Cat prints 貓語

Cat walk -  can you see it ?

These days I've only cats and leaves in my mind - even doing eco prints with the idea of cats.  After I can control the leaf prints I started to sketch a picture with leaves and made it a tote bag.

這些日子鍥而不捨的要做到好一點的植物印染, 經過無數次的嘗試與失敗, 終於在老公大人的提點後在鐵質媒染上控制到清晰的效果, 他取笑說我日以繼夜, 夜以繼日的 "剪布" 做實驗 !  我想像用葉子構圖做了這個絲質布袋, 你看到

"叢林中的貓兒" 嗎?

A tote bag is made with both sides botanic prints, the top and the handles are also of eco prints.  I call this " A cat walking in the brush".

The cat shape is indeed cut from euc leaf

Below is how I made it 

Open the mirror fold

  

 All leaves are iron mordant except the middle one of orange

 Made two bundles.  See the different cats.

 I'm quite pleased with this experiment - bold, strong and sharp.

Cats cats cats, Mogi is my inspiration. 

This tote bag is small but still good for grocery shopping or whatever purposes.

I'm addicted to botanic prints. Spent quite some efforts and materials on experiments, not only to myself. When I almost daunted my husband gave me lots advice on iron mordant.  Without his support I wouldn't have achieved this pleasing outcome.  Thanks also for his gift of many yards of silk fabric on my birthday.  

On my day, I pamper myself a 3-week to Spain / Portugal for the wool extravagaza and get together with brilliant friends.

Hit my road tomorrow but not with Mogi....

Natural dye with expert 專家的天然印染

  HKDI  organised a programme for the natural dye with expert Michel Garcia from France.  He's taking us on a wondrous journey, sharing his keen insights as one of the leading natural experts in the world.

Yesterday a group of us visited Kadoorie Farm & Botanic Garden for the native dye plants.
有幸參與設計學院可持續發展之天然印染兩日活動, 與法國專家 Michel Garcia在嘉道理農場認識本土可印染植物及在綠田園提取顏料示範使我眼界大開, 原本對藍染不解不甚有興趣的我, 也拿取馬藍植物回家種植繼續研究. 

The farm is located in the mid hill in the New Territories in memory of Sir Kadoorie. 

 

We saw lots of local plants that give color. 

 With the introduction from Michel I just knew some sorts of local plants for natural dyeing. The first day was packed with some knowledge.

 The second day was interesting to do extraction of indigo dyes with a bigger group

 We picked some Strobilantes ( 馬藍) in a farm to do pigment

 Michel showed us how to test plants by pounding.  The leaves marks are bright and clear on cotton.

Making an indigo dye pot with some root powder and dye stuff in hot water

 Experiment on dyeing

 Different shades of blue 

After soaked the Strobilantes leaves in water for an hour then poured into another bucket to get some more oxygen and mixed with lime water  

 Poured into a cotton fabric to get the pigment

 With some sliced persimmon, lemon, maddar, color changed to orange on silk and purple on wool.

I've insatiable curiosity and interested to know more the mixing of indigo that gives color other than blue. 

There're some ways to get different color.  I'm very eager to plant my own Strobilantes to do more experiments. Thanks for HKDI for the activities arranged.