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In this issue of Quilting Arts Embellishments, we give you a great way to "produce" paper, a sale on back issues, and news about "QATV." |
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Recycle Your Vegetable Garden into Beautiful Papers
Some people compost their leftover vegetables, but fiber artists interested saving the planet may also want to slice up some "garbage paper," like Quilting Arts reader Sally Rorback has done. She based her experiments on the book Vegetable Papyrus by Maureen Richardson (Berrington Press).
"All paper is made from cellulose, which is found in most plants,' says Sally. "In order to get the cellulose in the fibers to stick to itself you have to wet the plant material, so the cells in the fibers can fill with water, and then press the water out of it. This technique is similar to that used for making real papyrus, so it is a very old method of creating paper. The only slightly unusual piece of equipment needed for this process is a screw press. These are not too hard to find, and not too expensive; they can also be made at home by determined folk.
"This process can take as long as two or three days, depending on the weather. Sometimes I hurry the procedure along by finishing the paper in a 200-degree F oven for 30 minutes or so, but this is only at the very end, to make sure there will be no mold, etc. Parboiling rids the vegetable matter of unwanted fats and lignins, and, hopefully insect eggs, etc." Materials:
- Fruits and vegetables
- Pot, stove, and water
- Finely woven cotton fabric (or non-woven interfacing)
- Newsprint
- A screw press
Directions:
- Slice the fruit or vegetables into 1/8", 1/4", or 1/2" slices (depending on the toughness of the vegetable matter being used). Slices can be horizontal or vertical, or you can peel the skin (such as on a scallion).
- Parboil the plant material anywhere from 1 to 5 minutes, depending on the toughness of the vegetable.
- Arrange the slices in any pattern you like on a piece of cotton cloth that has as little "grain" as possible. Be sure to overlap the slices, as this is what holds the piece together.
- Place another piece of the fabric on top of the design, thereby making a sandwich with the veggies in between the sheets of cotton cloth.
- Place the sandwich between several sheets of newsprint, and then repeat the process, piling the sandwiches on top of one another.
- Insert the sandwiches in the screw press and gradually tighten it more and more. As the newspapers get wet, remove and replace them with dry ones. It is important to change the newspaper when it gets pretty damp, as leaving it to sit when it's wet causes mold to grow. Keep tightening the press and replacing the newspapers until the veggie-paper has dried out completely.
Note: The veggie-papers may lose their color after some time, especially if the piece is exposed to direct sunlight, says Sally. "They will continue to show the internal structure of the plant, though. I have some veggie papers that are years old and still show their color."
Look for more great fiber art recycling ideas in our "Go Green!" issue of Quilting Arts Magazine, due on newsstands August 1. |
 Single issues now 25% off!
For a limited time, we've lowered the price on single-issue sales of Quilting Arts Magazine back issues, from $7.99 to $5.99, plus shipping.
Subscribers take an additional 10% off this fantastic price.
If you've always wanted to complete your set of Quilting Arts*, or get extra copies of a favorite issue, now's the time.
*Note: Issues 2-6 are out of print. |
 We're blushing:
Praise for 'QATV' DVDs
We're so proud of our PBS series, "Quilting Arts TV," but then, we're biased. However, we've received many kind and enthusiastic words about the series and the DVDs from our subscribers, customers, and others in the know.
"I can't wait for the Series 200 [DVDs] to get here. I watch [Series] 100 over and over--it gives me so many ideas! Keep all of this wonderful stuff coming...I am in crafters' heaven."
From Peggy Huffman in San Francisco, CA
"Just letting you know that I ordered the ["Quilting Arts TV"] DVD and it arrived today. The first CD is playing beautifully on my laptop.
Thanks and congratulations to everyone involved in its production--it's as wonderful as the magazines."
From Patricia Savina in North Queensland, Australia
And this quote from a lengthy and glowing review by Diane Gilleland, host and editor of CraftyPod.com: The blog & podcast all about making stuff:
"I totally love the series--now I have a ton of new ideas to play with. It's fast-paced, full of content, and visually gorgeous. Well done!" | |
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