Packing dust

Good day everyone.  I have a lot of household chores to do today, but I finished the heart and wanted to show you.  I put it on a sampler to give you an idea of its size.  Sawdust was my filling choice and I just love it.  The quilt batting is great for some items like ornaments (and pears), but the crushed walnut shells and sawdust have such a great heft and feel for pincushions.  I know that many are appalled by its use because wood fibers are acidic but I'll be long gone and this will be dumped in a box for an estate sale when I'm gone.  Let them worry about it.  I always use a very lightweight fusible so the fine dust doesn't release, and I have no idea if that protects the fabric from the sawdust.  It wasn't until I purchased a pincushion from Susan Hoover of Olde Threads that I fell in love with dust.  And osnaburg for stitching.  The feel of her work was unlike anything I had done and I just kept playing with my new piece, kneading and patting it like a monkey with a doll.  So I tried it.  Na-uh.  So I tried again.  Much better!  Now I use it more often.

 I packed and packed and smacked and pressed until it was nice and dense.  To give you an idea, this tall container was filled with dust, and all of it is in the top curves of the heart.  I use the bottom of my tack hammer, a large dowel, paint brush handles, paint can openers as a rake, fingers, anything without sharp points to pack it in. 

 

As I reach the opening, I keep a threaded needle going, and add a line of glue to close as I go.  I'm not a  neat stitcher when closing and the glue just assures that the dust will stay put.  But I have to work fast because once the glue starts drying the needle is difficult to pull through.  When completed, you can squeeze to shape, smack to flatten, or pinch to fill a wrinkle.  It's like silly putty in dust form.

Squeak was here this morning, tried to eat, stayed most of the morning, and wouldn't let me close enough.  I can't waste the pill in his food if he's not eating.   He stares at the house, wanting me to help and it's killing me.  I tried 5 flavors of food, put his vitamins in cream, but he only consumes a little.   On the other hand, this fat cat is doing just fine.

 

And Momma is bringing the babes for breakfast and twice in the afternoon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I need to get my year older butt in gear and clean this house.  I was so glad to see Kathy Barrick's post on her studio mess.  I think we all need to share photos like that so we know we aren't alone.  You go first.

 

Have a wonderful day as the month of June slips by.  Damn.

 

Thanks for visiting.

 

 

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