Tag: indigo

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Atelier Mei Line at the tourist office in Vaison-la-Romaine

Window front at the tourist office in Vaison-la-Romaine

For aesthetes who are looking for originality, Atelier Mei Line is an exclusive brand that dresses the home and its inhabitants. The antique fabrics I use are part of the trousseaux that women used to embroider and finish before getting married. They have embedded stories: people made love in them, babies where born in them. Those precious fabrics are still found forgotten in attics, particularly in Provence, where I live and work, and where all the transformations takes place. The fabrics are patterned with ancestral techniques and dyed with plant based natural dyes. They are then produced into timeless, empowering and durable clothing and home wear. I am grateful to be able to present my work here, which represent an sample of this spring and summer’s production Français:…

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Mokume shibori

Antique hemp table runner indigo mukume shibori

I love this pattern, it’s irregular regularity and strong contrast. Every line is made by squeezing the fabric in small folds. Those folds are created by small stitches running perpendicular to the lines. A very long process, but once the rhythm is found, I love the meditative aspect. I trained in shibori creations with Kuno Hiroaki of Kuno Studio, thanks to Harumi at  Couleur Garance and  Tinctoria. Learning the best practice for both hadn’t movements and knot making has provided invaluable. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_n_HMRa_-4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjKfhX_01FY

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Tegumo shibori

Tegumo shibori on grey cedar

Tegumo shibori is a type of tied resist developed in Arimatsu, Japan, where I had the chance of training with master Kuno-san from Kuno Studio (see blogpost in process here) During the Edo period, the busy Tokaido route saw the flourishing of trade. Arimatsu’s specialty was Yukata fabric, and the cotton was predominantly dyed in indigo, with various shibori patterns. Please check the “Sur la route du Tokaido” blogpost for Hiroshige’s etchings of the route, with beautiful illustration of many shibori patterns. A few pictures and a video of the tegumo shibori process of tying a series of cones, which once, untied after dyeing, reveal a rhythmical yet always different pattern. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2onyhyX2pbI

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Upcycling

Indigo shibori up cycled garnements

It all started as a whim, a wish to cover up a stain on an old favourite linen skirt… and it ended up being a great idea! Soon, one of my clients was asking me to upcycle her lovely white linen dress. Upcycling beloved items of clothing to cover up stains, or defects, or just to glamour them up, gives a new life to quality items of clothing made of natural fibres. I have a small stock of organic cotton t-shirts and linen scarves to create some of the shown products, but you are welcome to send me your item to upcycle. A selection previous orders, all pictures are linked to the relevant item

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More shiboris

A fun shooting on the stone stairs of our place in Vaison-la-Romaine, in the heart of the medieval town, where I open the showroom upon appointment. All photos are linked to their respective product or category By the pool at La Baye des Anges where I dye the linen fabric for the pool loungers and the table runners for the pool dining area Also at La Baye des Anges, a set of placemats that turned out to be an instant hit for our epicurean friends While in the garden, the day bed is pilled up high with the latest in antique hemp and linen cushions at the Atelier inauguration

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Shipping this Christmas

In this exceptional year where many families won’t be able to get together, gift wrapping takes on a special importance. I have brainstormed a lot to figure out a packaging that would be both easy on the environment yet elegant. All the materials are based on recycled paper, and personalised as needed by printing the logo with compostable inks. I also include a card, just pop me an email with the text and I will be happy to hand write it for you! https://youtu.be/70120SjQFow

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Sur la route du Tokaido @ Musée Guimet

Sur la route du Tokaido, Musee Guimet

It seems as I haven’ really come back from Japan… keep looking for indigo everywhere! On a busy day in paris, I managed to stop at the Musee Guimet to catch an exhibition showcasing a flurry of etchings from the famed Tokaido route. The Tokaido is the east and most famous of the Gokaido routes. It started to develop from the Kamakura (1185-1333) period, but reached a peak during the Edo (1603-1868) period. We have heard about it many times during our Japanese workshops as it widely participated to the flourishing indigo economy on that part of the island. Indigo is indeed very present in the etchings, in the landscapes but also on the clothes which are a fascinating sight if you have the slightest interest in indigo reserve techniques! The…

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Nuishibori

Mei Line nuishibori

Nuishibori is a name used in Japan for all reserve techniques where stitching and tying is involved. It is a fascinating world I am starting to explore, and I find that applying it to our typically French fabrics created a wonderful cultural melting pot. Stitching and tying the fabric. depending on the pattern the stitches are more or less far appart, but it always involves a considerable amount of stitches and knots per square meter of fabric. Indigo dyeing the tied bundles Some finished fabrics… bliss! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TyH3Rbf6cWY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKsh-DQuH6o

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