Eco prints enhanced satin jacquard 緞絲料錦上添花

 

This is mirror prints of cotton and satin silk with all natural resources. That day I went t行o the fabric shop for the last minute shopping with my friend J. before leaving for Ireland.   

I spied the exquisite satin silk jacquard. J spotted the one with typical Chinese jacquard which is three-fold the price of the one王 I usually to do with.  I was hesitate for the price but can't resist to buy a few yards to try.

遠行在即，日前與友 J 到深水埗布行買𢇁料，J 眼明的為我選來精緻中國傳統提花缎𢇁，價格比較我一向的用料貴了一點，但實在又很漂亮，忍不住買了幾碼。夾著布料我們邊走邊談去到花墟花叢中，找到大家心儀的雅致咖啡小店品嚐輕談，桌上瓶中有心型尤加利葉，告訴 J 那是印出紅色葉印的尤加利葉，她感葉子的奧妙。

營役的日子, 閒暇與友共賞花卉細說分享生活， 確是美事。

回家後我馬上做了小片實驗，印上植物原有色素，緞料上提花若現，效果也很別緻。

Outcome of contact prints is nice over the jacquard.

  

After fabric sourcing J and I walked along the flower market.  We found a quaint florist cafe for a coffee.  We talked about creation and life while admiring the flowers, the decoration around us. I told J. the heart-shaped eucalyptus leaf in  the bottle prints red. She found it amazing.

   

When I back home I immediately done swatch testing with fresh sumac and the remnants of last workshop.  Layout with a few mordant euc and the sumac on the satin side then covered with the cotton for the one off mirror prints.

  

After an hour boiling it's done.  Prints on the left is cotton and the right is satin silk. 

The same leaves with different shades.

Sumac rich in tannin and prints dark with iron on cotton but brown on silk with no mordant. Close up prints on satin silk with visible jacquard of Chinese patterns.

The "Before & After" of layout and the mirror prints on cotton and satin silk.

This is a simple natural prints making yet fabulous shades can be done with appropriate natural mordants.  My instant download tutorial shows the step-by-step making is available here "Botanical Imprints" tutorial.

Well, I'm about to leave.
Mogi's final check to make sure I'm well packed with clothing and all stuff.

Travel + teaching makes colorful life 生活 - 寓教學於旅遊

Soon I will have a workshop for the making of eco prints and nuno felting in Vancouver, Canada. 

With nature inspiration to make own hand printed botanical pattern and felt it into garment is kind of slow fashion. 

這兩個月我遠行旅遊及教學，八月份英倫、愛爾蘭之行是與友交流聚舊，九月的加拿大是深度教學與旅遊，其間在溫哥華 BC 省主要是教授植物印染及羊毛混纎時尚衣飾製作。

 

 In the workshop I will teach how to imprint directly with leaves, weeds or flowers gathered locally onto silk fabric then make it into wearables. For more info please contact Genoa Daniel genoa55@gmail.com  or Norman Janes norma.janes@gmail.com

 

During the sessions students will learn the prints making with natural resources, extracts and mordants from basic to fabulous shades.

   

    

After the first part of the workshop, students will make a multi styled wrap (scarf-vest) with nuno felt skills.

 

The printed yardage can also be sewed into garment at home or with nuno felt skills make it into a seamless tunic dress in the second part of the workshop.  Students will have hands on experiments of making eco prints samples and two pieces of finished garments.  That's the workshop scheduled in

 Sept 22-25, 2017

 

In Aug and Sept I am off to Europe and Canada. Before my first leg in London and Ireland this week, I grasped the nice hiking with friends in the north of Hong Kong. It was a rainy day but fortunately when we're on the hill top rain stopped and it's clear we can view the well developed China  from Hong Kong border.  Hong Kong is greenery everywhere though some have the instinct of high rises only.  We do have undulating mountains, sea and well accessible networks.

Almost two months away I will surely miss hiking and biking in Hong Kong but anticipating the reunion of friends with same passion in Ireland and UK where we will play with eco printing and wool felting. 

Thank you for my readers who follow my blog. I will still writing when I am on the road as I always said my life is "travel + teaching + playing - I color my life"

外遊的日子我當然很想念香港，謝謝你們的追隨，路上我仍會更新動向。

遠行⋯⋯我仍找緊機會騎單車、走山野，生活是調色盤 -自我調色、調適，自會絢爛！

 

How to print the flowers 奇妙的花兒印染

 

Cant' thank more for my friends who like to do natural prints with me. Florence and Grace are sisters who are very supportive to my works and have joined my tutelage a few times.  They found the flower prints lovely particularly Lagerstroemia speciosa (大葉紫薇) and Hibiscus tiliaceus (黃槿) as the above image.

  To take the blooming season for the prints, they came again this Sunday for the flower prints. 

Before the workshop I went to collect some flowers along the coast.

很感謝朋友對我的創作支持，不下數次來跟我製作植物印染的姊妹日前再度來學習以新技巧做的花葉印染，半日的製作各做一件羊毛混綿及純𢇁圍巾，相信他們也滿意大葉紫薇及黃槿花的獨特製作過程。

 Up in the skies were those pretty purple / pink flowers - Lagerstroemia speciosa........

 

Heading to the other side of the harbour with stunning view........

lots of Hibiscus tiliaceus by the tranquil coast

 

A half day walk with handful flowers for the prints.

Started composition with assorted leaves and flowers on a piece of wool blend and another piece of silk wrap then bundle boiling for an hour.
 Before the workshop I told the girls it's interesting to make such prints with the new skills but not guarantee it's beautiful.  Yes I can't guarantee what mother nature gives. The outcome depends really on sorts of plants collected.

  Unwrapping is always exciting......

"What can we expect?  That flower is khaki."

 

"Oh, this one is yellowish."

Part of the wrap with composition of different flowers, leaves and shades.

Here are details of the two materials, wool blend and pure silk.

 

Two styles for two girls

 

This is for Grace. How do they like it?