Eco dyed found damask, silk organza, thread, split cane.

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‘Essence Piece’ is a companion work to ‘My Lady Stays’. In the 16th century a stomacher piece was a stiffened, boned panel attached to the centre of a lady's bodice. 

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Again, exploring the theme ‘What do we leave behind?’, this time I focused on the smell of old clothing. To overcome the common everyday stench of Elizabethan living, it was usual practice for the wealthy to carry pomanders to mask unpleasant smells.

 

The old damask linen I used was first eco dyed using rose petals and lavender flowers from my garden and then steeped in a bath containing cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, cardamom and vanilla (all popular scents of the time).