Author: Amelia Hoskins

16 Sep

Alder Tree Cone Dye

Amelia Hoskins / Plant dye processes / / 0 Comments

Alder cones in Exeter

Cones form on lower branches of the alder tree, first greenish, changing through to brown by late summer. Usually reachable just above head height.  Often seen laying on grass around the base of the tree, clumped on sprigs.

They have good keeping qualities when box full collected.

Produces a pale earthy beige; very useful for painting on to.

Alder Cone dye result on Habotai silk

15 Sep

Walnut Husks Dyed Silk

Amelia Hoskins / Plant dye processes / / 0 Comments

Walnut Husks Dye Process

  • Walnut husks were soaked for several days before boiling up and simmering until liquid was very dark brown.
  • Remove husks and decant liquid to bowl.
  • Add wet silk pieces. I used Ahimsa silk.
  • Agitate frequently then soak overnight
  • Silk takes up the brown dye bath quickly but keep turning and agitating occasionally while soaking. (I don't boil Ahimsa silk as it would roughen surface) Soaking is adequate for obtaining a reasonable colour.
  • A secondary dying of another piece of Ahimsa silk produced a lighter shade of the brown.

There is a lot of pigment left in the dye bath which can be stored in jars or used for additional fabrics.  Fill to brim to avoid mould forming. It could also be used to add to jars of cream/gold dyes to strengthen tone.  At this stage it would be good to investigate what might be added to the bath, to change the colour of what pigment is left.  I was tempted to add some madder dyestuff for a dark red (purchased, not foraged), and this remains to be tested.

Silk Samples of Gold Variations

Walnut dyed silk is the darkest obtained so far of the beige and golds range, turning out to be a light coffee brown/bronze colour.  It might have gone darker still on Habotai silk.  The Ahimsa silk used, is cotton-like in feel, thicker, and although absorbs well, slightly slower.

Walnut Tree

Walnuts were found on the ground where they had had been decaying under a walnut tree on Bossington Green, Porlock, North Somerset.

22 Aug

Clothes Treasure Paradigm

Amelia Hoskins / Bespoke garments, Ethical Fashion / / 0 Comments

A mixing of fabrics to create a NEW LOOK.

'Guinevere' dress modelled at Cockington Court Crafts show.  [sold].  The name is suggested by the medieval style influence of the sleeves.

Rachel really liked this dress and was a perfect model for me as she was so happy trying it on.  'Guinevere' is a good example of a new way of designing clothes: a dress with contrasting fabric types, all held together by the coordinating of colours.  A 'treasure paradigm'.  

Lace knit - viscose - acrylic wool knit - polyester - wool-cotton.

 

I started with the navy lace as top piece, cutting the V shape, then adding the fabric frills to lower waist-hip position.

The khaki brown fabric frill and narrow beige frill echo the colours in the lower skirt pieces.  Polyester beige and khaki had identical prints, very subtle.

Skirt tartan was soft fine wool texture.  Beige 'V' inset to centre back and centre front to give more flare, as the original material was a small size.

Navy lace was cut from the same fabric as the top, to give a lace hem.

 

Its a bit wild in formulation, being an unusual mix of fabric types, but later sold in a shop.

 

 

The peplum is longer at the back, to give an elegance over the rear and to utilise the pleats which existed in the skirt it was taken from.

The skirt pieces are sewn up under the first beige peplum.

However skirt pieces became available, after cutting away from their original garment, I allow them to hang as they are, 'handkerchief style'.  When insets are needed, to create flare, I add a coordinating hem, in this case lace as the top; which hols the whole structure together.

I prefer craft show sales where I meet the buyer; when it creates a relationship between the maker's effort and the end user.  Its always nice to see the buyer in the garment.

21 Aug

Logwood Dyed Silk

Amelia Hoskins / Plant dye processes / / 0 Comments

Experimental shibori and batik on Logwood dyed silk - 1st Trial

Logwood (in bought dried form) was found to easily produce a very deep violet dye on Ahimsa silk.  Note: Less dye stuff would produce lilac and mauves.  Shibori stitching outlining butterfly showed clearly in white where dye penetration was resisted.

Batik wax originally painted on the silk was overcome by dye, remaining strong aubergine.  To create a contrast to bring out shapes, I outlined in transparent gutta the shapes intended in the design (to be coloured). I used craft 'fabric bleach' to brush on some areas, such as banana leaves.  A second steaming produced the intended shapes in a lighter aubergine, which would be interesting to explore further.

Colour added to simple images copied from a textile, as experiment.  This piece was unfortunately burnt in steaming (water pot went dry), and was cut into strips and used in another garment.

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2nd Batik Experiment

Double stitched outlines of images, as shibori test.  Batik wax painted quite heavily onto ahimsa silk, with daubing stiff paint brush, to create a cellular texture.  The shibori threads were pulled tight before dying.  Washing out, the wax had held.  Ironed over wax several times with strong brown paper to absorb wax, then rubbing off the bees wax in warm soapy water.  Texture remained to start painting on.

2nd Trial result produced a pleasant textured background to overpaint on.  Fabrics were chosen to coordinate, and use as a colour guide.

Rectangular design was a simple test with the batik, creating a usable textured background to over painting with brighter colours.  This rectangle was used in a dress Butterflies and Pansies  panel front.  Flowers were also embroidered.

21 Aug

Mullein Dyed Silk

Amelia Hoskins / Plant dye processes / / 0 Comments

Mullein gold colour is not from the flowers, but the LEAVES.

Soak before, and simmer mullein leaves to release colour



Boiled leaves removed. Silk added to brown dye.



Ahimsa Silk absorbs mullein leaf dye well. It dries much lighter than it first appears.



The longer silk is left in a strong dye bath the more colour it may absorb, for a stronger and deeper colour.  This looked dark, and I washed it out, but it could have been darker if left over night.  A small piece of silk will not be able to absorb all the dye, so a secondary piece can be added later.

I may not have used a mordant (such as alum), as colour dried light gold beige.  A good neutral background for painting on.

Many plants produce a dye for cream, beige, or gold;  which is very useful background for silk painting on, rather than stark white. Intensity varies.  More antique tone can be achieved by adding ferrous water to the dye bath. (iron - made from rusty nail water). Other metals could be experimented with.  Copper will have an effect.  Making the dye bath in copper pan has an effect.

14 Aug

St-Johns Wort Plant Collecting and Dye Bath

Amelia Hoskins / Plant dye processes / / 0 Comments

Foraging along the Tarka Trail

Yellow Flowers of St. John's Wort are found along grass verges. Many changed to orange seed buds, which helps identify them from other yellow flowers and which may be attributable to the golden colour result.

Collecting Dye Plants (St. Johns Wort in basket) along a decommissioned rail track Barnstaple to Bideford: my 10 mile foraging route using Jenny Dean's plant spotter book.   Late summer finds many of the traditional dye plants along grass verges.

St Johns Wort - Dye Bath Process

  • Soak flower tops and seed buds overnight in rain water. I use pond water.
  • Boil up and simmer for an hour. Press fibres with potato masher. Remove from vessel.
  • When cool enough not to roughen silk, add and soak silk, stirring occasionally.
  • Colour appears soon, but leave overnight to absorb dye colour fully.
  • First silk takes most dye pigment.

1st Woad Dye Session

2nd Woad Dye Session

  • Most pigment its taken up with 1st session, but there is always some left.  Remove 1st silk piece.
  • Add dyestuff again and heat and simmer dye bath for 15 mins.
  • When cooler than hand hot, add 2nd piece of silk and leave overnight, to absorb all dye pigment.
  • Second soak actually used up remainder of dye pigment leaving water clear, with paler silk result.

3rd Dye Session- Iron Modifier

Use remaining dye liquid to add iron (ferrous sulphate) for a greyer or greener result.  Colour mix is involved: cream dyes will turn pale grey, the stronger orangey St. John's Wort dye produced green-grey. Other dye baths may produce a pale grey/dull brown results.  Iron can be added by a little rusty water, made by soaking rusty nails in a jar. Small amount needed to tip the colour. Avoid using too much as iron can weaken silk fibres.

Hand Dyed Silk Samples

  • LEFT:     Rosemary - St. Johns Wort Light/St. Johns Wort strong gold - Comfrey Light - Comfrey Dark
  • RIGHT:  Top left St. Johns Wort gold, Green/St. Johns Wort iron modified contrasting with the other natural dye results.
09 Aug

Robes First Designs

Amelia Hoskins / Bespoke garments, Dressing Gown, Robe / / 0 Comments

Original robe designs in cotton, linen, viscose, silk.  Large format rectangular patchworks were originally for quilts.

1. ORIENTAL CRUISE  &  2. LINEN CRUISE  -  Sold

3.  LILAC LOTUS  &  4. JADE GARDEN  -  Available.

I had a large quantity of white linen at the time, which inspired the cream/beige coordinations.

Some patches I painted in silk, designed to coordinate with the existing textile prints used in the robes: pale design seen in upper arm above is an enlarged version of a smaller design shown below it.  Black ornate design on right robe side is silk painted replica of smaller print.

Sash belt in linens

2. LINEN CRUISE - Pleat at back allows for full lower width

2.  LINEN CRUISE:

Cream, beige with colour patches, and black highlight.

Paler colours blend with the neutral cream and beiges, and splashes of black and navy are tasteful contrasts.

Robes all had sash belts in style of house coat usage.

Large patch formats were due to original ideas for quilts, subsequently converted to robes or dressing gowns.

3. LILAC LOTUS one of the original robe creations of 2009!

White and lilac patchwork robe, with very warm brushed cotton lining. White embroidery-Anglais detail.

White linen start, with lilac and taupe as contrast. Taupe silk with cheetah print. Taupe cotton with embroidery. Silk patches with lilac flowers.

Modelled by Sybella, and below by musician Judith at the Green Fair, Barnstaple.

Available  £110.00 direct from maker.  (new purchasing coming soon...)

 

LILAC LOTUS

LILAC LOTUS

4.  JADE GARDEN ROBE. see page (Available)

Very warm thick cotton winter robe, dressing gown or summer coat. Large turn back collar all-one.

Cream, beige and green theme.  Midi length. Long on shorter women; modelled by Coral, Falmouth.

Fabrics:  Ornamental shepherdess cotton furnishing, furnishing floral print, beige linen, green taffeta.

Robe inner lining of brown cotton and cream satin.  Cream satin turn-up sleeve lining.



Jade Garden patchworks - beige, green, white, pastels



Jade Garden Robe with print of shepardess french taapestry.



Garden scene - print of french tapestry shepardess

23 May

Exhibition Totnes Costume Museum

Amelia Hoskins / Coat Dress, Dressing Gown, Robe / / 0 Comments

Shamanic Nights exhibition at the Totnes Costume Museum

Curated theme - 'Innovation and Fashion' - 23rd May‭-‭ 14th June‭ ‬2011

Exhibition Curator Hilary Burns I remembered from 1970s Textiles Degree course. She studied weave; myself silk screen printing. Now a basket weaver, she had also moved to Devon.  It was uncanny how she spotted my work at a craft fair and chose for the exhibition.

Totnes Costume Museum Robe Oriental Cruise and Robe Mandarin

LINEN CRUISE 1.

Robe in white linen and viscose prints shows black underside lapel of white linen collar and front edging (cut two collars contrasting) and two patch pockets.  Front has silk painted panels.  Robe is loose T-shaped structure in patches with no traditional tailored 'armhole'.  A diamond gusset is inserted under arm, under the 'T' join. Patchworks are large and long as originally intended for a bed quilt.

'Oriental Cruise' 

Exhibition featured first Robes made: using white, cream and ecru linens with viscose and cotton printed patchwork rectangles.

Upper left sleeve shows silk painted panel. Design was copied from a small scale print on robe, seen below arm, but with enlarged scale, and keeping same colours.

Robe sold.  A very pleasant scheme which may get revisited.

'Mandarin'  (sold)

Modelled by fashion student, at Cockington Court Crafts Fair

Short cotton Kimono Dress (furnishing weight):  deep no-fit sleeves and stand up 'mandarin' Chinese styled collar, sleeve turn-ups and bound edged side pocket.

Patchwork contrasts of white/black toile design and orange poppies/olive leaves.  Black and white striped lining.  Unusual colour contrasts for me, but used up similar heavyweight cottons

See more early original robes at Robes Summer Coats Originals

'Mandarin' - Making

Named for a Mandarin-style collar made with a strip on a curve (cut x 2 on bias): Piped edge in black; also on pockets.  Patchworks of equal 8 inch x 4 inch.  For attractive 'turn-ups', use contrasting fabric.  Sleeves have faux turn-ups by adding black lace layer below last black patch layer, which turns back to be stitched also 2 inches up inside lining, to reveal black/white striped cotton-satin lining.  The seam formed when stitching to lining,  gives a thicker strong line, which will enable a turn-up to sit at the fold-up nicely.

Dress hem is same black lace as end of sleeves. Adding a bottom hem layer 'frames' the garment together; cut double to stitch down inside, encasing the edges of the upper patchwork.   Dress uses same striped fabric for front facing lining for interest.

 

'Bluebird'  (sold)

Dress was also chosen for the Totnes Museum Exhibition.

Features three fabrics: olive silk, royal blue linen, with 'bluebird' printed cotton.

Independent fabric colours were a perfect match for each other, the green silk blending well next to the printed cotton.

Modelled by keen browser in rainy Exeter crafts market.

 

Patchwork robes can be bespoke made to your measurements with your own fabrics. Send me details of your measurements to adjust dummy. If you have an idea of colours, I can show you photos of coordinates in my collection.  Silk painting additional quote on enquiry.

Making fee for standard kimono styled robe with collar extended down front facing.  Style tweaks can be arranged.

Long large patches:   Short to knee - £160,  Ankle length - £200.00

Small patches 8 inch x 4inch:   Short to knee £220,  Ankle length £260.00

Extra materials cost would be lining, as I do not stock new, although I have some thin white cotton in stock.  Robes need lining.  Summer dresses need not, as patches are over laid zig-zagged.
22 May

Design Philosophy

Amelia Hoskins / Design Philosophy / / 0 Comments

Harmonisation with Discarded Fabrics

Design inspiration comes from seeing themes evolve between disparate fabric prints and colours, rescued from charity/thrift shops, to be recreated into a new unique garment artwork.

As an artist and textile designer, I have a keen eye for the illustration and patterns in textile prints. I source those which appeal to me, variously of classical floral illustrative, geometric, and astral.  A combination of all these together with coordinating plain colours makes a good patchwork.

Not all prints are of personal favourite by themselves, but depending on their colours, I will see a way they would contrast or blend within a theme.  A dress full of rose bouquets can be cut up to introduce patch areas highlighting the best flowers.  A smaller patchwork piece/area of fabric can become more special than the full repeated print area.

Cotton lace tops (often cotton/acrylic mix) are another good find, as they can be layered over other colours.  Most synthetic lace fabrics also surprisingly take up plant dye to some extent, which removes any stark whiteness, too brilliant for patches amongst colours.

I usually choose a starting point of a print, or a part of a garment. then make a pile with other colours and prints (5 is usually sufficient to start with).  As you do this, one choice may be removed and replaced with another, as the combined effect literally 'shouts' too dark, too light, etc., depending on the theme in mind. The most subtle patchwork is when the overall effect is of fabrics of a similar tone; i.e. nothing too light, nor too dark, on its own.  I often do include black with a strong colour collection, due to its fashion favouritism, but am more careful with lighter tones and darks mixed, when making patch-worked garments using panels larger than traditional patchwork.

Silk Painting Inspirations

Some garments have my hand painted silk panels.  The print designs in each fabric collection may suggest a new design to be developed further, using their elements to create a silk painted panel, or I may simply copy some elements combined with other images of my own.  Colour mixing dyes to match the existing prints is an essential skill.  My silks, Habotai or Ahimsa, are base dyed with natural plants, in pastels and mostly golds.  In 2024 I'm experimenting with clamp dyeing backgrounds and making dye paints from plants and roots to use instead of commercial chemical dyes.

Contact me for enquiries or commissions:   amelia-jane-designs@protonmail.com

22 May

Bundle Dyeing Seeds and Flowers Workshop

Amelia Hoskins / Dye Workshop / / 0 Comments

Bundle dyed silk samples were created at Flora's Bundle Dye Workshop in Forde Abbey Gardens

Bundle Dyed Silk Samples

Silk and cottons are covered in seeds, petals and powdered roots; then sprayed with vinegar, then folded up into angular folds, before tying up into stringed bundles.  Bundles are hung over the side of a large boiling pot of water.

Bright pigment result from steaming seeds (such as Hopi sunflower), petals (such as dahlia) and dried root (such as madder or logwood).

Drying out unwrapped silk bundles

Authors Samples –  I chose mostly pink and lilac dyestuffs which I tried to arrange in circular patterns, but this process is completely unpredictable.  Next time it would be interesting to make dyestuff arrangements in circular tied bundles or with elastic, similar to tie dye techniques, form snowflake type designs.

Images copyright Amelia Jane Hoskins Please email for use permission.