and I flipped the table over, pulled the legs out to their furthest position, and locked them in place. Presto, instant tall print table with bonus mondo storage space underneath.


Ok, so here it's not shown being used a a print table so much as an ironing station. Did I forget to mention how handy it is for that? As well as for photographing stuff. Painting stuff. Admiring stuff I've painted. You get the idea: basically it's just handy as snot.

Something fun I did this week on my shiny wonderful miraculous new print table with the telescoping legs was a little bleach discharge with a Thermofax screen and a Clorox Bleach gel pen.


While the pen does provide a narrow point that you could, if you were careful, write onto fabric with, I found it more useful to squeeze the gel out of the container into the well of my screen and pull it across the fabric with a squeegee. The consistency of the gel is absolutely perfect for this application.

(the pale brown areas were "discharged", or had their color chemically removed)

And it discharges hand-dyed fabrics beautifully. Of course, it's bleach so it still needs to be treated with care... If you're going to try this, wear a mask and gloves, please, and work in a well-ventilated room! The bleach also must be neutralized when using it to discharge fabric or it WILL eventually eat through the fibers. 

And yes, that's stacked journaling in the photo shown above. Fun, fun.

I feel like I'm back in the saddle again! Happy creating!

14 comments:

Diane Kelsey said...

What a good idea to buy your own table top, so much cheaper! Thanks for the tip, the Ikea table was next on my list for my work room.

Terri Stegmiller said...

Hmmmm, I can't say that I've ever thought of snot as being handy! Glad you rediscovered your telescoping table legs.

Anonymous said...

brilliant idea for a print table. Gonna go order some of those legs...

Robbie said...

Good to hear from you on your blog! I've been behind in reading dashboard/blogs. Great tips as usual!!

Fibra Artysta said...

Okay, that's it. I'm moving to texas and never leaving your studio...

The discharged stacked text is outstanding, I love it!

elle said...

Great! I'm liking tall tables. I'm even liking tall for sewing. No more of this hunching over. Things are looking good, Judi. Hope the saddle is super comfortable.

Gina said...

Great table - I just added more IKEA to my sewing room. Already have two of their tables (but making your own from their legs is even better!)and two walls of their shelves. Thank you to Terri for making me laugh twice at your 'handy' comment!

And your stacked journaling is sure moving along - great new 'layer' - love it!

Quilter Beth said...

Love your layered pieces. The stacked journaling is looking really good. Glad you are back to blogging again; I missed you.

Jules Rushing said...

Glad you fixed your table and are saving your back! I like the stacked journalling....I may have to try that on some pieces I dyed this week. Thanks for the inspiration!

Martha Marshall said...

Love the table! It would certainly solve the stooping over problem. Might have to do this too!

Your space is inviting and bright and inspiring!

Gayle Pritchard said...

Woohoo, life's little pleasures! I love discharging this way with the pen, too. The results are fab!

Vashti said...

If you can't come up with telescoping legs, you can try using bed risers under your table's legs. Since they are built to withstand the weight of a bed, they are quite sturdy.

Terry Jarrard-Dimond said...

Makes you wonder how you lived without it!

Wen said...

just found your blog- I love your creative spirt and urge to experiment. reading on....