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Lotta Jansdotter has been something of a universal design crush in the blog (and print) worlds for years now, and her latest contribution to the field is almost like a public service. In her book, Lotta Prints: How to Print with Anything, from Potatoes to Linoleum, she puts the power of production in our hands, and shows us the completely sophisticated (and expensive-looking) results you can get with the most 7th-grade-arts-and-crafts-class materials. The projects she shows are not the least bit intimidating, requiring no fancy, pricey equipment or specialized skills, and every one of them is something I would pay good money for if I saw it on the shelf at a store. She's even included 8 ready-to-use stencil pages, if you're not so confident about your drawing skills.

One of my favorite projects in the book is the potato-printed throw pillow design shown here. Lotta has generously allowed us to reprint the instructions for potato printing here; why not give it a try, and then go pick up the book to learn about rubber stamp printing, leaf printing, iron-ons, stencils, lino block printing, and screen printing, with ideas for customizing everything from wrapping paper to window sheers.



Lotta's Instructions for Potato Printing:
WHAT YOU NEED
– Potatoes (any variety will do, but large baking potatoes are best)
– Linoleum or wood cutting tools (or small kitchen knives)
– Pencil or black marker
– Paper towels
– Paints, gouache or fabric paints. (The paint should be thick for a bold, sharp print.)
– Ink pad (optional)
– Paint brushes (sponges work well, too)
– Fabric or paper
– Scrap paper


WHAT YOU DO
1 Cut the potato in half.
2 Blot the cut surface with paper towels to absorb as much moisture as possible.
3 Draw your motif onto the potato with a pencil or marker.
4 Using your knife, carve around the out line of your design and cut away the background to a depth of about ¼ inch.
5 Apply inks or paint to your potato stamp with a brush or a sponge, or use an ink pad.
6 Gently press the potato stamp on to your fabric or paper. Press evenly, transferring the image to your material.


TIPS
* If details on the potato get clogged with paint, wipe and gently rinse or pat with paper towels before continuing.
* You can easily reuse the same potato to print in different colors. Wash the ink off your potato very carefully with running water, and blot off excess water with a paper towel. Set the potato aside and let it air dry.
* A potato stamp has a life span of a day or two. If you want to save your stamp for future printing, seal the washed potato stamp in a plastic bag and put it in the fridge. I don’t recommend any use beyond two days after cutting the stamp.

















From: LOTTA PRINTS: How to Print with Anything, From Potatoes to Linoleum. Text © 2008 by Lotta Jansdotter. Photographs © 2008 by Jenny Hallengren. Used with permission of Chronicle Books LLC, San Francisco. Visit www.ChronicleBooks.com

Have you ever tried potato printing? What was your best decorating d.i.y. project?

More d.i.y. projects on Shine:
Make a surprisingly modern birdhouse out of a gourd: Video
Build a rotating art display
Make a gorgeous patchwork blanket—even if you don't have a sewing machine
Make your own natural cleaning products
Stitch up pretty felt drink coasters, fast