Work-life balance to make a scarf 秋日圍巾製作

 Other than bustle and hustle, work-life balance is what we needed.  Colleagues are interested in nuno felt, I'm most happy to give a free class.  This weekend they made these nuno felt scarves with the stunning view outside.
營營役役每天工作, 生活也該作些平衡, 是日與幾位同事分享製作nuno felt 的樂趣, 他們自己獨特的圍巾該是今秋可弦耀的手作.

Our office is in remote territories with brilliant views.  I've seen dophines once !!

 First I taught them to make running stitches of flowers with my own dyed silk scraps.

Put the flowers on the silk base with merino wool.  This made the textural effect afterwards.

 After rolling and rubbing.....

 Peeled off to make the ruffles on the back.

 Flower closure to go with the scarf.  A set is done.

Linking with Debbiedoo's Party

Poetry images from nature 如畫意的植物印染

 Let me share with you my "heart" truly from nature.  I was over the moon when I got this outcome.
奇妙的天然印染, 印出如晝的意境. 前些時做了一幅過度氧化的布料, 靈機一動利用這布料的的豐富鐵質做些實驗, 且看.......

This piece I dyed with bundled can is too dark.  May be too much oxidized .  My last post I called it "tortoiseshell" !  Well,it hit my bell.  Why not use the rich iron fabric to try an experiment?

I put some leaves over the dark fabric then covered with the same size silk to do the bundle print.

Boiled for an hour and left overnight.
To my surprise, the outlines of leaves with dark shades as well the pressed aerial roots are good.  The iron transferred to the white fabric has a subtle effect.

Look at it with imagination........

 Prints of euc leaves and Cajeput tree (paper-bark tree 白千層)

A poetry painting from nature.....大自然賦予的晝意

String marks from the bundle.

Paths leading to the woods of birch..... 霧中踏著小徑往白樺樹叢

Should I cut the piece and frame it? 

With iron effect the rose leaves are dark that's what I wanted.

A heart and half an apple to share with you !
Can't believe natural dye can make it a painting look.

This is the 1st experiment on the "tortoiseshell" piece.

Thought I can make the 2nd one with it again. Laid some rose leaves, eucalyptus leaves, banyan tree aerial roots and Cajeput leaves.

Same to do the bundle sandwichedwith  leaves, covered with a white silk.

Again out of expectation, gorgeous prints with dark outlines on rose leaves and euc leaves.

Banyan tree aerial roots swirl marks are great.

Can I say it a painting again from nature?!

I'm so pleased with the result.

Soft prints with outlines but still got green on rose leaves and red on euc.

Found out that doing prints sandwiched with a rich iron fabric is much prettier than wrapping with an iron rod or can.  At least fabric wouldn't be "eaten or rotten" !

My experiments on the iron dyed fabric concluded that I can sandwich the leaves to get some iron from it and make the leaves marks differently.

This piece done without any iron. Background looks clear.

Comparison of three pieces. 

Sustainability of eco print 可持續發展的植物印染

 My class of eco print and wool felt scarf held yesterday.  Students were brilliant to have made each 2 pieces of silk and a wool felt scarf with leaves bundles. 

 昨晚 的「環保植物印染」工作坊，學生先製作好白色羊毛圍巾，隨後把葉子放上羊毛圍巾及絲質布料上，分別扎緊，在鍋子煲1.5小時，過一晚上，拆開便是明亮葉子圖形.　　　

 While the silk fabrics were in the vinegar water, students began the wool felt scarf with whitle merino wool. 

 When the wool felt scarf was completed, they designed the layout of leaves over the scarves. 

 Bundles look like rice dumplings.

 After boiling and stayed for some 7 hours. Got the reddish/orange leaves prints

 Mogi, "I like the yummy color ....

huum.....and the fragrance!"

 Eucalyptus is a good ingredient in eco dye. Some give red, some brown, some green,  the euc cinerea  always come red.  We also used rose leaves to have some greenish.  They made it, a scarf, a shawl or a wrap, whatever purpose you want, may be a table runner ? 

Below are their wonderful creations.

A silk scarf

A wool felt wrap

A wool felt scarf or a table running

A light silk wrap

A yummy chiffon scarf

 Prints on silk are soft.

 Prints on wool are stronger. 

Thanks for students joining my class.  It's a Tue evening, a working day.  They

keen on learning and have the passion of handmade stuff. I'm happy to share.  Do hope to promote the concept of sustainability and awareness of natural dyes. 

 Mogi, "Mum, are you serious in the mission?  Looks like you bury deep in dyeing. "

Eco dye is amazing.  With the combination of iron, sometimes painting effects can be achieved.  Will post my recent experiments shortly.