Botanical printed leather/fabric dress

Set of botanical printed leather apron-wrap dress and espadrille just made.  Absolutely one of a kind.  I'm quite pleased with this own made wearable.  I must say that the garment made with huge thanks to Nicola Brown, my good friend I know since she taught me wool felting.  A couple of months ago I went to Ireland and we had a great time together for botanical printing interaction. Nicola is very generous to give me the exquisite "crust" hide and wool fabric for the printing with her own grown plants.  I made the big nice prints of leather and wool.  Back home with fabulous ideas to make them into memorable wears.

The leather Nicola bought from Linda G Illumanardi who is a brilliant eco printer based in the US. She prints so well on leather and was so generous to share her tutorial with me too. This big piece of leather I have never seen before.  At first I was hesitate to print with as it's huge to handle.  If I made it wrong I would have ruined such expensive leather. Nicola was so kind to encourage me to go ahead and make the most of it.  So that I combined with Linda's way of working and my own to print it.  It's a big piece but as usual "less is more" for me. I just put on a few leaves and flower is the main theme.

It came out so pleasing.  I was thinking to make it a work apron but seems a waste.  Finally I made it a wearable apron dress with panels of linen/silk printing. Just simple cutting and lining I made this wrapped dress. It's easy piece of free size and two-way dressing.

 The big wool yardage and the huge lambskin botanical printing done in Nicola's studio are the nice keepsakes of my holiday in Ireland.

From below images you will see how it looks in different style.

早前在愛爾蘭Nicola Brown 莊園印製的兩大片羊皮及羊毛氈植物染終製作成衣物，一件羊皮夾絲麻長裙及兩件袖子被肩上衣，很多謝Nicola 的濃情厚意送給我這些貴重物料作研究，成為那次旅程訪友的珍貴紀念製品。

 

Lined arm holes and neckline with printed scraps 

  

Intended raw edges of leather

Button at the back for tight waist style.  Small buttons on both sides to make it loose style.

The wool yardage I made into two wrap tops.

 

The three generations of us - daughter-in-law and granddaughter, we all in eco printing.

 

This easy to sew garment fits all size and age. 

 

Nicola Brown based in Ireland and teaches on line eco printing. She's great and brilliant to share her techniques of eco printing and wool felting.

Linda G Illumanardi  based in the US teaches botanical printing and supplies exquisite leather for printing.

 I have a wonderful stay with Nicola and learned a lot.  Such great memories bond in mind.

We walked up the mountain 

Gathered flowers and leaves in her house

Made the beautiful prints 

Nice drapping of the printed leather

Creating in such gorgeous environment is inspiring 

The big wool yardage printed and made into two wrap coats

Thank you so much my great friend, Nicola !

Inspired natural prints garment making 田野創意植物染

 

Floating leaves in a breezy winter day...... A light silk outfit is just fine.   Yup, intended placement of plants on the bottom is the theme of this garment.

一件植物印染的製作花了數十小時方能完成, 每一件的製作過程都有靈感來源和故事. 就如這件絲料印上的葉子取自新界塱原農夫剪棄地上的番石榴葉及一撮烏桕加上課堂剩餘的桉樹葉及針松, 簡約鋪排印上. 

話說塱原這近深圳的濕地,禾田阡陌吸引我不同時分到來為一睹稻米收成的色調與豐收,從遠足到踏單車中找到創作泉源.

The prints with the leaves collected in a morning walk and already made into an outfit. The main leaves used are guava and chinese tallow with eucalyptus and pine needles.

  I do hiking almost every Friday.  This is the north mountain in between Hong Kong and China. View is splendid from China on the left to the right Hong Kong.

 Up on the top of Hong Kong region we saw the lowland then we went down and crossed the field. That's the first time I went with our hiking team.  I almost felt in love with the tranquil wetland.

 

 Again and again I went there in different times to view the paddies color change.  Many foreign friends have the instinct Hong Kong is only of high rises. I told them vibrant Hong Kong still has greenery in a stone throw away.  

That day I woke up at 6 am to catch the train to the north in order to have nice shots of the paddies.  The birds were earlier than me in the pond.

Rice paddies in full harvest while lilies are gone.

 That's the view I wanted to see in the morning beam

 

 Farmer's good harvest after hard work

 

Paddies into straw......

   another nice view 

 

In noon I still wanted to see more thus rent a bike along the river and into the village 

 

 Back to the field and picked the guava leaves trimmed by farmer

 Wetland in the dusk and time back home

 The chinese tallow are good for prints.  Can't resist for a go.

 Back home with the little leaves I immediately made the prints on raw silk

The "before & after" of the leaves placement

 I made the prints for an outfit with placement in mind. Two front pieces, one back and two sleeves.  All took me lots of time for the bundling, boiling, ironing, sewing......

  

 I'm too impatient and already sewed the outfit.  Next will be details of the prints and making.

Stay tuned.
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