DIY - Shibori

You know what it's like: you're travelling, you see a thousand amazing things, you think "Hey, I should totally try that at home!" and you come back from your trip filled with ideas and motivation.

While she was travelling in India, Marie was amazed to see all the dyers at work in the district of Shahpur Jat, in Dehli. It was crazy to see all the fabrics soaking in rich colours, then hung up to dry. The deep blue of the indigo, the bright yellow of the turmeric... Marie could already see herself trying this technique at home!

Elsa, as for herself, discovered the art of Shibori in Japan: the typical indigo patterns were everywhere. They seemed so intricate and yet so refined, how was it possible to get such a beautiful result with just fabrics, pleats and knots?

Two weeks ago, we decided to finally do it: cotton canvas, some indigo dye and rubber bands, and off we were, trying to handle the fine art of Shibori!

 

We started by pleating our canvas or tying rubber bands around wood beads. This is how you create the pattern of blue on white (or white on blue, depending on the technique you use).

We let it soak in the dye for 15 minutes. After that, the fabric gets its new colour. 

Beautiful!

After removing the beads and the rubber bands, or after unfolding your fabric, you discover the result (and usually go "Wohaaaaa"...).

Ta-dah !!!

To display our first trial, we decided to make pillow cases and - we don't like to brag but - it turns out great!

Find out soon more designs on Marie's Etsy shop: Youplaloom

(And if you are wondering where to find another of this little guy sitting next to the pillows, visit Elsa's shop:

Claude-sans-coeur)

Berlin - Kostümverkauf at the Opera

On saturday, the Komische Oper Berlin opened its gate for a big costume sale. For us, it was a great opportunity to get inside this famous place for the first time! And, of course, get a glimpse of the amazing costumes that had been worn on stage during the last year...

 

We got up early and patiently waited in line in the cold (equipped with tea and chocolate cake). We can say it now: it was worth it.

 
 

 

We had to wait a little bit more inside, but this time we could stare at the amazing lights, the staircases and the red carpets...

 

In the first room were kept the more "simple" costumes. If you consider "Snow Army" costumes and red vinyl shoes with 20cm soles as "simple"! Few room, many people: surviving the costume hunt in there was not easy!

The second room was displaying the costumes, the amazing ones. Sequin dresses, silk gowns, crazy giant hats, corsets... It was a delight to see them all, touch them, look all the little details of their composition. 

It was also very cool and fun to see people trying them on - everyone looked like children, so excited to see if they would fit into their new carnival costume!

 

We behaved, that day, and only got two pairs of shoes - not for us to wear, just to use as a decoration.
 
Look how pretty they are! You can see the label on the sole, with the name of the actor who wore them and the opera piece it has been used for.

Those ones are children leather shoes, worn for the opera piece "Bohème". 

You can buy them on our shop Les Indécises! 

Those ones were worn for the musical "Kiss me, Kate". They just make you wanna put them on and go dancing, don't they?! They will stay in Elsa's bedroom, sorry dears...

We also found little objects which you can discover in our shop very soon!

Meanwhile, we'll dream of more costumes and get ready for the next sale in... one year!