Story behind a blouse 不一樣的襯衣

Not a fashionable wear nor a costly blouse but it's made of love - my mum made it.  That's the leaves print fabric I made then my mum turned it a blouse.....

一件襯衫, 不是時款也不是什麼貴價物料, 但祗此一件慈母手中線, 是我八十多歲母親以我的植物印染布料給我設計的上衣, 能不珍惜 ?

My mother is 80+. She's quite independant.   I mentioned before we go to collect windfalls for my ecoprints at times.  Pictures taken above were after strong storm.  Lots of euc branches and other flowers blown off.  She picked for me to do prints and petals to put on a dish for her home decoration.  She used to be resilient and confident.  She still manages quite well her  routines and goes to church every Sunday.  Can't deny she's getting aged.  She said  she's getting poor memory and not capable as before.  She finds life content but scares may be of dementia that would be a burden to us.  She wished if she could go to heaven in the sleep without any burden to us would be good.  I told her just follow God's guidance and not to worry anything.   I console her even I myself is not smart in memory.  I wanted to make her find her capability again and asked if she could make me a blouse of the cotton fabric I printed with leaves. 

 

She makes her tops by hand stitches at times.  I've no doubt to ask her to cut it a "T" shape of front & back and do the running stitches without measurement.  A few days later she gave me the semi-finished blouse for my final touch-up.  I was quite happy that she made it.

 

I machine sewed the seams,  I intentionally keep the blue thread of her running stitches on waist lines.

 

The neckline and both arm lines I sewed with the "not-so-good" leaves printed silk fabric to have a bit color.

 

Here's the piece my mum and I made.

 

Prints are of iron mordant eucalyptus and rose leaves - kind of subtle and organic on cotton.

 

The blouse I dressed to office with iron dyed scarf as waist wrap.... casual walk in the suburb with iron printed fabric belt ...........

 

When I was a pupil I  found my school emblem nicely stitched,  the surface looks like machine sewed.

  I  treasure the blouse she made and the moment we're together.  

Being children we should care our parents, spend more time, be patient..... when they know who we are.  I've some friends who's dad or mum doesn't recognize their children because of dementia.  It's sad.

Prints fine tuned 效果好一點的印染

Have been doing experiments of botanic prints to get more clear and strong outlines.  Even the same iron bath I use, it may differ. I daunted sometimes for the unstable outcome of penetrated marks.  That looks messy.   After trial and error, seems I got the tricks that may be controllable.

These days I tried iron mordant with euc and rose leaves as well two unknown wild leaves (the top left and right narraw ones) on two separate silk fabrics. Only the wild leaves have no strong prints, others are good.

Same leaves and result on this pattern.

Strong dark prints with iron mordant.

Mirror fold of prints, same shape with shades.

Clear prints with less iron penetrated.  Friends asked how to make the background as clear as this.  Excuse for the overwhelming images below.  I'll explain at the end.





"Mum, are you succeed in getting prints", Mogi.

"Not really but at least I can control individual leaf prints, I'd share later if I could get constant outcome.  Mum have to explore more".

I do these prints by steaming or boiling in clear water.  I like to use the used rice cooker. It's safe and energy save.

Today just done another bundle with more sharp and strong prints. A story to follow.

Until next time.

Eco print tote bag 植物印染布袋

My "By-product" of eco prints -  a tote bag. 

After some experiments of rose and euc leavaes on cotton scraps, found my way to do something with them.  

I sewed this as inner pocket for the cotton bag.  

The bag with lining 

Reverse side of the bag 

I bought the cotton fabric in the market.  It's a good buy but if I just made a bag of plain without any pattern, it's not my way.  I do it with my own personality rather then the mass production of common.  So on the outside, another piece  of my leaf print is sewed on. 

Rose with iron mordant -  the upper side is smooth and a bit green on cotton while iron mordant euc silver dollar are a bit brown. 

The prints are botanic alchemy. 

Now that the bag is with inside and outside pockets of my eco prints. 

This cotton bag is big enough and strong to carry some books.  

That's my way of making.

Another eco print experiments 躍動彩色

Last eco print workshop was focused on iron mordant to get shades. We didn't make prints with alum which gives a bit yellow.  Judy found it impressive and asked for a commission scarf.  How nice to do it again for an order !  

I soaked the silk fabric in alum water for hours, then put on some leaves also dipped with alum and iron mordant.  Leaves of rose, maple and some unknown all together, 3 bundles in a row..... After boiling for 1.5 hours, here come the looks....... 

Yellow from unknow windfalls

Iron mordant with dark prints of rose leaf

Brown of unknown dried windfall 

The two scarves with both ends of thread marks and brown edges due to dyeing pot of euc leaves and barks. 

Below close up of euc, rose, maple ........ and wild daisy....  

   

Ways to wrap it......

This one with little wild daisy gives a bit bright yellow. 

I made three pieces of silk scarves with different leaves.  The leaves and flowers used I can tell where I got it.  The little daisies picked under the euc tree while I visited my mum in Shatin.   The scarves are one of a kind and made with heart not only from myself.  I thank for the lady from the florist who's so generous to give me the rose leaves.  Thanks for Judy who joined my classes.  Doing a commission piece is challenging since I'm not sure if it's what the receipent wants.  So these pieces are for Judy's choice.
 

Mogi, "wondering which one(s) Judy would pick it?"

Mogi, "I myself prefer this wool felt stool cover mum made in Portugal with euc leaves from Monterey, CA."