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

Simple eco-print and dyeing 簡單環保植物印染

This weekend I did two pieces of nuno felt scarves and tried different eco-print and dyeing. The left one is done with eucalytus (桉樹或稱尤加利) barks & leaves and the right one is onion dyeing.

日前做了兩件nuno felt 圍巾為的是要實驗環保植物印染法. 我在路邊拾了些桉樹葉及樹皮. 一件用樹葉, 一件用洋蔥衣, 很簡單的, Yesterday I picked some fallen barks and leaves for eco-dyeing. Indeed I'm not sure if it's eucalytus as leaves are long different from others. The bark looks like eucalytus. Anyway they can be used for dyeing.
I made two nuno felt scarves in a run. I laid one sheet, wet it then cover with bubble wrap and laid another sheet over the bubble wrap. Rolled in one go. I was a bit lazy but this kills a bird with one stone. As both were thin I only rolled for a while. Saved energy !

先做好兩件nuno felt 圍巾, 浸在混有白醋的水中一刻, 這有助上色.

After all felted. Washed throughly and soaked into water with some vinegar for a while. I scattered on the scarf with some leaves and barks as well some onion skins then bundled it with cotton thread. I steamed it with a rice cooker for around 45 minutes and leave it overnight. During steaming the room was full of pleasant fragrance of eucalytus. Sort of theraphy ! 一條圍巾包紮著桉樹葉,樹皮及零碎的洋蔥衣, 以電飯鍋蒸45分鐘, 待十小時後解開. Next morning I was so eager to see how it turned. Slightly unwrapped a little. Oh, got colored. I unwrapped the whole bundle. It turned out onion skin has strong brown color than barks. Leaves have some greenish. It looks like this. The middle brown effect is of onion skins, more bold. The other nuno felt scarf I tried with onion skin dyeing.I put all the onion skins in a new short panty host and boiled it for 45-min. Taking out the skins, I put the scarf and simmered for 30-min till it cool down.

用洋蔥衣漂染的先熱一鍋水加有洋蔥衣, 煮30分鐘, 取去渣滓, 放下圍巾慢火熱 30分鐘, 待涼, 取出, 稍過水便成.

Onion skins bring out strong brownish.




I'm not sure if this is the correct way to make eco-print or plant dyeing. For onion skin dyeing the pot I only added some salt. I don't have any mordant in hand nor any knowledge about mordant. This is my second experiment of eco-dyeing. It's fun and environmental friendly. Will read more info and try to do with other leaves and bundle for a longer time to have bold color.

Linking with Freestyle Friday

Linking with Creativespaces

Linking with A Creative Princess party

Linking with Motivate me Monday
Linking with Debbie Doo's Newbie party.

I'm "dyeing" - color me 多一點色彩

I made a little nuno felted dress after the workshop . Just wanted to change it from white to other color. Heard that dyeing with veggies is easy and eco-friendly. Thanks to Kim of Viltalakim and Mariana of ArtMind for their valuable advices of onion dyeing. I made it !! This is the new pastel orange dress.

我嚐試為素白的羊毛雪紡漂染另一色彩, 多得 Kim 及 Mariana 的意見, 我用洋

蔥衣的植物漂染方法, 環保既方便的把我做的一件白色 nuno felt裙子改變成 "蝦肉色". 當然, 原本的白色很清新, 我是以這一小件的試驗, 若然失敗了也不太 "肉赤".

 

Steps of making onion skin dyeing.

1. I used some onion skins

2. Put all onion skins (about 4 pieces of big onions) in a tulle bag. Place it into a simmering pot, color coming out immediately.

3. After some time, I took out the tulle skins. Water looks like sort of juice.

4. I put the white dress and a few pieces of twisted chiffon locks in order to make dark and pale color. Put all into the pot and simmer for a little while, don't bring to boil.

5. Leave it overnight.

(In the dark, my son took over the pot cover and thought it's the Russian soup with tomato and potato - so bright color !)

6. Rinse all thoroughly.

Dyed color like this. I can use the chiffon to make other nuno felt stuff.

After dyed, the nuno felted chiffon flowers and strips are more distingished.

Comparison of before and after.