Do any of you use watercolor pencils or Inktense pencils to color fabric for use in your quilting?

I learned about this when trying to find something for my mother to do in the nursing home. Now I'm hooked on it, too. I use Derwent watercolor pencils and Derwent Inktense pencils (ink that is permanent color ). I use the dry pencils to color/shade the design. Then I brush on aloe vera gel using a very short, small, stiff brush. The gel activates the color, so it goes into the fabric but prevents bleeding. Water is very hard to control and will allow the color to bleed.

Here is my first journal quilt, 8" x 10", that I finished yesterday. I found an image on the internet, enlarged and cropped it, printed in black/white, traced the major lines in pen, and traced the design on fabric. I use a high quality muslin (Legacy Studio from Jo-Ann's) or a high quality cotton sateen (draw on the shiny side).

Love this!

Wow!!!! Gorgeous, you did a great job.

Fabulous

Beautiful! I have a copy of an episode of Lap quilting with G. Bonsteel on my DVR where they show this technique. I won't let my husband erase it because "someday" I am going to try it.

Really love your lily.

That's gorgeous!

That's gorgeous!!

You did a superb job on this. Love it!

Oh wow! This is beautiful!

Beautiful.

That is a neat technique. You did a beautiful job on it!

Beautiful!!!!

Beautiful!! Would love to try that technique. I assume that you quilted it first, then colored it?

i love your first page!
i use colored pencils and inktense pencils also but i don't do (art-quilts) i dye alot of my own fabrics and play with color/design alot- the pencils are great for highlighting and enhancing- and just great fun!
when you wet the colors- and blend them they are then permenent when dry.

That is so neat. If your mother likes to do it give her a block a week, soon she will have made a quilt for a grandchild or you. I wish I would have known of this when my mother was alive.

I love it!! Are you familiar with Irena Bluhm? She does alot of this technique.

I color and then quilt.

I know Irena quilts first, but I haven't tried this yet.

Here is Jill Buckley's blog describing her technique:
Inktense pencils and aloe vera gel
http://thequiltrat.blogspot.com/sear...e%20Vera%20Gel

I'm also getting started drawing zentangles with color and quilting.

That is beautiful..

Thanks for your compliments. I am amazed that the Lily turned out so well!

http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-131154-1.htm

I just now saw the posts on the iris with colored pencils. I'm need to check recent posts more often.

Absolutely stunning...thankyou for the info...I have wanted to get into this type of quilting, but haven't yet...I am very interested....love your journal... :thumbup: :thumbup:

wow that is so intrresting, and you done great job

Spectacular! What reference do you suggest to help learn this technique? Or are you thinking about (hint, hint) writing a tutorial for us?

Fantastic!! Please show us more! And tell us all your secrets!! I just love your picture!!!!!!

Gorgeous...really adds depth and colour to the piece.

You use aloe Vera gel, but what kind?

Stunning I love it something I am going to have to try

I learned about colored pencils by searching for... colored pencil on fabric.

Read Jill Buckley's blog and just try it.

Be sure you use the clear aloe vera gel...not lotion.

When you shade with the pencils, start with the lightest color. Then add medium shades and then darker. Of course, look for the areas where the light shines and where the shadows are.

Here is the first quilt I did with colored pencils...actually finishing up what my mother colored and then doing the quilting.

spectacular! Do more!

Amazing. So beautiful

Beautiful!

I love the Derwent Watercolor pencils, but I use fabric medium on mine. I add water only when I want the color to bleed and spread out, but with the fabric medium I can get some fabulous fine detail with just the watercolor pencils.

Fantastic.

I posted pictures from the SLC quilt show, it had a lot of Irena Bluhm's works. I took a lot of detail pictures of the quilts themselves, but also the tags that went with the quilts that show which book they are displayed in, and her technique for each quilt.

http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-121601-1.htm

Wow :shock: This is beautiful :!:

WOW! These are gorgeous. Think I'll have to look into this technique.

wow! gorgeous! adding this to the list of techniques I hope to try later (when I get a bit better at this quilting thing)

What a great idea for all abilities. Yours is fantastic!