Blue and purple from the same green leaves 同一種葉的綠、藍、紫印染

 Purple tone from the same green leaves........

 I made the imprints from the same green leaves to purple in my lazy way........

 Traditional indigo blue from sorts of plants like Strobilantes by making vat but I only have some leaves barely for imprints.

 Two years ago I was fortunate to be invited to join the French expert  Michel Garcia's workshop in Hong Kong (last post). The indigo blue vat was made from the local Strobilantes,  the exact name I can't recall.  After the event the farm owner was so kind to give me a small plant to grow.

Now it's thriving and I've been doing experiments for a few times in the non-traditional way.
兩年前參與法國專家 Michel Garcia 的天然植物染後 (當日網誌), 綠田園農莊給我的馬藍已很茁壯生長, 不時我會做些簡單試驗, 近日以加熱移印法做出紫色調是我的新嘗試 .

 This is the species of Strobilantes.  If anyone knows the exact name I'm glad to know.

 Usually I only do fermentation then soak the fabric for sometime to get the greenish blue

 Sometimes do pounding for the marks on cotton.

 This day hit my mind to try boiling, to my surprise I got pink-purple.

Here're the "Before & After" images of the two printed fabrics.

 I washed with soap immediately, no color change, no breeding.  The same strong.

The dark prints are leaves direct on fabric while the pale from mirror prints,.  Both are bold.

 Even the overlapped prints are quite impressive

 The two pieces are silk

 

 This is the mirror print

 Just wrap for a look

 The other piece I made it into a blouse

 Simply two waist lines and waist tie for the easy styles

Two pieces of purple shades botanical imprints from Strobilantes

Strobilantes are magic plant for me.  I don't have much to make the indigo vat, I just take a few leaves to print, I'm lazy but content with the outcome.

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.

Blue Mountain from Indigo 我見藍山

I call this "Blue Mountain".  Why?

Honored to be a guest speaker for the tertiary students  to share "Making of Eco Print" and a research project of "Revival of Natural Dye" for the education institute THEi.  One of the objectives is to promote the concept of sustainability.   Yesterday we gone through the schedule for the workshop in a couple of weeks and I got a few types of dye plants from the campus-based garden for an experiments on dyes.  

有幸參與設計學院的天然染色再生研究項目, 昨日取得在學院園內培植可作染色的植物進行實驗, 馬藍的靛藍很出色, 利用這色料,  我做了羊毛書皮小本子.

I'm new to extracting dye.  Can't wait to do the testing at night.  The left is Strobilantes ( 馬藍) for indigo blue, other two are Bidens sp (白花鬼針草) and Commelina (鴨拓草) .  I cut each into pieces and put in jars respectively. Poured hot water but not boiling and fermented for an hour.

While waiting for the outcome of dyes, I laid the euc leaves on drawing papers as the students may want to do prints on papers. Folded in stacks, tied and boiled for an hour. 

I also tried two pieces of Strolbilantes leaves (馬藍葉) on silk fabric and steam for an hour.  Outcome is pale purple.

All leaves on  drawing papers got yellowish prints, good and clear.

I binded the papers and made a white wool felt cover.

After an hour of fermentation, the indigo blue come from Strobilantes, I didn't use any lime or so.  I dipped two third of the wool into the jar for 15 minutes. Quite happy with the color, it's grey to blue. 

For this experiment I found Strobilantes are good for dyeing and printing.  I have to learn from experts how to make a perfect dyeing vat. 

Wool is easy to get color.

A small journal of 72 pages.

Eco prints of three sorts of euc leaves

A little gift......

I call it "Blue Mountain from Indigo"

Indeed when I was making it I thought of these mountain ridges - Pak Sin Leng in Hong Kong. 

Our offices are facing the ridges and I like to stroll along the promenade after lunch.

Will do hiking again in the coming crispy autumn days. 

These jars are still going on fermentation. See how they look like later.

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