Multi-style natural printed skirt and top 植物染服飾配搭

 Some of my natural printed fabrics among those beautiful ones we students learnt in Spain  workshop (Textiles con Alma by Irit Dulman and Revital Avidar) are now turned into wearable.

這些西班牙學習的植物印染布料在和熙的陽光下飄揚，部分我的布料已製成衣物，其中一幅針織𢇁料因為是圓筒封度，祗要在裙頭縫上橡皮筋及綿裡就是一件好配搭的衣著。

The light silk jersey printed with chestnut leaves is tube width.  Just sewed rubber band on waist line with cotton lining which also natural printed.  That's it. A simple skirt is made.

Simply a tube top tied with a logwood dyed scarf or a skirt goes with the same tone top printed with guava leaves.

 I also made a logwood dyed top with eucalyptus prints.

Simply a rustic Chinoiserie look.

 Front & Back of the skirt.  Just love the tube width silk jersey, easy to sew. That's the idea from Irit. 

 The Chinoiserie rustic top with hand weaved knots and lining all are natural dyed and printed. The image of deep purple is more the actual color.

The master, Irit Dulman's techniques are incredible. Just with all the natural resources can make the colorful shades. The wonderful skill of making darker background with bright prints is marvellous. That's why I'm so addicted in experiments and exploring. 

Ethnic Costume from nature 鄉土服製作靈感

 

In order to find some leaves for my project of ethnic costume with Heritage Museum, I gathered some plants for the fabric prints. The fisherman costume made with plants prints and indigo designed with modern touch.   

近日為博物館的 鄉土服飾設計四出撿拾葉子製作，時而踩著單車輕鬆的沿吐露港踏至大美督，這周六與幹勁十足的隊午踩上40多公里的新界北，錦田至天水圍，穿過大道，村莊小巷，好一個文物古蹟遊。隨身心收獲，每次總會撿拾幾片葉子實驗，寓創新於運動。

 

Sneak peek of a series of ethnic costume I made

. Green from indigo and turmeric, leaves prints from eucalyptus.

 I still wanted to do a few more of the series,  these days I went with a bike along the coastal to pick some windfalls........

 

 

I enjoy being alone for biking. Stop to pick some windfalls and admire the views whenever I like. 

 

Our undulating mountains are stunning. Weekdays are quiet and less traffic.

 It's a cloudy day in the morning.

  Unfortunately in the afternoon it's pouring.  I couldn't make my way back and have to hire a van back to the bike station.

 Recently I joined a team riding on Saturdays.  A dynamic team mostly riding in the New Territories.

We're a team not only for the physical exercise but also a cultural riding.  We passed by the fields and twisted roads.  

 

 

 Visited the indigenous villages

The well conserved temple

 

 Alley with sculptured wall art

 Viewed the ancient houses of indigenous

 It stands still as it's hundred years ago

 The oldest pawn in the area

 In the mid of our 40+ km riding

 

The team is well equipped. Even got a flat tire they can fix it immediately

 

 I like to follow the team as they well care each other

 While the team was fixing the tyre I got some plants on the road side. A "hat-full" leaves for my experiments.

Almost every time after biking I got some plants. These were edible from Estella.   Prints with technique learnt from Irit Dulman.  Detail of the prints already made into garment.

Shortly a series of different ethnic costume will be shown.  Stay tuned.

Simple T-shaped top making 簡易 T 形剪裁上衣

 

Making a pattern is sometimes arduous for me but this T-shaped top is simple and easy without measurement. Prints and dyes are natural from plants on knit silk jersey which is easy to sew as well.

一片在課堂做的試驗，葉子及不同色調效果的針織絲料，把弄一點，對摺剪裁成 T 字形袖子，縫上同料長腰帶，就是一件簡易小襯衣。

The silk jersey is about 80cm x 100cm, a sample print done in the Spain workshop. 

I used the native plants for the prints then dyed in indigo, weld and logwood for shades of blue, green and purple.

Our teacher Irit Dulman encourages us to do more experiments with different plants, not necessary to do on a big piece so that we can make use of the sample prints for garments. She encouraged me to dip in logwood and weld with the indigo dyed fabric for color shades.

  
I like the soft silk jersey with purple and green tone. To make it into a top, I fold in two and cut the T-shape sleeves curve, cut the neckline and lining then sewed the bottom with a long strap of the same fabric for the scrunched waist . That's it

Round the waist strap twice, tie a knot.  Viola, a free size loose top blouse is done.

Front and back of the blouse with different leaves from Spain
(long waist strap hide inside)

Prints of the native leaves still clear after dyed in weld and logwood.

The simple loose blouse I made with the sample prints

 

Since I'm too addicted in experiments I have loads of sample prints.  They will be made into garments or dye for other colors. The top blouse mentioned is dyed in indigo then dipped in weld that makes green. Knowing well the color palette,  green can also be made with turmeric (yellow) and indigo (blue) and so on.

This one is dipped in indigo then turmeric (available and cheap in grocery or supermarket spice section).
 Playing prints and dyes are interesting with variations.

 Sometimes I got inquiries from overseas for the teaching. I'm glad for the approach but not always can make it. People may like to follow my pdf instant download tutorial for the basic yet fabulous shades of prints.  Here's the link for the tutorial in ETSY, English version, Russian version.

Hobbies creations自然的創作

A friend asked how come I have lots creations even I'm occupied in weekly hiking and cycling. I said I have 36 hours a day! Indeed while enjoying outdoor activities I got inspirations for my creations particularly my works are related to nature and landscape. This tunic made just after hiking which reminded my childhood with sister.

朋友問我，又遠足又騎單車還有那麼多創作，我說每天我有36小時！其實在享受我的戶外活動時，大自然給我豐富靈感，踏著單車和遠足路途中撿回的花草樹葉就是創作題材。日前城門水塘遠足終點是我兒時沙田一村莊，我和妹妹在故居村子探索舊日足跡，滄海桑田, 村莊部份已高樓林立, 發展成市鎮，不免更懷念惜日純樸山區生活。 路上拾起風雨打落的鳥巢、花兒樹木，鳥巢盛著易碎的花兒帶回家。我對妹妹説會把那些落花葉子印上布料上給她一件製作，就是這樣我印染及車縫這衣裳，希望她喜歡。

 This is the team we do cycling on Saturdays.

  Our dynamic team started after breakfast........

riding in the field

 Sometimes routes are quite rough in the bushes

 These days lots fallen flowers on the route. Picked some to do experiments.

 With the Lagerstroemia indica (紫薇) and little yellow flowers I done the fabric testing.

 Last Friday our hiking in the mountain where I spent my childhood. 

After heavy rain the Shing Mun reservoir almost filled up.

The undulating mountain reminds our good old days. After the hiking my sister and I spent some more time in the village where our old house located though in ruin.  We can still identified whose houses were nearby and the days of playing in the stream. The bushes then were small are now forests.  No more paddy fields but high rises.  The river is stone-lined and linked with bridge. Part of the village developed into town in decades. Changes and changes while time flies........

On the route found a blown off nest, branches and fallen flowers due to strong typhoon.

  Sad for the birds lost the shelter.   Pity to leave the neat nest on the ground, I picked a few leaves and fragile fallen flowers filled in the nest........I told my sister I would do something with the plants for her.

 Back home with the handful plants I laid out on white woollen fabric then boiled 1.5 hours as learnt from Irit Dulman's techniques.

 Impressive prints on fabric.... Lagerstroemia indica (紫薇) is always my favourite, though not much color the petals with spots and the shape are bold.

To make the background a bit green rather than pale I dipped  in indigo then boiled in turmeric. With the basic pattern from Revital Avidar I made the tunic.

 Both sides with prints and green shades on the bottom

 Sleeve with Lagerstroemia indica (紫薇)

A simple tunic for my sister, made with memories recalled our naive childhood and ........

 

the nest rest in my garden branch for some more days