Fresh Perspective
Heat & Shape
To shape your bowl use any small glass, metal or plastic bowl or vase (think bud vases). Search around your house, or check out a local dollar or thrift store. Look at your prospective forms upside down, since that's how you'll use them. See Finding a Form for tips on selecting a shape.
Preheat an electric oven to 300 F. Do not use a gas oven or microwave, and follow the foam manufacturer's safety warnings. Have your selected form ready, placed upside down over foil on a nearby hard surface. Use a reliable timer that counts seconds, and turn on the oven light.
When the oven is preheated, place the fabric sandwich on a foil-lined baking sheet, and put it in the oven. Begin timing and watch closely. It takes only two to three minutes before the edges start to curl. (Craft foam heats faster than Softsculpt.) Exact timing will vary by oven. If you smell any odor, take it out! Watch your timer and oven, and don't overdo it.
Remove the fabric sandwich (use oven mitts if you have heat-sensitive hands) and quickly place it right side down over the form. Try to center the sandwich over the form, adjusting as needed. Pressing firmly, hold the fabric against the form, and mold it with both hands until it cools. Move quickly; you only have about five seconds before the foam hardens.
Try shaping the fabric between two nesting bowls. Put the fabric sandwich over one bowl, then place the second bowl on top. This helps ensure equal pressure and may be easier for those with smaller hands.
Allow the bowl to cool, then turn it right side up to see what you've created. If necessary, the bowl can be briefly reheated and reshaped.
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On a Roll
Try varying the bowl shape. Deeper waves add more interest, as long as you can stitch the edges.
Try sphere, petal or leaf shapes. Leave them attached at the center so the bowl will hold together. For an even more artistic effect, sew and shape separate elements, stitching them together at the base (see the tulip bowl above).
Double or triple the effect by stacking bowls (see the green bowl). Make the upper layer at least 2" smaller than the one below it. You only need to embellish the outer edges of the lower layers. Coordinate the layers visually by using the same or similar colored embellishments. Try smaller or narrower molds to shape the inner layers. Tack the bowls together with a few stitches that go through all the layers.
To care for your unique work of art, spot clean and air dry.
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