272--Inked Muslin--Grades 2 (with help) & Up

This technique works for pillows or quilt-type projects. Muslin is very inexpensive and the results are bold and colorful.

Aims: To explore the technique of colored ink or watercolor on muslin
To create a thematic pillow, which may be integrated with academic curriculum

Materials & Tools:
Practice Paper
Pencil
Muslin (ironed)
India Ink
Bamboo Ink Pen or Whittled Stick/Stylus
Colored Inks, thinned with water
Note: Watercolors will work but won’t be as vibrant.

Optional: Needle, Thread, Polyfil stuffingc

Procedure:
Choose a theme. You could do self-portrait dolls, portrait dolls (these would be shaped pillows), plain portraits for a quilt such as “Great Women Through the Ages”, science themes, literature themes, designs, social studies themes, etc. Plants, animals, landscapes up close (the Jungle, the North Pole, etc.) work well.

Once you have your theme collect visuals to inspire your students. They will then sketch their ideas on practice paper and once they have worked it out, they need to either transfer the drawing to the muslin with transfer paper or redraw it.

Tape the muslin on a covered work area so it doesn’t slide around. Have your students go over their lines with the ink. It will be bloppy and splotchy but that is part of the charm! Let it dry completely. Next, paint colors using a watercolor brush. Wet on wet techniques are very nice. Be sure to have paper covering the table, so you don’t stain it. Do two sides. For a shaped pillow, you need at least 1” around the edge and the pieces have to be “opposite” so you can sew them together.

When dry, put right sides together and sew. Leave a few inches open for stuffing. Turn right side out, stuff and whipstitch the opening. Quilts only need to be sewn together and edged. You may want to have students make border strips for the edges.

There are so many variations for this project, just use your imagination. I would be disappointed in you if you ever repeated a theme!