Playing natural prints and dyes 天然植物印與染

 

"Raise the curtain see what am I up to......"

Formerly I dont' know how to set indigo vat and not really like to do indigo. My friend Nicola Brown gave me an indigo kit on her visit two years ago. I kept it till last month Debbie Leung helped me setting the vat and I started playing it.  

 In the recent days I burned the wax melt, a set of wax aroma Lilian Lui gave me as Christmas present. I was so relaxed in the aroma ambiance and it hit my mind to do something with the melting wax.

 I recalled last year the wax indigo workshop in Hangzhou Edith Cheung, textiles specialist invited me to attend.

 

  I painted roughly the nandina sketch on linen.

 

Dipped in the indigo bath.

 

 Pale in the first dip

 

After 3 dips it's getting blue.

 

 Then boiled hot water and put the dyed piece to have the wax melted.

 Started to sew a purse with the fabric.

 

A clutch is made.

 A few compartments for cosmetics.  

 

Be it a cosmetic bag or a clutch.  

I'm happy with the outcome and going to give this pouch to Lilian Lui who gave me the wax present and a friend I respect. These days apart from doing experiments of natural prints/dyes I am indulged in making the swatches into pouches.

 

This is wool flannel printed with leaves in Israel.

 

The pouch of dark background printed with nandina with Betty in Israel always recalls my good days with her.

 Just love the white discharge of nandina on the mordant cochineal dyed fabric.

 I've already made two pouches with this panel prints.  Love the black which I don't like before.

 

 

I got leather of lamb skin at good price. Find it no harm to try botanical printing.  I printed with my own grown strobilanthes and eucalyptus from florist.  Prints are bold and clear but leather became a bit hard after heating.  I know it's not the proper way of printing leather as fabric but I just tried.  Will figure out the correct procedure of printing.

 Made a palm sized purse out of the printed leather.  Good for keeping USBs or keys.

 

Another fabric printed with flowers bouquet from my sister's son wedding. This set I am going to give to my sister.

  

This is also leather printed with flower from my studio neighbor.

  

And this is a clutch of leather prints with maple and eucalyptus.  So far I have made three purses of lamb skin.  They're not perfect but quite interesting to do with botanical prints.

 

I don't remember how many pouches made with swatches I have done.   Each is unique and one of a kind.  Like to give to friends who appreciate my work.