Silk meets Iron 絲與鐵的溫柔結合

Last week I wrapped some eucalyptus leaves with crinkle chiffon. However the effect is not that good. I wrapped again with a rust iron. When silk meets iron it turned out as this. A bit black, a bit purple, a bit brown, a bit......

上星期用縐雪紡做桉樹植物印染, 效果不大清晰, 我再包扎著有鏽鐵後, 多一點黑、紫、啡，看來好一點。這是我形容的絲與鐵的溫柔結合。
You can see the left one is the first dyed, it's not what I want. I wrapped with the very very rusty iron and boiled for 30-min and left for 7 hours, it turned out as the right one. I'm not sure if it's the general effect what we do with rusty iron. It sounds not bad.
This scarf of crinkle chiffon is very smooth and soft. Seems that eco-print with leaves the result is not very clear but with rusty iron it is absolutely outstanding.



I've also done a few pieces of eco-print and dye with silk chiffon. For silk chiffon I used onion skins and eucalyptus leaves. Onion skins color is strong. Fresh euc leaves are better than dried leaves but both are still good.







I nuno felted the scarf to make both ends with fringes.





Here are three pieces. I want to try some other leaves but was very discouraged when failed. I only confident with euc leaves and barks.

This nuno felt scarf of eco-print and seamless nuno felt dress is my pride !!

We should take pride of something we achieved. Boast !!??

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A day other than craft talks 任務完成回家去

Today is not blabbing about crafts, a serious work day instead. Monday arrived in Manila with consultants for business activity. Yesterday was Roundtable setup for prominent speakers.

Today is whole day symposium with participants from healthcare sector.
Quite busy in the morning registration. Panel discussion and media interview.

Networking among participants.

A successful stakeholder engagement activity with the supports of boss and our consultants.

Business trip is no fun, really busy. With fabulous food in the front we just scratch.

All the time I stayed in the grand Shangri-La Hotel as meetings are being held here. Overlook from hotel is the business and financial centre. Task completed. I'm eager going home. So anxious to unwrap my eco-print since away from home for a few days. Hope to show you the wonderful prints.

My cup of tea - marriage of wool and ceramics 陶瓷與羊毛的結合

Haven’t done ceramics for long since hooked to wool. Just made this tea set with the very soft and hard media. This is my cup of tea though rough.

I’m not a perfectionism – want to pursuit yet no way in ceramics. When I make something for myself I’m not demanding. Something imperfect is not bad. Any look or shape has it’s own identity. The fact is I can’t handle well throwing nor delicate. Hubby said this is my excuse for not doing well. He knows I’m impatient.

堅硬的陶瓷與柔軟的羊毛, 不失為好的配搭, 這茶壺剛柔並濟, 正是我的那杯茶. 我的陶瓷製作沒能做得完美, 我也不刻意的去追求, 這些不是Royal 什麼的製作, 有時都好“那西”, 祗是個人喜愛就有滿足感.

I love wool felt and do not want to drop ceramic. This way I can make the marriage with both.

I made the wool felt flowers then embellished on the tea pot.

Years ago I’d a dream of owning a little cottage with a kiln in the backyard to do ceramics. The front cafe to serve my homemade cakes with my dishes and mugs. Beside is a showcase of my ceramic stuff. People can stay as long as they like, for reading, chatting or sort of. It’s only a dream !!!! Though I don't have my dreamt cottage with a kiln, I can still make ceramics in the pottery studio and do my wool stuff in my own tiny studio. After a session of wool creation, nothing is relaxing then having a break with my own made tea set. A piece of Scottish bun, some wallnuts, dried raisins and a piece of dark chocolate is really a treat to myself.

Found wool and ceramics are good mixed-media, I can make dolls heads, pictures, pins....., sorts of combinations.
Now I’m really into wool felt. My blogger Andrea said “Art is like your boyfriend – if you don’t spend time with it, it’s not going to work out”. It’s true the more we interact the more love and fun we discover. In reality I’m too indulged in my own “hobby lovers” !!
This day after a light breakfast with hubby we went to the beach for "treasure hunting".

A fruitfull day, I got some eucalyptus leaves and the main thing was the rusty iron. I wanted to do eco-print with rusty irons. They were wrapped and steamed for my silk dyeing. It's my first time to use rusty irons with other leaves.

Currently I'm on business trip in The Philippines. Business travel is no fun and definitely not my cup of tea. I'm eager to see the outcome when I back in the weekend and will share how they look like on my coming blog.

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Scarf transformed from error 將錯就錯的圍巾

I was intended to make an eco-printed scarf. Somehow it turned out unsuccessful. I transformed it to acrylic painting.本想做植物印染圍巾, 失敗了, 改為塗鴉, 以acylic 顏料畫花吧. Recently I tried to use different plants for dyeing but I didn't aware it's no good on nylon. 近日愛上植物印染, 以為什麼白色布料都可以上色.

Only very light stains I got. That's a very good experiment I learnt. I know now cotton or silk fabric are more appropriate for such dyeing or prints. 誰知這件有尼龍成份的布料不易著色, 棉質及絲質較為可行.

I don't want to waste the failed scarf. I transformed it to acylic painting.不想就此糟塌一件物料, 隨意塗上Acrylic 畫花, 反正又是另類練習.

This turned out to a bright and washable scarf. 這效果顏色鮮明還可洗滌.




Goes with my onion skins dyed nuno felt top ?!
也襯這件真的洋蔥植物漂染 nuno felt上衣吧 !?

My Mogi said "Mum, waste not, want not. We can make use of every piece. You made it and I love it !"

貓兒Mogi也愛這原本失敗之作.

對事對物, 我們不隨便放棄, 多嘗試,總會有點作為 !

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Nuno felted book 羊毛質感的本子

I made this nuno felt covered book with inspiration from Rutenis, a Lithuania (立陶宛) artist and my friend VL’s stunning captures of terraced fields in Yunnan (雲南).

I know Rutenis via FB . She’s so nice and generous to send me this unique wool felt covered book done by herself. Her works are gorgeous. When I shared in FB, my friend VL was impressed and said if I could make one for a photobook she would be my first customer. Too good to be true ! To respect the rights of Rutenis, I asked her permission to have my peek of making on blog. She’s glad and said that it’s not her invention and technical “secrets” are something ridiculous to keep for oneself. Good feltmakers will discover it by themselves. This drives me to try and explore.

VL is a charming lady with sharp photography. No matter animals, people, drops of water or scenery all captured are compelling. Her painting is another state-of-art. Although she said she’s amateur, she’s professional in my eyes. Recently she returned from a trip in Yunnan. The greenery terraced fields were just amazing. I got the idea to make the cover.

I used nuno felt skills with some prefelt houses, silk chiffon, merino wool, Mulberry silk, fleece and lace.

Layered the "scenery", wet it and felted it.

I cut the used paper board and wrapped the cover. Made some loose pages inside and tied with a ribbon.

Enclosed with a knot of wool rope and my handmade ceramic button.

Backcover of the book.

It looks abstract. I made this with the imagination of myself in the greenery canola fields !!

I like my friends who always have brilliant ideas or suggestions that I may want to challenge. I learned from trials and errors. VL, you’re so kind to encourage me to try a photobook with wool felt. This is a guinea pig free for you. It’s my honour to have it in your hands. Hope you like it.

It may not be nice for photobook but a scrapbook for the travel memory would be fine.

My sincere thanks for Rutenis’ kindness. This book she made has a warm touch. I love the unique texture and use it for my wool felt notes.
Rutenis’ “Royal python“ and my “Tiger” were the gorgeous pets we both missed. I put their images on the first page for our friendship and memory.

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Eco print top 植物漂染上衣

I did nuno felt scarves with eco-print last week. Yesterday I tried another experiment of nuno felt top eco-print with shallot skins to make clearer patterns. Using the skills of onion skins dyepot the nuno felt top has the effect of graduated color. 這日我再嘗試做植物印染, 先做一件羊毛雪紡上衣後, 加上一些蔥頭外衣做花的圖案.
I made the nuno felt top with some merino wool only on the upper part . After fully felted and rinsed with vinegar water, I dipped the shoulder part into the onion dyepot, just soaked and squeezed immediately (my last post mentioned how to make onion skins dyepot) I left the lower part of chiffon clear without wool just to put the shallot skins on. This is a rather big shallot, I used it as it's smaller than onion. The peeled skin size is perfect as flower petals. I turned over the nuno felt top and placed the shallot skins and euc leaves in between.

So the shallot skins and leaves were sandwich in. I then put a plastic wrap (only use those heat resist in microwave) over the top and rolled it tightly. The wrap is to avoid color overlapping after rolled up. Bundled it and steamed in a cooker for 45-min then. Then power off and just left overnight. That came the look.


Front and back.

I embellished with glass beads on the flower patterns.

 . This morning a lady after swimming with her dog approached me for a chat. She's impressed with the nuno felt top and amazed with its texture and seamless skills. She appreciated nowadays people like me still want to do something unique with hands. She's just being kind. Nuno felt is really the incorporation of ancient and modern craftsmanship. With little inspiration from others we can explore and share.

Thanks for stopping by.