Alpacas trip

Thank goodness It's another good day!
 

I left Toronto my host warm house to another friend's alpacas farm - The Old Mill Alpaca In Colborne. 

好一個美麗旅程，離開多倫多再往160公哩外Colborne 外朋友的羊駝農莊，在這裡有玩不完的軟柔駝羊毛及週邊植物，正是此行交流分享的第一站.....

Amy has a farm of 83 alpacas, 12 dogs, 4 cats...... what a big pet family. Each alpaca has s name. Everyday Amy calls them and cuddles them.

All those furry friends are so warm and friendly. My stay in the farm for a few more days will surly be creative with the "fibre from Gods" and the local hedgerow vegetation. I've already done wool felt flowers with the fleece and eco prints. Fun are going on with the team ......

A flower brooch made with the alpaca fleece

Eco prints with sumac, maple and rose leaves on cotton.  These are trials on the first day. Will do some more and share.

Leisure days Toronto

My teaching holiday started with good friends gathering. Annie is nice to show me around Toronto. We've been to winery, old town Niagara-on-the-Lake and downtown.

此行加國是旅遊教學遊，尚未上課的日子，好友與我遊覧醸酒園、湖溿古城、多倫多市內，和煦天氣很清爽的。

DIY natural printed backpack 植物印染背包

I have a very good colleague who likes playing ping pong.  She knows I am doing natural prints and asked if I can make her a backpack carrying racket and small stuff.  I promised long ago but just figured out how to make one to my best skill.  I took out a few sample swatches printed a year ago for my tutorial sample shots.  Those wool flannel prints are fine to make the backpack which looks firm. This is the finished gift I made.

一位遠在加拿大的好同事問我可否用植物印染布料做一個小背包可盛載乒乓球拍等小物，二話不說可以，但車縫背包我沒有做過，一拖就兩年了，今年九月份去加拿大教學也會探訪這位同事，此刻馬上拿出幾塊已印好的羊毛絨布縫製了這小背包，希望她喜歡這獨一無二，全天然葉子印染的手工製作。

The main part of the backpack is of cats.  I called it the "cat whispers".  I intended to make them close but can't express well and only made the silhouette.

 I cut the cat shapes on the leaves with iron mordant.

Composition mainly of casaurina and a few silver dollar euc for the red hearts.

The other piece I also laid the leaves with cat silhouette. Prints are not that good for the formerly planned table runner.  Thus it's sewed for the backpack.

Flap prints with Lagerstroemia indica and casaurina.  Enclosed with magnet.
With all parts formed together, thought they're fine and almost saved every single piece of the swatches.

The back prints mainly of euc and rose leaves with yellow little onion skins. Swatch prints making are available in my ETSY, my first pdf tutorial.  As prints on wool flannel take up  bold and strong.  It doesn't need pre-mordant. That's the simple and easy way to do animal protein fabrics.

1. Inside  pocket is another piece of wool flannel little prints then dipped in indigo.  Opening with punched eyes for the draw string and handle sewed with stuffed fabric scraps  as well the flap with magnet close.

  

The backpack will be on my way to Toronto in the hands of my good colleague in Sept.  Wish she would like it.