Recently I wrote about the aesthetics of a simple poncho. Despite its simplicity, a poncho offers infinite possibilities.

My blog buddy, Martine Bos of Ateliercolore, has focused much of her art on eco prints and dying textiles using plants. This collaboration with nature has led to some delightful “wearables” including her interpretation of the poncho pictured below. Fantastic!

 Martine explained the process she used to make this eco print poncho:  I started with stitching leaves on the cloth (only on the sides and you cannot see them very well) and then I printed with leaves I got from Irit Dulman who brought them from Israel. I don’t remember their name as we don’t have them in the Netherlands. It was a very thick bundle which was cooked for one hour. I used no dyes but a little ironing. After rinsing and drying,  I sew it together by hand. I prefer sewing by hand because for me machine stitching is work whereas hand-stitching is fun.

Martine wearing her poncho under the apple tree in Glastonbury.

Above is another poncho made by Martine.  Felted and dyed with eucalyptus, the trim around the shoulders is made from eco dyed silk.