Monthly Archives: February 2015

Nuno felt and silk scarves, alternative ways of wearing them!

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Everyone has their own favourite way of wearing a scarf or wrap. Confident people usually just fling them on and always look fabulous while others need a little help working out the different options before finding a style in which they feel comfortable with. I've started a board on Pinterest titled 'Beautiful scarves and ways to wear them', why not check it out and follow along if you're looking for inspiration? A lot of the styles I'm pinning look wonderful in nuno felt or silk, it's important that the fabric is flexible to achieve the look you're aiming for!

Here's a large crepe de chine scarf that I printed with rose leaves while I demonstrated during last week's retreat, I love the softness of how this heavy silk drapes making it perfect for an impromptu halter neck top.

Rose eco printed silk square worn as halter neck top

Large silk square from behind, two simple ties and it's a beautiful top!

These particular rose leaves printed very softly on silk and with stronger colours on wool, felt or cellulose fabrics, here are a couple of close up images from this particular silk scarf.

Rose leaves on crepe de chine

Lovely strong shape from rose leaves

If you've a favourite way of wearing your scarves or wraps why not share it here by leaving a comment? I'm heading to the studio shortly to felt a lightweight nuno wrap, pictures later in the week as soon as it's felted and printed.
 

 

 

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Felting and eco printing retreat at Clasheen in pics!

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There was a lot of preparation beforehand but I really had great fun spending time with Ruth and Elena during the first 2015 tailor made felting and eco printing retreat at Clasheen. They both concentrated really hard to learn new techniques and at the end of three and a half days had created an amazing body of samples and finished piece to take home with them. This is a image rich post, as the old saying goes a picture speaks louder than words!

In addition to felting and printing we also had time for brief visits to Borris Food & Craft Market, Ullard Church and High Cross, Cushendale Woollen Mill and enjoyed a delicious obligatory evening meal (thanks Ruth!!!) in the Step House Hotel!

Detail from Ruth's stunning nuno felt wrap

Gorgeous shine from viscose, Elena brought this felt top with her to print

Detail from a large wall hanging Ruth printed

Oak on wool, another print from Ruth's wall hanging

My mind is still buzzing with all they achieved, I'm thrilled that the experiments I've been doing privately at home paid off and their eco printed linen and cotton results were consistent and spectacular.

Elena looking fab in a stunning cotton top

The purple hues of the rose leaves look wonderful against the denim

Printing on cellulose fabrics is a new skill that I'm offering for 2015 to students who attend printing workshops or retreats with me that last for a minimum of three days duration. It's is a lot more difficult and labour intensive than working with protein fabrics (felt, wool and silk) but very rewarding when the results are as good as Ruth and Elena achieved!

I almost hid this linen top so Ruth wouldn't be able to take it home with her and I'd get to keep it, I'd have happily washed it out and ironed it!

Another lovely top of Ruth's, still to be washed and ironed

Wool scarf and linen underskirt of Elena's, eco printed clothing looks fab layered with plain colours

Thanks ladies for being such great students, it was really difficult to select which images to add to this post so I'll sort through them all and upload the best to Facebook during the week!
 
 
 
 

 

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Busy times at Clasheen

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Apologies for the lack of posting here and to Facebook recently, since arriving home from Showcase I've had a lot of paperwork and eco printing to do, bringing home the dreaded flu bug definitely didn't help. Tomorrow I've a product photo shoot so I'm sure many of you can imagine the tidying and prepping I needed to get through today, tidiness is not one of my strengths!!! Anyway, here're a couple of pictures of a little silk twin set that I included in the printing pot the other day, I've happy memories of finding it on a thrifting expedition in Sacramento with Sharon from The Tin Thimble last spring!

Silk twinset eco printed with onion skins

I included some dried rose hips in the bundle there's absolutely no sign of them in the printed cardigan, the stronger pinkish blush comes from overlapping brown onion skins predominately although there were a few red skins in the mix too.

Close up of the lace, it took. The colour differently because it is not made from pure silk

This week I hope to have my wood gasifier delivered. I can't wait to have a brand new central heating system installed that will actually run the underfloor heating, the cost of oil is soooooo huge here in Ireland that it's totally impossible for me to run the old boiler efficiently and heat the house. Next week I've two guests staying for a tailor made intensive felting and eco printing workshop, let's hope that the heating is working before they arrive and we can have a fun time felting and printing in comfort!