Eco print workshop for special student 遠道而來的學生

Being an amateur eco printer, I never thought of drawing overseas students. How glad that my facebook friend Meg's so passionate about the style of my prints/dyes and flown from Taiwan to learn from me.  My honor to share with like-minded. We have a 2-day intensive workshop to do experiments of assorted prints, dyes and make an eco print journal.

從沒想過, 對植物印染祗是玩票, 我的試驗製作也可吸引海外「面書」友人的學習興趣. 我和Meg 以前不認識, 她認真的要親來學習, 噢, 好有誠意, 我便編排了兩天密集課程, 就是這兩整日, 我們做了好幾種實驗, 主要是媒染做出顏色深淺層次, 明礬帶出青黃效果, 扎染技巧....還有做小記事本, 從植物印在頁紙... 做羊毛書面扎染到釘裝成小本子, 可真密集哩 !  我們還有空檔到後山逛一圈.... Meg, 謝謝你遠道而來, 我的第一位海外學生, 我多榮幸 !

Meg and I've never met but only via facebook.  On the first day we met and worked, we knew we've same thinking and she picks up very quickly.  

The first piece we done a silk fabric with  euc leaves, rose leaves and maple leaves.  In order to show Meg the shades, some leaves with iron mordant some without. 

In the meantime we made the iron mordant for her future use. 

We tested the iron mordant and got what we wanted - shades below. 

Rose leaves dark with iron mordant.  

Some euc leaves brown or darker with iron mordant. 

Paper prints done for making a journal. 

Wool felt journal cover

Dyed in euc pot and bundled with euc prints, all done in the same time.

The string marks and white space intended to make. 

Paper prints and wool felt cover to be binded. 

Day 2 the eco print wool felt journal was made.   

Enclosed with my handmade ceramic button.

Meg made a nuno felt shawl with long curly fleece.  She put a little euc leaves over it and bundle dyed in onion pot.   It's bright.  Meg may find it too eye-catching. 

The lustrous long fleece is shining brown. 

What's that bundle? Eager to see the outcome....... 

It's the nuno felt wool top Meg made.  Prints got some bright orange  but rose leaves are dark.  Reverse side with some brown /grey. 

Still a good test on her first eco print trial. 

"Mogi, do you approve this?" 

We made prints with alum in order to get yellowish. We got it, a little pale yellow /green of rose leaves and the soft orange of euc cinerea.  Wonderful to have spotty outlines. 

Pale with alum and dark with iron. 

Euc cinerea is always a magic in printing.  

Mogi, "mun's student is so talented and creative. You're wonderful to have her around". 

"Yes, I'm so pleased." 

Fabulous works by Meg. 

Among all,  this soft chiffon scarf she found impressive. 

All ready to pack home. 

In the 2-day intensive workshop we still have an hour walk behind my apartment to see the city view.  Thanks to my hubby who watched the boiling pots.

Tomorrow we two couples will have a day out in the island south.  Wish the weather will be good to allow us to have a glimpse of our stunning island.

Linking with annesfunnyfarm

Linking with Lakeshore Drive party

Eco print wool sweater 植物印染羊毛衣

Can't resist to do again eco prints on wool sweater with a good buy!

在成衣出口店祗是HK$20買了一件簇新羊毛襯衣, 這麼便宜, 怎能抗拒做我的植物印染實驗?

Bought a brand new wool sweater on bargain sale at only 2 euro. 

 Got a bag of rose leaves from a florist and plucked the eucalyptus leaves. 

 I dipped rose leaves in my iron mordant water and brushed a little vinegar over the eucalyptus leaves.  Rolled up and bundle boiled for an hour. 

Here come the prints. 

Bright and bold prints of fresh euc leaves. 

Khaki of rose leaves 

String marks on the botton 

I intended to do the prints with euc on the left with sleeve overlap on it 

Though the rose leaves are not that dark as I expected, it's worth to explore my experiment with a only 2 euro sweater.

Eco print of reversible nuno felt top 植物印染羊毛混雪紡上衣

Mogi, "Hmmmm, mum added some color on white! How it looks? Let's see below...."  一件雙面羊毛混雪紡上衣, 要做植物印染又完成了, 怎樣子? 且看比較.......

I mentioned in my last post about this reversible nuno felt top to take the risk making the reverse side with eco prints.  

Rolled the bundle with three sorts of eucalyptus leaves and boiled for 1.5 hours.

 

Back with prints of green, orange and brown as well tie marks. 

All are eucalyptus leaves, the round ones are euc globulus from the States. 

I do not keen on regular or parallel in the front, so placed the leaves in this way half in the front and back. Some with brown as they're dipped in iron mordant water.

These group of euc leaves I plucked near my studio come out green.  

After boiled the original pleated side with nuno textural ruffles has not much change, only tie marks on the bottom that's what I wanted. 

The reverse side with bright prints is also what I hoped. 

Comparison of before and after, only a bit yellow and tie marks.  So no destroy to the original. 

It's earthy, it's organic, it's subtle..... whatever it is.  It is one of it's kind. I can do nothing the same. 

A piece of two sides, in and out.

So this is a two-sided nuno felt wool top. I have to admit that I love more the original (left) on my daughter. It looks "pure" and ruffles are "fluffy". 

The right one (on myself) after tight rolled and boiled, ruffles like "pleated skirt" look less soft.  Anyway, my experiments for the reversible wearable.

Nuno felt reversible top 雙面羊毛混絲上衣

It come to my mind why not make a nuno felt top with the other side to try eco print.  This is what I made.  Front look and reverse.

很用心的用我自行印染的雪紡碎料做了這件混絲羊毛背心, 可雙面穿, 我要在白色的內層以植物印染, 效果可能未如理想, 但我仍要嘗試.   

Back and reverse

Materials are lace for neckline, chiffon scraps of my eucalyptus eco prints, merino wool and own degummed mulberry silk. 

For the textural surface I put the chiffon scraps and scattered mulberry silk on the front. 

"Oh, my supervisor... Is it alright?" 

 

I've to concentrate on my work....... but.... 

This little thing ..... what drew your attention?  Indeed he always interrupts my attention with funny acts. 

How sweet Mogi you keep me company.  Anyway after almost 4 hours I finished it. 

A nuno felt top with chiffon base, chiffon textural surface, lace neckline and manipulated with little raw Teeswater fleece on shoulders. 

Back look 

Close up of textural surface 

It's my expectation 

White of reverse is fine.  It's good enough as it is.  To make eco print I may take the risk to have a mess as outcome may not be as expected but I decided to do  with the eucalyptus globulus from my US nice friend Melinda. 

After boiling for 1.5 hours the bundle got dark brown. Who knows how it looks?

A mess? Unexpected?

Reveal until next post.