The Cocoon

The Cocoon will emerge from a torn bedsheet. A cotton sheet made soft and with use and washing for more than a decade.

The idea to repurpose the sheet as a kimonoish robe came from Spirit Cloth - Jude Hill's blog as well as the Instagram account @ragmates2020 where like minded people are showcasing their work.

I'm no dressmaker so the kimonoish robe is the result of research on Pinterest.

The king size sheet allowed me to get the kimono as a single piece garment.

I couldn't wait to attach a couple of patches.

A rust dyed patch was the first addition. I attached it to the base fabric with my interpretation of sashiko. The second patch was from an experiment with bleach. I did blanket stitch around the bleached out splotches.

There is no plan as far as placement of patches, it's just whatever strikes me at the moment. So while planning the next patches I decided the sleeves ought to be symmetrical. The rest of the robe will be asymmetrical. That's the plan at the moment.

Started attaching other bits of fabric. The patches overlap and I do running stitch, almost like darning through the patches and the base fabric.

This project of The Cocoon really ties in well with my effort to adopt more sustainable living practises. To reduce the consumption of resources, and see the potential of reusing and recycling things and materials which I already possess.

I'll be looking at Kantha, Japanese boro and Sashiko for inspiration. I want to embellish the Cocoon with things in my environment -  the flora and fauna. I hope I can capture the balance and harmony of the natural world which surrounds me and constantly inspires and leaves we wondering and delighted.

The Patchwork Garment

Here's an update of the patchwork and black work garment I'm making. Lots of pinning and tacking and then chain stitching together of patches.

Interesting rust patterns as a result of wrapping the fabric around a tangled strip of metal. The diagonal rust lines remind me of the coat of a marmalade cat.

That's the front of the garment. Its got a square neckline seemed the natural choice because my patches are rectangles and squares. I'm having second thoughts about the blackwork sprinkled inbetween...... kind of gets lost, so I'm thinking of doing away with it. What do you think?

That's as far as I've got. Part of the back has been assembled and joined to the front. This picture makes no sense I'm sure and I'm not going to try and unravel the mystery because I've tried typing out a couple of explanations but they make no sense. So I'll say no more and hope the picture speaks to you!!!!

More patches of rust and tea will be required for the sleeves.

How has the week been? It's hot here, the fans are running at top speed. Hoping for some showers to cool the place down. Have a great weekend.

Black work and Patchwork

The beginnings of a garment. Kitchen experiments with rust dyeing and natural dyes are being patched together.

I'm no apparel designer so with this garment I'm just winging it, making a large T shape, one size fits all.Square neckline.Its going to be all handmade and hand stitched.

 I'm adding small black work embroidery bits here and there. Adding to the patchwork appearance.
The kitchen experiments of making marking on cloth have been resumed because more fabric is required for this garment. I'm inspired by stuff, steep + store.

Markings on Cloth

 Markings made with rust and tea on cotton fabric.

 Some of these are the result of dye pot experiments which I conducted in November last year.

 Resisted cotton dyed with tea in a cast iron pot yielded grey and off white patterend cloth and these work well with the rust dyed cotton.

The experiments continue. I need a lot more to fashion a garment which I'll embellish with Black Work embroidery.
I need to make up my mind about the type of patchwork garment I'm going to hand stitch. Kimono? Kashmiri Phiran?
I probably need to create some stuffed steeped and stored jars as suggested by india flint. See jars created by others here.

Winter Solstice 2010

The first finish of the new year - Winter Solstice 2010. A tea and rust dyed silk and cotton scarf embroidered with circles.

Unusual name wouldn't you say. It was around the time of the Winter Solstice in2010 that I dyed this piece of silk cotton and it reminded me of the appearance of the moon that night of the total lunar eclipse.
Circles embroidered with running stitch cover the surface of the scarf.
To add a hint of sparkle a single red sequin has been attached somewhere along the outer edge of of the small circles embroidered in red like the one at the lower right hand corner in the above image. Can you spot the sequin?

I need to figure out a way to show you how the scarf appears in its entirety and not just the details, will do that with the next couple of scarves which are going to be pashmina. Quite excited because its the first time I'll be working with this fibre. For now if you'd like to see this scarf or any of the others featured in the last couple of posts visit Plantation House at the Leela Galleria, Bangalore.