It seems like yesterday when I introduced to you @traisto, although it is almost three years by now. Back then we were living in Crete and "traisto" was just a name to sign her hand-woven textiles. One activity out of the many crafts that we were experimenting on, when our obligations as farmers were leaving us with some free time.
So many things have changed ever since. We have changed ourselves, to start with, the place that we live most of the year has changed, our skills to crafts that tend to disappear have changed and finally and because of the all the above, "traisto" itself has changed.
Weaving, natural dyes and beeswax candles, along with our farming products and our everlasting love for photography, they have all found their place to our new home and became the ingredients of our own, unique blend, keeping our hands busy and our minds creative.
"Traisto" is all the above, in a small workshop based in Nafplio, Greece. A creative sanctuary of slow crafting, a lifestyle.
The floor weaving loom is the most eye catching item and source of pride for our small workshop. Fotini is working with natural fibres like wool, cotton and jute, drawing her inspiration from landscapes and geometrical shapes. I have shown you many of her textiles in the past and there are many more in her account. In those pictures we have just finished "dressing the loom" with new wraps and getting it ready for new creations.
The candle making has become a true and rather unexpected fascination. We started making a few of them, for our home but Fotini loved them so much that she devoted a lot of time practicing, studying and improving, to reach the level of quality that we are offering today. The aroma of the pure beeswax travels us into a nostalgic era and when the time comes to burn them, their light soothes our souls!
The tapered candles are hand dipped with the slow and traditional way that they are made for ever. The twisted ones are made by hand, one by one. The wick is also hand made, by cotton thread and wherever there is colour, it is only from natural dyes.
Paraffin and chemicals have no place in our workshop, not even the slightest trace of them.
Natural dyes, is another craft that used to be common knowledge and is now almost forgotten. Using plants to dye fabrics is something that people are doing for millennia and yet, only after a few decades of using chemical dyes, we almost forgot their existence.
Bundle dyeing reminded me the magic of the darkroom when I first saw a picture developed before my eyes. In a similar but more natural way, the plant parts create their unique imprint on the fabric leading to one of the kind patterns.
Have you ever seen a landscape with mismatched colours?
A meadow with "wrong" colour combinations?
No, you haven't.
Because in nature all colours fit together, there is no wrong combination. In the same way it is practically impossible to make unfit combinations with natural dyes. All the colours belong with each other and they always produce a harmonious result.
And I just love the fact that only natural fabrics can be dyed that way. So we only use 100% cotton, linen or silk.
I wasn't familiar with silk at all. Actually, if I remember correctly, I have only had one silk shirt in my whole life. But working with it made me appreciate it a lot. The colours turn out so vibrant on it and it gives such a natural sense of luxury.
We source undyed mulberry silk from the region of Soufli, in Northern Greece. They have a long tradition in silk production, recognised worldwide. There used to be a lot of producers in that area but now it is only three family bushinesses that are still running.
As promised, this was the first sneak peek in our new workshop and a short recap of what we were up to, the last year. I've been preparing this post for hours and now that I read it again I realise that I only said and shown only a fraction of what I originally wanted.
But there is time for more posts and more updates!
Have a lovely weekend ahead :)
Thank you for reading and if you want to know more about me you can check out my introduction post.
Commenting, upvoting and rebloging are highly appreciated!
I am speechless! @traisto's workshop and the idea behind it, the way how you two work is beautiful and tender, of course all accompanied with a lot of work, creativity, knowledge and experience that have been building over the years! Congratulations ✨
Thank you very much, from both of us!
We really need some words of encouragement right now :)
Congratulations to your new shop. @fotostef
Thank you very much @fixyetbroken :)
You're welcome. Visit my post too. Thank you.😊
How beautiful...the creations, the space, the very soul of this journey you two are on is intoxicating to me. I would vote 1000% if I could! Congratulations!
Thank you very much for your encouraging words!
It is as if you did vote 1000% :)
This is so exciting and BEAUTIFUL! Wow, what beautiful products and made with so much care and attention. The space is wonderful and I am so happy that you are living in such a creative and intentional way. It is inspirational. :)
Thank you so much Sara, I am glad you like them! It has been a long journey to get us here :)
Ohhhh... I'm speechless. Wait, let me process everything well. 😁
CONGRATULATIONS!
Thanks a lot!
Now all you have to do is come to Greece and see everything up close :)
Wow, wow!!! I don't know what to say, I love it all!!!! Everything so creative, coherent, respectful, but the fabrics dyed using plants...that's out of this world. They are beautiful! Without a doubt...success is guaranteed. The place is very cozy with an exquisite design. Congratulations to both of you 💚.
Thank you very much for your heartwarming comment! We have tried a lot, for a long time, to get to this point and every encouraging word means the world to us :)
The effort has been worth it, the workshop is wonderful and the products are exquisite. Many good vibes from this side of the world. Greetings to both of you.
Stefane, this looks amazing!
I wish both of you the best with this new beginning in your life. (Lovely photos by the way)
Please send my wishes to Fotini too for Happy Easter, Καλή Ανάσταση με αγάπη και φως!!
Happy Easter Katerina!
Thank you very much :)
Wow! So many beautiful things and done in a way that is rarely seen these days, a tremendous effort,
I wish you all the success in the world! ✨✨✨
Thank you so much Sofia!
We have tried a lot to get to this point and it is so nice to hear that it is acknowledged :)
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Καλορίζικο και καλή πρόοδο 🧿 🤞🏻💰, σας εύχομαι όλο το καλύτερο. Τέλειο είναι, μου αρέσει που έχει κάτι διαφορετικό από ένα κοινό μαγαζί, φαίνεται σπιτικό, ζεστό και φιλικό, είναι και λίγο hippie σαν εσάς τους δύο 🤭🤭. Εμένα μου αρέσουν πολύ τα αρωματικά κεριά, σαπούνια καί όλα αυτά χεχεχε, πρώτη φορά όμως που ακούω να φτιάχνουν τα κεριά με τα χέρια και χωρίς καλούπια 🤔, σαν να φτιάχνεις κουλούρια η τσουρέκια 😋.
Και τα υφάσματα βαμμένα με φυσικά χρώματα 🍃🍂🌼 😻, όμορφη δουλειά με αυτά που μας δίνει η φύση.
Καλό Πάσχα, Χριστός Ανέστη 🙏🏻 να είσαστε καλά 🌷
Σ' ευχαριστώ πολύ για τα καλά σου λόγια και για τις ευχές!
Έχουμε αφιερώσει πολύ χρόνο και δουλειά για να φτιάξουμε αυτό το χώρο και χαίρομαι που σου αρέσει και βρίσκεις ότι μας μοιάζει :)
Thank you very much for your support!
I like your workspace and the beautiful things you are making there! The dyed silks are gorgeous! Kudos! 💜 I marked my three favorites in the photo, below, but they are all beautiful!
Thank you very much!
I am glad you like them :)
Oh man, my friend, @fotostef, this post itself is a piece of artwork. You captured the essence of your creative workshop in such beautiful detail - the photographs are just a joy for the eye. Thank you so much for sharing such a wonderful piece of yourself, and inspiring others like myself to keep our hopes and dreams afloat (of doing something similar).
I have been wanting to read this post from the day I saw you posted it, and only managed to get some time now to truly let myself be open and to listen to your words.
I really want to do something similar, especially with bread and poetry; to just create a creative space where my own ideas and those of others who might want to join can flourish and take root. This gives me some renewed hope that I might cultivate something similar, and that I need to hold onto the hopes and dreams. I am looking forward to the other posts you mentioned, if you have not posted them yet. Keep well!
Thank you very much for your words, this comment is the best present you could give me :)
I really hope that you'll have your creative space as soon as possible and your dreams and ideas will find a hospitable place to flourish!
Cheers!
Thank you so much! I am always putting money away for this future dream project. Things are very expensive where I live in terms of property and rentals, but soon I might have enough! Keeping the dream alive, and thanks to people like you sharing your success stories, I always feel there is hope!
I don't know if it is or will be a success but it is our story :)
Good luck with your plans!
Just by attempting it, you have already moved beyond thousands of unrealised dreams! See it in that light, but I am sure it will be a success.
Thank you so much, and good luck as well!
Wonderful image!!!
Thanks :)
Wow awesome to see such beautiful wholesome, hand crafted artist products!
From one hand crafted artisan business owner much respect~*~
Thank you very much, I am glad you like them!