The Hammered Flower
by Michelle Moore
What is The Hammered Flower?
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The Hammered Flower was created out of my love of nature, flowers, and the desire to combine two completely different forms of art - The ephemeral and the digital. The fleeting and the lasting. I strive to create one-of-a-kind textiles that are created in small batches, have low environmental impact, and will become a loved and cherished piece that you will enjoy for many years to come.
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The Hammered Flower is a collection of textiles from shirts, tote bags, pouches, patches, and other items that have been pre-treated to accept natural dyes, and hammered (Tataki Zome) flowers and leaves. I have also created hand drawn artwork that will allow your creativity to blossom. The designs are thoughtfully left unfinished so that you can use nature to complete the art.
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You can choose a piece that has been finished by me or you can a choose a piece that you can finish with your own flowers, leaves, and hammer.
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"It's a bit like coloring, but with flowers on fabric".
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The Hammered Flower makes a great activity for everyone. It's simple, fun, and the outcome is a beautiful wearable/usable piece of art. It's also a great way to relieve a little stress while making something special for yourself or as a gift.
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THF can be done as a group for parties or gatherings. All you need is a handful of nature ranging from backyard wildflowers, grocery store flowers in the off season, or foliage/leaves of any kind- the great thing is that you can explore with anything you have on hand. All botanical material will vary in the colors they create. I offer lots more info on this in my guide "The Hammered Flower Field Guide".
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The slow process encourages the flower pigment to attach to the fiber and stay much longer than if you were to simply hammer a flower on to an untreated fabric.
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The pre treatment that is done in my studio allows for bolder, brighter colors.
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Is this process permanent?
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No. Nothing is. However, the fabric is treated, and as a result your prints will last significantly longer than if this process was not completed. If you follow the care instructions your design will have longevity depending on the flowers/leaves that were used. Also, the great thing about properly treated fibers is that you can repeat the process over and over again throughout the years. If your prints start to fade, do it again! Once the fabric is treated, it remains a part of the fiber and will help bond natural dyes. That means, you can keep printing or try other forms of natural dyeing on your piece.
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Not all flowers/leaves are created equal.
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For the pieces that I have created/finished I mostly use flowers and leaves that are *known* as good natural dye sources. This gives each piece the very best chance of lasting as long as possible. While I do this to ensure the longevity of the color on wearable art that I sell- It is not a necessary component to create a piece that you love. Just know that some pigment will last longer than others based on the individual qualities of the dyestuff and ability to be colorfast.
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It's an exploration. Take notes if you wish, identify your flowers and most of all have fun.
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All of the designs have been created by Michelle Moore Designs LLC and are under strict copyright. Nothing on this site may be copied or reproduced without consent from Michelle Moore Designs LLC.
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