Tag: indigo

Posted on by — Leave a comment

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

+

Posted on by — Leave a comment

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

+

Posted on by

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

+

Posted on by — Leave a comment

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…

+

Posted on by

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

+

Posted on by

Indigo dyeing

In the world of natural dyes, indigo has a place on it’s own. Unlike other dyes, it does not need mordanting and can be applied to the fabric straight after scouring. However, it is still very labour intensive, and patience is still of essence here. The dye is applied by layers, dipping the fabric repetitively, and oxygenating it between the dips to allow the indigo blue to appear and intensify with every subsequent dip. One of the many things that we learned during our 10 day advanced course at Buaisou, in Japan, is to rinse and fix the indigo. It might sound like a simple thing, but careful manipulation of the fabric during those steps is paramount to the final effect. The rinsing process involves several cold and…

+

Posted on by

Itajime shibori

Itajime shibori at Mei Line

Itajime shibori is another reserve technique used to create patterns. This time the fabric is folded and pressed between two pieces of wood. The folds, along with press placement, lead to a variety of patterns. I am always in awe with the magic of those geometric creations when unfolding the fabric, it’s the best time!! The fabric is carefully folded and clamped between two wood presses A number of dips in the indigo vat are necessary to obtain the required depth of colour. Between each dip, the fabric is patiently oxygenated by opening up each fold. It is then rinsed and the process is repeated After unfolding… Bliss! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lj4QduRprUc

+

Posted on by

Arashi shibori

Arashi shibori at Mei Line

The Arashi pattern is created by tying a piece of cloth very tightly around a cylinder and then crumpling down the fabric to form little creases. It is one of the numerous reserve techniques used in Japan grouped under the shibori term. The tradition was to use a very large bamboo section in Japan, but here, we make do with PVC tube. The fabric is dyed in the indigo vat, several bath separated by oxygenation and rinsing are necessary to achieve the desired tint. After the 3 days long process of rinsing and scouring, the fabric is put to dry. The word Arashi means lightning, but to me the pattern evokes water, with an infinity of ideas for it’s future use around the house and body.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzlLxugcTQ0

+

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Back from Tokushima

In Septembre 2019, along with a group of fellow natural dyers conducted by Leaf organisation (now Tinctoria), we had the incredible chance to attend a 10 day class at Buaisou where along with putting together a Sukumo based indigo vat, we also practised several traditional Japanese techniques to create patterns. The result of this, was over the next year, a mountain of cushions and table runners in many different patterns of indigo shibori. All photos are linked to their respective product or category

+