I became particularly fond of working with a heat transfer press. The technique was often associated with inexpensive T-shirts, but it offered much more. I painted onto paper with heat transfer paints, then pressed the designs into fabric so the patterns became embedded in the material.
When I had access to a studio, I also screenprinted, though it was too messy to do at home. The hands pattern below was one of my favorites, inspired by traditional Iban tattoos. I designed it in Illustrator, printed it onto vinyl, and used the resulting stencil to apply the paint.
I also made blocked felt and straw hats. The process involved choosing blocks for the crown and brim, shaping the material around them with glue and plenty of pins, then sewing the pieces together. It was straightforward in principle but time-consuming in practice.
I called this one my Ice Cream Turban. Think '60s Bond girl meets Princess Bubblegum.
