Pies and Prints

Introducing July's "Personal Pie Challenge" pie:

(irresistible) Blueberry Hand Pies!

I'd definitely make these again because 

they fit in your hand and the fillings are unlimited. 

Fun, versatile and very satisfying to make...and eat! 

Click the link for this classic taste of summer: 

Blueberry Hand Pies 

The eco-printing bug has bitten! 

Here are a few results from my first adventure.

(Silk habotai and alum mordant.)

Fern from the woods. 

I think the rosie areas are echinacea petals
which were sprinkled on after the previous photo was taken.

 I had to try the rose leaf. 

And yes, it's every bit as satisfying to peel back  

those spent leaves as I thought it would be.

It's easy to imagine sewing just a small scrap

to a favorite soft T-shirt or skirt, hand stitching around

those sweet leaf shapes.

 Next, I took a few uneventful pieces of silk from earlier experiments
and sprinkled lily petals all over the surface. 
I wadded up the silk and mashed the bundle with my hands.
With all that squishing I felt like a kid again! 

The thin dark strip of silk is the result of rose leaves
embedded in concertina folds, then steamed.
Once steamed, I bound the bundle between two pieces 
of iron and dropped it in a jar of hibiscus tea. 
I let that sit in the sun for a few days. 
I'm happy with the results from all of these experiments, 
and continue to turn my wheels on ways to 
incorporate them into my own garments and quilts.

After a breakfast of fresh blueberries and peaches, 
I'll head out the back door to gather plants
and make some bundles. I'll share the results next week!