Cashmere Scarf Long Eco-print-'Buddleia'

Buddleia grows wild all around where I live , the sweet smelling lilac colour flowers , the butterflies favourite , are such a pretty part of the lake side vegetation . 

I picked and then pressed , the entire stem with leaves & flowers for this print . The flowers surprised me by turning the most beautiful deep shade of yellow . I placed the stems in a naturally random , criss-cross pattern allover the scarf . I folded the piece horizontally in panels before rolling and wrapping and left the end edges with their tassels exposed . I put 3 green walnuts in the pan with the 'bundled' scarf and the deep brown water marks are thanks to this addition . The overall colour on the mid grey background is green and grey with yellow spires and olive green lance shape leaves . 

I knitted the scarf on my 8 gauge machine in a single jersey stitch using 1 end of pure cashmere yarn . I blocked various close tones off grey in this knit which add to the movement and depth of the overlaying print . I have decorated this scarf , being a little longer than usual, with a few extra hand-wrapped tassels , a total of 8 

After the scarf has been knitted & finished the technique of eco-print begins with a preparatory bath with a mordant . The mordant , I use mostly vinegar , opens the pores of the yarn making the surface more receptive and the image more permanent . I heat to boiling point the mordant bath of water + vinegar  and keep it on the heat for nearly and hour , after which I leave it to cool . When its cold I wring it out and or hand it up to dry for later use or spread it out wet on the table ready for printing . The leaves & flowers , usually picked and pressed previously,  can be used as they are in which case I may use a felt inlay soaked in iron water or I soak the leaves themselves . The placement is very important and will define the final pattern.  I often use mirror image with the folding , but not in this case. Once folded I roll and wrap the entire scarf in kitchen foil and tie it up tightly with string . The .'bundle' then goes into a pot of water and is steam boiled for an hour . Left to cool in the water , usually overnight . The unwrapping is always an exciting moment and I hold my breath as I un-roll the scarf to reveal the result . It is not however definitive yet . I hang it up to drip dry and let it oxidise for a couple of days before washing it .

As you can see these scarves are truly special , fruit of a lengthy process and to buy one is to appreciate the astonishing & unique beauty of the patterns in nature and the natural technique used to print  and to know that no-one will ever have a scarf quite like yours !

• 100% Pure Cashmere
• Handloom knit , 8 gauge 1 ply , single jersey scarf
• 8 hand wrapped tassels in cashmere on each corner and placed at random along edge  .
• Eco-printed by hand using real buddleia stems with flowers & leaves  
• This piece is unique and irrepetible .
• Size  - 182cm x 50cm
• Hand wash only 30°C - may shed a little colour at first wash . 
• All watermarks on folds and edges are part of the unique technique and cannot be considered as defects , please look carefully at the full spread photo .
• Ready for despatch