Thu, 2006-08-24 00:00
[Posting earlier than usual but then I’m not used to Eastern time. —fl]
The big secret to making direct prints on t-shirts with real stinging nettles is to not mind the sting.
Happy HNT (or Half-nekkid Thursday!)
Submitted by 886 (not verified) on Wed, 2006-08-23 20:55.
You are so cute ;)
HHNT!
[Thanks, Crimson. Happy Half-NT. --fl]
Submitted by 886 (not verified) on Wed, 2006-08-23 20:57.
That is great! What are stinging nettles?
Happy HNT!
~xo
[Hey, Lee Ann. Stinging nettles are plants that grow, well, all over the world. They're fairly nondescript plants except they have these tiny, almost invisible hairs on the stems and leaves that pierce your skin and release irritating chemicals when you brush up against them. There are a number of medicinal, metaphorical, and even occasional BDSM uses for the plant. I was at a craft print-making workshop with my children last weekend and one of the things we did was make t-shirts with silkscreen ink and local plants. My son (who's a major wilderness plant awareness kid at age nine) suggested we use nettles instead of ferns. It was kind of fun but yeowch! :-) It's fun wearing the shirt and having people say "woah, those look like nettles!" Happy Half-NT. Thanks! --fl]
Submitted by 886 (not verified) on Wed, 2006-08-23 21:02.
Someone was up for a challenge, huh? Stinging nettles...OUCH.
HHNT!
[Yup, It's actually not that bad if you grab them very firmly. The problem is when you're putting ink on them and then you forget and touch them lightly instead. Thanks, Felicity. And Happy Half-NT to you. --fl]
Submitted by 886 (not verified) on Wed, 2006-08-23 21:18.
Now that's a nice design, I'm liking that. Seriously, did you do that print yourself? It's great.
[Yeah, I did it myself. Picked the nettles from the verge of a nearby forest, laid everything out, applied the ink, and made the prints. I made some for my children as well, using both nettles and native blackberry branches. Thanks, Astra. --fl]
Submitted by 886 (not verified) on Wed, 2006-08-23 21:49.
Awesome. Love the shirt! :)
HHNT ;)
[Thanks, Chelle! Happy Half NT to you. --fl]
Submitted by 886 (not verified) on Wed, 2006-08-23 22:19.
Although I love the shirt... hearing the words "stinging nettle" gives me the willeys... I had a run in with a few plants a couple of years ago... It was not pretty. :)
You always have the most original HNT's... I love 'em..
Sage xox
[Yeah, while I was making the shirts people kept coming by and telling me different things that supposedly help with the sting. (And it really is easy to get 'em, you really just barely have to brush against a leaf tip with bare skin to have it sting like fire.) The most sensible advice is to rub it with... um... I can't remember the plant name... lovage maybe? but anyway I know what it looks like. It grows in the same places nettles do so it's usually close to hand. The kinkiest thing I heard was that you can pee on the sting but I'm pretty sure that wouldn't work. (Peeing will work, incidentally, for blisters but please don't ask how I know that.) Thanks, Sage. --fl]
Submitted by 886 (not verified) on Wed, 2006-08-23 22:55.
WOW. That is truly cool. Well done.
HHNT!
[Thanks, Becca. Happy H-Nekkid T. --fl]
Submitted by 886 (not verified) on Wed, 2006-08-23 23:00.
As much as writing is a necessary part of my life, I need the balance of art that is tactile and visual, be it cooking, gardening, or other crafts. It puts things right after too many hours at the computer.
Your shirt is lovely, figleaf!
[Thanks, Kochanie. --fl]
Submitted by 886 (not verified) on Thu, 2006-08-24 00:43.
what a clever clever hnt!
*wink*
[Thanks, Spitfire! --fl]
Submitted by 886 (not verified) on Thu, 2006-08-24 01:41.
Oh, very cool! I like it!
HHNT
[Thanks, Susie! Glad you liked it. H Half-NT to you too. --fl]
Submitted by 886 (not verified) on Thu, 2006-08-24 03:15.
What a neat effect! Very nice shirt and clever HNT, Figleaf. Enjoy the right coast.
[Thanks, Suzy! I'm having a very nice time. (I'd forgotten how edibly luscious the Connectecut Valley is even without the fall colors.) --fl]
Submitted by 886 (not verified) on Thu, 2006-08-24 08:25.
Now, why is it that the phrase "make it sting" has my mind racing?
hmm....
Thanks...
HHNT
[Heh. Thanks, MG. And HHN Thursday. --fl]
Submitted by 886 (not verified) on Thu, 2006-08-24 08:44.
Next week on "Crafting with Figleaf," it's making lotion out of poision ivy.
:D
Ow! Stinging nettles? That sounds really painful!
[They really burn more than they sting. A lot of BDSM people use them so it's that kind of pain. Probably fine if you're in subspace, not so hot if you weren't expecting it. I haven't had much luck with subspace but I was expecting it so it wasn't so bad. Made playing the guitar a little different that evening. Sort of like eating Altoids after Thai food. :-) Thanks, AAG. By the way, was I *really* so swamped with work last week I missed your over the top (or under the bottom) photo? I must have needed this vacation. :-) Thanks again, AAG. --fl]
Submitted by 886 (not verified) on Thu, 2006-08-24 22:03.
(Peeing will work, incidentally, for blisters but please don't ask how I know that.) Thanks, Sage. --fl]
Ummmm fig... you really can't expect me to not be curious about the answer to a statement like that... :)You really have to spill...
secretlysage@gmail.com
Sage xox
[I guess you're right (though I did say please.) Basically when I got my first day-labor landscaping job years and years ago I quickly started to get blisters from the shovel and wheelbarrow handles. One of the old-timers, a cheery ex-con named, I think, Sonny, said "Aww son, you gotta go piss on 'em." I could tell he wasn't just pulling my chain (he seemed more embarrassed than proud) and enough of the other old timers agreed so I tried it. It really does toughen your calluses faster than not peeing on them though, to be honest, I've rarely been so motivated (or hungry) not to get fired that I've needed to do it. Thanks, Sage. --fl]
Submitted by 886 (not verified) on Sat, 2006-08-26 04:09.
Great T-shirt, fig, but don't they have latex gloves over there?
[There were gloves to be had but I didn't learn this till after. Also the spines on the lower stems are heavy enough that I'm not sure thin gloves would have helped. But yeah, next time! Thanks, Freebird. --fl]