Design Inspiration. Planet Stencil Library.

How to make a stencilled draught excluder.

A creative way to keep chills at bay this winter is to make a draught excluder.

Start by measuring the width of your door. Your draught excluder needs to be longer then your door width. This is important as to ensure the draught excluder is a snug fit and keeps the draught out.

We chose a sausage style shape with drawstrings either side for a decorative style. We also made a removable cover, but that's just because we're posh. We used wadding as a filler, but you can just stuff it with old rags pushed into stockings or tights.

For our outer cover we used a black velvet to create a luxurious look.

Factory Fabrics of Prudhoe is an excellent source for lengths of velvet.

How to stencil the fabric:

Launder and iron your fabric. After ensuring the material is crease free apply a light coat of Spraymount onto a smooth work surface and smooth the fabric onto it. The slight tack on the surface ensures that the material stays in place while stenciling. Apply another light mist of Spraymount to the back of the stencil and position it onto the fabric.  Lining the stencil against the selvedge is handy if a straight line is needed. 

Work off any access paint onto paper towel, then stencil in light circular motions, building up the colour as you go. Repeat the stencil by using the registration marks. We used SIB19-S Elizabethan stencil. A slightly smaller version of the same stencil is included in 'Stencil It' by Helen Morris.  A matt off-white acrylic paint was chosen to contrast against the black velvet. 

Now you have stenciled the fabric , here is how to make the draught excluder...

We started by making our inner 'sausage' for the excluder.

Take a material such as cotton (an old pillow case or sheet could be ideal) cut out a rectangular shape, depending on how fat you want the draught excluder to be. Mark 1.5cm  inwards from both sides of the rectangle. This is the seam allowance. With right sides together pin and stitch the seams to make one long strip. Leave a gap for turning through. Cut out two circles, these will be the ends of the draught excluder. pin and stitch the circles to both ends. Turn though. Stuff it and stitch up the gap. You now have a smart,  lump free, sausage shape.

Make the cover: Take your stenciled material and wrap around the sausage shape. Not too tight, leave a lose fit. Mark where the ends meet, draw a line. Now fold over the top and bottom of the material. Pin and sew. This is where the drawstrings will thread through. Fold the fabric so stencilled sides are together. Pin and sew along the marked line leaving a 7cm gap half way. Iron seams and turn through. Stuff the basic sausage shape into the stenciled cover. Sew the gap using a blind stitch and matching thread. Cut out two neat circles from velvet, slightly bigger than the ends of the sausage shape. Choose a cord or a strong ribbon for your drawstrings. Turn through so the stencilled side is now showing. Thread drawstrings and tuck the circles into place over both ends. Pull tightly and finish with a decorative bow.

You can even get fancy and add a loop or a hanging tab for storage purposes.

The ends are ruched together to give a decorative effect.

Top Tips:

1. When ironing velvet, place fuzzy sides together so as not to crush the pile of the velvet. Alternatively press the fabric with the fuzzy side onto a soft towel. 

2. If spraying the work surface with the repostioning adhesive ( Spraymount) to stop your fabric moving whilst stencilling is not practical try this.. cover the work surface completely with lining paper. Spray the paper with a light misting of adhesive and smooth the fabric onto that. 

Ashley.

Florentine Icons and Susi Bellamy

If you are in or around Hexham, Northumberland you have until December 10^th to see Icons and Abstracts a collection of works by artist Susi Bellamy. The exhibition is showing at the Robinson Gay Gallery.  Susi used to be a resident of Florence, Italy. Whilst visiting the Accedemia Museum in Venice she was trapped by the twice yearly floods that hit the city.  Susi spent the hours wisely, she sketched the key components of Italian iconography.

Susi employs techniques of gilding, collage, print and is now incorporating stencilling into her work.  She reckons that she is drawn to collage from her days as a fashion editor for Conde Nast.  She says I can not help but crop and edit!

She has just sent me some photos of the work with stencils, they are looking good. Another time I will show those.

Helen.

Restoration Nightmare and the rise of Rise Hall

Stencils from The Stencil Library.

I'm on both the stage and the tv tonight. Now, I don't say that very often. I have been rehearsing Annie the musical recently so I have missed every episode of Sarah Beeny's Restoration Nightmare on Channel 4.  I've had them recorded, to be enjoyed in quieter times. We are performing Annie all this week so I shall miss the episode on Nov 24th where I try to help Sarah Beeny and her husband to decorate part of Rise Hall in the style of The Brighton Pavilion.  Will I succeed?

Actually, I have no idea.  I gave as much information and useful tips as I could think of and I left them with some gorgeous stencils.  I did none of the actual work. They were upbeat and enthusiastic on the day.  Did their optimism last?  Again, I have no idea, we will have to watch and see.

Sarah and Graham are a resourceful, intelligent, hardworking couple and the bones of the room had huge potential.  But, they have several businesses to run, they have four children and work in London...which is at least four hours from Rise Hall.  

For those unfamiliar with the restoration nightmare series. Sarah Beeny and husband Graham Swift bought the derelict and decaying Rise Hall ten years ago.  The restoration of their 97 room mansion has been fraught with problems.  They need to restore it and earn an income from it so that it can become their full time home.  It is too isolated to develop into flats or an hotel.  The series follows the highs and lows of trying to realise their dream. Sarah says "Yes, I've definitely taken on too much. But I don't know what to give up".

I enjoyed my time with them, their team and their family, I really, really want them to succeed. 

I won't see the finished result of my contribution to their efforts until days after the programme airs.  I am usually fairly confident about my television appearances but this time I have this gnawing feeling that I looked and sounded like an idiot. Tune in... and tell me if I was right!

 

I'll use the watch again facility.  Find out more about the Rise Hall series and project here.

photo Andy Marshall via Rise Hall website. Empire stencil from The Stencil Library.

Helen

How to stencil.

I am now on YouTube chatting about the Stencil It book and showing how to use a stencil.

They are easy techniques to follow, one segment demonstrates free form stenciling and the other shows stencilling onto fabric.

I think I look like I need a good scrub... and a good nights sleep. However, the stencil demonstrations come across well,  there is lots of variety and parts of the stencilled house are shown.  The film was commissioned by Jacqui Small, the publishers of Stencil It.  

Please visit and if you found the clip helpful or interesting maybe leave them a comment.

Even better, please pass the link to anyone who may be interested.

Thanks, Helen.

Visit The Stencilled Home. New festive tour added

We have added an extra date for our festive event at The Stencilled Home at Stocksfield Hall this December.

The two dates are now Wed 7th Dec at 7pm and Sat 10th at 10.am.  This may be the last time that we host the tours around our Home so if you have wanted to visit, book now!  We can accomodate up to 30 visitors on the Wednesday but only fifteen on Saturday.

Tickets are £9.00 The event is expected to last around two and a half hours. It includes a tour of 12 rooms in The Stencilled Home with one of the resident artists.

This is followed by refreshments then I will give a demonstration of various stencil techniques.

Last year extra festive ornamentation was added to the rooms by design students from Newcastle College and  we hope to welcome another team this year.

Call us 01661 844844, email or leave a comment to book tickets.

The pictures were from the festive house tour last December.

Helen Morris.

 

A hair raising memory

Whilst rummaging through my inspiration files I found this photo.

I giggle at the memories it brought back. Years ago, this photo inspired me to set off down the country to a wig shop in Leeds.  I sat in a comfy chair whilst several styles and colours were pulled and teased around my ears. The assistants urged me to choose brown hair instead of black but Chips was with me and he had the casting vote...."whatever you want sweetie".  Usually, my hair is very bright red (good ole Loreal!) and long so this should have been a drastically different and glamorous look.

The next picture persuaded me to buy a tiara to go with the forthcoming wig.  I have collected a couple over the years but not a pearly one .. and her pearls looked so good with black hair. I even have a chrome ball just like the one in the photos, the look could have been complete, if I had the inclination to lug a chrome ball around with me.

I hunted and found the right shade of red lipstick and was set for the new look.  Six weeks later the wig arrived, it looked hideous.  It was shorter than the one that I tried, only by an inch or even less but it was all wrong and it wasn't as if the hair was going to grow.  Chips looked and suggested "maybe your head got fatter".

It was unwearable as anything but a comedy turn. It should have been returned but I put it in a drawer. I still had the red lippy...

and the pearly tiara ...and the shiny ball. It was a shame to waste the accessories so I dyed my hair black. 

What happened to the wig? Well, I am playing the part of Miss Hannigan in Annie the musical next week... the wig might just make it's debut at the dress rehearsal! My hair is restored to it's bright red state. 

Helen

PS. Ruby Woo by MAC is a good shade of red lipstick.

 

wonderful decorated ceilings from Gina Wolfrum

Meet a hugely talented decorative artist Gina Wolfrum.

I am in awe of Gina's talent and admire the decorative landscape that she creates. Her painted ceilings, I think are my favourite.

Look at the detail, when she sent me the photo it was titled 'night sky-3,600 Swarovski crystals'.  Eeeek, I thought that my guestroom was sparkly with it's 600 crystals .... but it looks a little pathetic compared to these.  Gina writes 'I should note that all I ever use are Swarovski crystals... nothing shines like them... and pictures never do them justice'  She might be right, click on any picture to enlarge it.

I met Gina recently but had read about her work in Modello By Design Vol 1. Published by Melanie Royals.

Gina often employs masking patterns made by Melanie Royal's company Modello Designs.

Modello are masking patterns cut from an adhesive film and this makes them extremely useful for creating intricately patterned painted ceilings. The Modello books volumes 1 and 2 feature inspiring photographs of works created by artists using Modello patterns.

You can preview or buy Gina's own book Elegant Ceilings by Elegant Finishes. Luckily the lady is not afraid of heights, I got giddy just looking at the pictures in her book!

Gina is based in Ohio and never seems to be short of work.  Her repertoire is not restricted to ceilings....You should see what she does with walls and floors.

Helen.

 

Flash sale 1 Regency Chair

The Morris ladies are are having a huge clearance in The Stencil Library shop, our homes... and even our wardrobes.

Stencil GMT53 Gothic repeat

Every so often I'll feature something from the sale that deserves a wider audience than our Stocksfield shop can acheive.  Today it's the turn of Rachel's stripy Regency style chair.

CO19 small peacock feather stencil.

It is narrow, neat and in pretty good condition.

CO4 and CO12 stencils

Gilded with Dutch metal and upholstered in striped, linen mattress ticking, this chair has appeared in many of our photos and now is looking for a perfect spot in someone else home. Price £65.00.

DM3 chevron decorating mask stencil.

The shop is open from 9 - 17.30. We close on Sundays and public holidays. Stocksfield Hall. NE43 7TN.

Helen

 

Morey at The Chicago Lash Lounge

An unusual and inventive way of using the Allium stencil appears on this manicure bar at The Chicago Lash Lounge.  The decoration at the lounge, is pink, playful and lots of fun.

It was the artistic creation of artist Morey Curtis-Dunbar of Painted, Brookfield, Illinois. Morey stencilled the allium seed heads over another stencil of funky checks that she bought from The Stenciled Garden.

A quite different interpretation of the allium stencil came from Spike Morris at The Stencil Library.  Spike stencilled the alliums onto a plain wall, not quite as inventive as Morey was...but then he is a cat.

Helen.

 

Stenciling with varnish

A subtle yet very effective surface decoration can be acheived by stencilling with acrylic gloss varnish onto a matt painted wall.

How to stencil with varnish.

Take a litle of the varnish onto the bristles of a good quality stencil brush.

Work the brush firmly round and round onto paper towel to distribute the varnish and dry the tips of the bristles. The varnish must be only moist, not wet when you stipple or circle the varnish through the holes in the stencil.

It is difficult to see where you have applied the varnish so do not be tempted to overload the brush.  The stencilling should be dry imediately so stencil it lightly again to make sure that all the shapes were filled in.

top picture DE11 Arts and Crafts stencil. Photo by Chris Tubbs from Wall Effects by Katie Ebben

middle picture. JA45 Mokko stencil, acrylic varnish & stencil brush from The Stencil Library

bottom picture. damask stencil from Stencil It by Helen Morris.

Helen.