Own grown prints of strobilantes garment 自家種植馬藍印染衣裳

Strobilantes prints on cowl neck top and tunic 

How nice to make own garments even printed with own grown strobilantes.  Strobilantes are typical for indigo dye but the leaves also print nice, not blue but purple.  The strobilantes in my pot is a few years old but still thriving.  The leaves are so large but not enough to make the indigo vat so I just like to do prints with them.  I have done many pieces of prints.  Here are the two garments I sewed recently with those yardages printed.

這兩件成衣都是自己園子種植的馬藍葉印染，能夠自己種植物印染後又縫製成衣裳總有點獨特，無袖子的背心在香港的炎夏很清爽，中袖子的長襯衣正好是月中去歐洲合穿了。

The cowl neck top printed with a few casaurina for the lines.  The raglan tunic sleeves printed with more for the rich purple tone.

 This strobilantes I got from the garden years ago when French master Michel Garcia was performing demo in that garden in Hong Kong (last post).

This is the placement of the plants and prints.

 

As usual when I tried the garment layout, Mogi occupies it.  He's a good company.

 

A sunny day for the shots near my studio after making the garments.

Sleeveless cowl neck top is comfortable in the hot summer.

The raglan sleeves tunic with pockets I like for the upcoming Europe trip. 

Nature inspired creation 大自然之創作

 

I always said my creations are inspired by nature.  Yes this piece just done after my first  2018 hiking.

  好友們知我創作源自大自然的戶外活動，單車騎行及遠足有志同道合者更是樂趣，元旦日單車環香港島展開2018年的遊山玩水，隨之周五的第一個遠足走上梧桐寨，在山溪瀑布間見蔟蔟野生馬藍，告知友人此乃藍靛染的藍草，年前法國大師Michel Garcia在港示範 (這當日網誌) ，我幸得一株馬藍苗在家種植至今。行畢大帽山，回家馬上再作這植物印及加點羊毛做了此輕巧圍巾。等著圍巾主人啊⋯⋯

  

Friends know me well that biking and hiking are my favourite sports.  With two wheels and legs in our nature I get inspired for my fibre creations.  On the New Year day I joined a  biking team for island ride winding up the twist road with traffic.  we started in the Central Pier along the harbor to the east then to the beach in south.  Almost a day riding with the team was fantastic and challenging.

 

 

 

We stopped in Stanley for lunch and spent an hour in the area.  In the far end of the picture is where my studio located.  This is the place I know well.

 

The Stanley market is a must for foreign visitors.  We have a colorful day there.

  

The first Friday of 2018 our hiking team started the trail Ng Tung Chai (梧桐寨) from Taipo up to the mountain Tai Mo Shan.

  

 The trail starts a long, steep and narrow sylvan path uphill. Tough yet not too hard for our energetic team.

  

The trail is rough with steps up to the mountain and we passing through a few waterfalls and streams.

 

Along our way I found some strobilantes (馬藍).  I told my friends that's the plant for indigo and the leaves print well too. This kind of indigo plant is typical in Hong Kong particularly in that part of our region.  A few years ago when Michel Garcia was in Hong Kong for the workshop demo (last post) I was lucky to join and got the plant growing in my yard now.

We walked up in the mid of Tai Mo Shan for a panaromic view of Taipo villages and ended with a nice view of the waterfalls in the start of 2018.

My creation in the new year was printing with strobilantes then felting for a piece of scarf. I put a few leaves of strobilantes and eucalyptus for shades of red and purple.  For some like-minded friends I've shown them how to make the purple prints from frozen strobilantes.  Any one who likes to know I am happy send you the PDF file.

I wanted to make a bit textures so merino woo; and raw fleece are added on both ends.

 

A chiffon scarf is made.

 My 2018 creation just started and many more to come........

Natural printed & dyed tunic making 全天然植物印染衣裳

 

Again to make use of the sample panels, I sewed this simple tunic dress with the strobilantes dyed cotton - sort of "slow fashion".

一件植物印染裙子源自山後撿拾野葉到自家園子種植的馬藍葉汁染，個中繁複步驟就是「慢活時裝」，用心的用時間的去製作。

Plants from the area behind my apartment gathered mainly are sumac and bamboo and a little silver dollar eucalyptus from florist.

 

After an hour bundle boiling with the techniques learnt in Irit's workshop, I opened it with pleasure.

 

This piece of silk prints was idled in stash long.  Why not make something with it?  Yes, with my limit sewing skills I decided to turn it  into wearable. 

 The strobilantes got from Michel Garcia's workshop since 2012 (last post)  is growing so well in my yard.

 

I picked a few fresh strobilantes leaves from the pot and fermented for a few days for the grayish green dye of cotton. 

 With the helping hands of Mogi I finished it.......

 

The cotton dyed and sewed into a tunic

 

A tunic with gray tone from front to back of all natural botanical imprints and dyes from own grown strabilantes which is traditional for indigo vat.  Since I do not have much leaves to make indigo paste this is the simple way to color the pure white fabric to match the garment tone.

 

Though intended to make it a bit large, it may be tight for a friend overseas. I still sent it over as a making reference and hope it fits someone there.

Purple prints from strobilantes 馬藍的紫

 

A piece of the eco printed silk fabric done in the historic freezing weekend in our subtropical Hong Kong. My facebook friends asked what were our historic cold days. I said it's -3 in mountain top in 59 years.  Yes it's bitterly for me and for some plants.  

年前在港跟法國大師 Michel Garcia 學習藍草染, 綠田園給我馬藍 (板藍根)幼苗種植, 我後山的的一叢抵不著近日山上冰冷風霜, 但家中的一盆竟花兒盛放, 摘下幾片葉子做印染把色彩留下, 紫色的重疊效果與花兒一樣的柔和.

 Years ago when the French master Michel Garcia was performing a project in Hong Kong, I was one of the guests invited to join and learn from him. He made the indigo vat from the local strobilantes (last blog). The farm owner was so kind to give me a small plant to grow.   Because of the severe cold weather these days some of the strobilantes on the slope died but the one in my yard was embracing the freezing days even blooming.

 Can't resist to do an experiment again. I tried the leaves for contact prints before ( last blog ).  It works well on silk. So with other plants - the iron mordant casaurina, limonium, eucalyptus and mandarin leaves I made the simple placement

         A little limonium, casaurina and the leaves

 After 1.5 hours bundle boiling,  some overlapped purple and the main leaves direct on the fabric are darker that makes the shades while red is from eucalyptus.

 

The overlapped purple prints are just like the flowers colour.  The following images speak themselves.......

 The bigger one is strobilantes and the smaller green ones are mandarin leaves

 The overlapped purple prints and iron mordant limonium

 I'm happy with the prints so does Mogi !

   The fabric may be as a scarf or sewed into a dress, fingers crossed.  Anyway it's an experiment.
Instant download Tutorial for the ecoprinting is available in my ETSY
Linking party with Creative Princess