Bugs triggered me 技癢難耐

This nuno felt dress I made right after my workshop with Vilte Kazlauskaite last year.  I was quite pleased with this light and elegant first experiment .  My girl demonstrated it well, right?

去年在Vilte Kazlauskaite 的工作坊學習回來後, 馬上做了這件nuno felt雪紡裙子.

 I endeavour to have a change of this white dress which may be a risk to spoil it.  Fingers crossed but to move up, error and trial is the process of learning new skills.  I told myselt if this one turned out to be nasty, I can make another new one. 

雖然白色很清雅飄逸, 也想為裙子來一次顏色改變, 有可能會弄巧反拙. 可會嗎? 嘗試才有進步, 如何開始?  

Days before Hong Kong was devastated by the strong typhoon and many trees fell down.  On my way to the office my coach passed by the train station, I noted there were eucalyptus trees fell down.  It's a pity to see the scene. 

日前颱風襲港, 夜半十號風球高懸, 樹木東歪西倒, 在我上班途中經過中大火車站一帶的桉樹也連根拔起, 有點不忍.  那一刻使我馬上決定下班後去檢拾新鮮的樹葉做我的植物環保印染.

Such big trees took some years to grow but destroyed in a night. Sigh. A thought  hit me, why not pick some leaves for eco print. 

Immediately after work I went to the train station and got a bag full of two different kinds of fresh eucalyptus leaves.  In Hong Kong we're not allowed to pluck the euc. leaves.  Indeed they're too tall to reach by hand.  All those I picked on the road are "treasures" for me. 

如獲至寶滿滿的一袋兩品種的桉樹葉, 回到家裡立即把那純白 nuno felt 裙子進行實驗. 結果如何?  且看 .........

So, started the nuno felt dress for my experiment with the euc. leaves. Intended to have the  two different leaves types on the top and lower part.  Soaked the whole dress in diluted vinegar water.  Wrapped it and boiled for 45-min.

After 24 hours in a thermo pot, time to unbundle. Anxious to see how it will be......

The top is bold and bright with string marks.

But the lower part with this sort of leaves is not that obvious.

This is steps of making

Indeed I turned over the dress, the leaves were put inside (sandwich) so prints on both front and back. I rolled it up and tied it, boiled for 45-min and stayed in the thermo pot overnight. Unbundled it after 24 hours.

The front look

Back look with strings at the top.

Before and after.

Close up

Close look - nuno felt flowers, sheen of white mulberry silk.

Full look.

Before and after.  Daughter and Mother.

This is fine but my expectation is with deep brown or deep purple prints of leaves. May be if I bundled it with an iron rod or with iron in the pot, I can get it.  Anyway, worth for a trial,  I still have some leaves to test.

Could anyone tell me how do you think this outcome.

Thanks for stopping by.

Linking with WeekEndShowOff Party

Art or craft piece 工藝創作

The versatility of wool is incredible. Not only flat pieces or wearables can be made but a 3D subject is dorable. My friend asked if I'm keen to explore in the field of wool felt.  I said I deep buried in the experiment.  I hope to create not only a piece of craft but an art piece would be my expectation.  Today is hot but I image the white wool is snow that keeps me cool.  I do wool felt all the year round.

  I made this sculpture. 

朋友問我老遠跑去學羊毛氈工藝可會專注在這方面的發展, 我說這是興趣,  羊毛實在是可塑性甚高的物料, 我要發拙這不但是冬日衣物的材料, 也是立體雕塑的好物料, 今日雖然酷熱, 我仍很享受製作這立體瓶子的過程, 幻想那雪白是冰雪不就涼快麼 !

I used merino wool, raw fleece from Viltalakim and my own dyed silk scraps, also a sea shell.

Layer of wool.

These curly locks are wonderful to work with.

A piece from soft wool to a 3D sculpture

The brown texture is nuno felt of silk scrap.

The other side a sea shell is enclosed.

Close up of the sea shell.

I rounded the top with some air roots of bayan tree.

Can be a vase.

A plant holder.

Or an art piece?

Whatever it serves.........

it's something I love.

They're proudly displayed in my house.

Linking with Creative Princess

Play the magic wand.... 魔法一變 ....

Idea came from Heather's eco dye purse (Heather's blog) we done with Nicola Brown in Portugal,  The outcome of prints on wool was impressive so I made my own with the eucalyptus leaves and rose leaves last weekend.  

Eucalyptus Cinerea is my fav. It gives bold and bright red/orange color. 

桉樹葉就是那麼神奇, 有一種我們在香港花店很便宜的花材尤加利更是我的最愛, 且看我如何把弄印在剛從葡萄牙學會做的 "一件頭" 雙面手袋上. 

The reversible bag has different prints in and out with rose leaves and two kinds of eucalyptus leaves.  Unexpected outcome I've ever done.

 I'm really so happy with this and love to share.  See the pic. how it is made.

After the wool felt purse was made, I soaked in diluted vinegar for a few hours
 before laying the leaves.

Put some euc cinerea leaves inside the purse (sandwich) and a little on the surfaces.   The narrow euc leaves were windfalls after strong wind in my area. It's a "treasure" to get the green leaves since we're not allowed to pluck.

I covered the purse surface with kitchen wrap and bundled. Brought to boil and simmered for 45-min. Left in a thermo pot overnight (keep hot for some more hours). 

See the leaves prints from laying out, then boiled to finished.

 The reversible purse has both inside & outside prints also back & front.

Rose leaves are not so bright but still clear outlines, contrast with euc cinerea bright red. 

Fresh euc cinerea leaves are silver-green and smaller. 

I scattered them over the wool surface and put the euc barks to make the branches. also the euc buds. Amazingly the color is very bold and bright.

Reverse inside out.

A full look with two flaps.

Back side.

With flap down.

Reverse inside out.

Because this is a reversible purse I haven't yet decided how to put the button on. May attach my handmade ceramic button like this.

From plain to bright in 24 hours.

A reversible purse with both looks !  I love the bright orange !

When I see orange color I think of "orange lover" Heather. I showed her blog of wool ring making to my colleague L.  She said orange was her cup of tea and would like to learn.  I'd offer a free session for colleagues to make this cute little thing if time suits.  Before that this little ring goes to L.

My hats off  to Nicola Brown who's so generous to show us how to make all sorts of wool stuff.  I love the rings and have made some for giveaways.  The bigger white one can be a scarf "clip".
Linking with Wow Us Wednesdays.