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On a trip to the magnificent city of Jaipur, I got hooked on blocked printing and came home with armfuls of gorgeous scarves, place mats and napkins, and yards of fabric. I also picked up a few small, hand-carved wooden blocks in the shapes of animals including tigers, elephants, peacocks and camels. Using these blocks today, I am instantly transported back to India with all its vivid colors and so many other wonderful memories.
For this simple project, I am using small organic cotton muslin bags (you can easily find these online) and a variety of paints I have on hand. If you don't have bags, anything in cotton or linen will work fine as long as it is clean and pressed smooth.
To start, pour a little paint into a ramekin. I like using bright, cheerful colors so today's choices are metallic green and tangerine orange. Place the bag on an old towel or piece of felt. Having a little give as you press down will help register better prints. Using a round sponge, dab the paint lightly on the block. Now comes the fun part- center the block on the bag a press down evenly. Tah-dah! Now just repeat the process in an endless variety of patterns.
Don't worry about perfection! Every print image will be slightly different - that's the beauty of a handmade object. Let the paint dry for a couple of hours. For a final bit a pizzaz, I embellish my designs with a little glitter. It adds just the right pop and fun.
Enjoy the creative process!
Done!