frog dog studio: October Gelli Plate : Trick or Treat Bag

Splat the Cat

Trick or Treat Bag

Created with

the Gelli Plate

There are so many creative ways to "Gelli"

Just looking around here at Frog Dog, you'll find many great ideas

posted by the gifted Design Team:)

I've been inspired by all of them!

This month, our Gelli project features a Hand Painted Trick or Treat Bag

using of course, the Gelli Plate

I started with this basic pattern, found at Etsy here.

Using an inexpensive muslin, I began by creating a background for the outside of the bag.

I recently purchased this cute green micro dot print, and this gave me direction for choosing the color palate.

(it will be the lining of the bag)

I decided on these colors, and mixed each paint (2:1) with a Textile Medium that would then allow the painted fabric to be soft and permanent when laundered.

Acrylic Paints Used:

Folk Art Clover

Americana Desert Turquoise

Plaid Pumpkin Orange

Textile Medium/Delta Ceramcoat

The second inspiration for this project came from my 2 1/2 year old Granddaughter Annabelle.

(who will be an Owl this year...her Mom made the costume...it is ADORABLE!! I think she found it on Pinterest...)

Annabelle LOVES Splat the Cat...and this bag will be hers:)

If you haven't seen one of "Splat's" videos or read any of his books, check out this cute video introduction.

(Splat is British-He calls His Mom, MUM)

The First layer of color used on the muslin was Blue.

(I am SOO sorry...I somehow neglected to take pictures of the blue, but if you look below, the same process was used for the Green)

I "loaded up" the Gelli Plate with the paint, spreading it on with a brayer. I then placed a 12 x 12 Diamond Stencil on top of the Gelli Plate, rolling over it a few times with the brayer. I lifted up the stencil, and then pressed the

cut muslin onto the Plate.

I did this process several times, moving the fabric each time at different angles, in order to fully cover.

(The fabric piece is larger than the Gelli Plate -13 x 15)

The Second layer of color I added was green.

Using the same process...

1.) place several "dots" of paint on Gelli Plate & spread by

rolling w/brayer

2.) lay down stencil (in this case the "dots")

-press with hands or roll over it with brayer

3.) lift up the stencil

4.) press fabric (already "gellied" with blue diamonds) onto

prepared plate

I did this process for both the front & back pieces of the bag.

Repeat until you're happy with the "blend" of color.

If you want to paint a "subject" on top of the finished background and you are not super confident in your drawing ability, find an image online that you like, print it out, and then cut it out.

You can use that to "trace" in pencil (or if you're brave, an extra fine black permanent PITT pen), with a plan to "fill in" the details.

This is the image I used...SPLAT has a Halloween Book..."Scaredy-Cat Splat!"

You can see the detail of the "Gellied" Background in the photo above:)

I love how it looks with the micro dot fabric I used for the lining, handles, and bow.

Look above...I wanted to make sure you could see that my outline was far from "perfect". You can adjust your lines, because you will be covering them up with paint:)

I used a White Signo Uni-ball pen to add details, and to sketch the spider.

(I could not find any information on whether or not you can "heat set" the ink from these Signo pens to ensure a permanent application)

If you know you will want to launder the bag, make sure to use permanent pens or paints prepared for fabric with a textile medium.

I made sure I pressed every inch of painted fabric with an iron...hoping this would do the trick.

YOU MUST HEAT SET ALL PAINTED AREAS

(When heat setting with an iron: make sure you place another piece of fabric between the painted piece and the iron.)

To achieve Splat's "fluffy/scratchy" fur, I feathered the ink all the way around him with the Signo pen in black.

I used an XS Black Pitt Pen for the details along with an Orange Pitt Big Brush Pen for depth on the Pumpkin.

(both of these pens are permanent)

Above is a close-up of the "Gellied" background fabric.

I added orange dots, using the same orange paint previously mixed...applied by dipping the end of a pencil eraser in the paint & stamping onto fabric.