Sweet Phyl is a practice which explores traditional fibre craft such as embroidery, visible mending, and natural dye. It aims to make space to share and build connections through this experimental work. Sweet Phyl items are dyed with botanical dyestuffs and hand-altered using antique, sustainable and salvaged materials. Many items are dyed with plants foraged throughout California and London, including flowers, seeds, barks, and algae.

~ scroll down for all available items ~

 
 

Within this practice, mending functions as a gesture of healing and meditation. Living plant color inherently draws us closer to the land and deeper into the healing. Sweet Phyl is therefore a study of the power of plants and the power of traditional knowledge. It aims to inspire and share acquired knowledge with the community, and honor the complex and rich history of natural dye plants that has been passed through generations. Connecting to this history can expand ones connection to place and connect us to the teachers who have passed along these special crafts.

 
 

Sweet Phyl prioritises exchanges of goods through trade, gifting, & personal commissions. Zannie sees the exchange of object & labor as an opportunity for bonding and community building. They are most interested in trades that connect to place and person. This may include handmade, local, sustainable items (wearables, food/brew, antiques, art/craft, pottery, etc.) as well as opportunities for learning, healing, and travel. All interest is welcome <3

 
 

Portfolio

Visit instagram @sweetphylll to inquire, or to see other projects, commissioned trades, personal gifts, and experiments.

Pocket Tote

This tote has been dyed with avocado seed & onion skin, gently altered with a home-brewed iron liquor. It features 3 pockets made with 100 year old salvaged linen & salvaged cotton sewn onto a cotton tote base. The pockets are hand sewn with antique thread. It has a washed linen look & feel.

Abalone Cardigan

Sweatshirt cardigan dyed with avocado seed. Hand sewn & embroidered with antique threads, with antique abalone buttons and an antique satin patch ~ also dyed with avocado stones.

This cardigan was altered from an incredibly soft & unworn pullover crewneck, it has a loose fit and shortened hemline with the hem sitting at or above hip level but well below waist.

Embroidered Desert Flora Crewneck

This white crewneck sweatshirt has been hand embroidered with desert flora using salvaged thread. The sweatshirt itself is very soft as it is new & unworn, and has been repurposed from a previous project for Sweet Phyl.

 

Quail Egg Tote

This cotton tote has been been dyed with black tea and a home brewed iron liquor. It has a washed linen look and feel.

Medium Tea Kerchief & Bolo

This cotton gauze kerchief has been dyed with black tea blended with a home-brewed iron liquor. The salvaged leather bolo has been hand stitched with antique, plant dyed threads.

Custom Little Rabbit

Available for trade

Every rabbit is handmade, entirely unique, & customised for the receiver and made with salvaged antique materials and naturally dyed scraps. They are stuffed with organic cotton and can come with knitted jumpers, earrings, necklaces, backpacks, etc. Please allow for a turn around time to make each rabbit of 2 weeks.

 

Still Life Tote

This cotton tote has been been hand painted with an aged fermented logwood dye bath and altered with home-brewed iron liquor. It has a washed linen look and feel.

Violet Wash CrewnecK

This crewneck sweatshirt has been hand-dyed with logwood and purple cabbage. It has been hand-embroidered with many small purple flowers using antique salvaged thread.

Thistle Pony Tote

This cotton tote has been dyed with coreopsis flower, cochineal bugs, & logwood. It has been altered with a home-brewed iron liquor & hand embroidered with antique thread. It has a washed linen look & feel.

 

Flower Gatherer Tapestry Crewneck

This crewneck has been dyed with organic avocado seed & hand painted with a blend of weld flowers & home-brewed iron liquor. It has been hand-embroidered with antique salvaged threads.

Poison Tote

This cotton tote has been dyed with turmeric (for medicinal qualities) and osage orange (for longevity), and hand painted with home-brewed iron liquor. It has a washed linen look and feel.

Bundled Seed & Flower Crewneck

This crewneck has been bundle dyed with a variety of organic flowers and seeds (including avocado seed, rose, marigold) and has been sprinkled with cochineal dust (therefore not vegan).

 

Potion Shirt

A hand-painted long sleeved shirt in a washy mocha color. Dyed with organic onion skins then altered & painted with an oaky iron ferment.

Antique Patchwork Boiler Suit

This antique coverall has been hand-mended and repaired using antique salvaged threads and patched with quilted and scrap materials. It is an incredibly unique item that was altered over many months in Los Angeles and London.

Mage Tote

Available for trade

This cotton tote has been dyed with coreopsis flower, onion, & marigold flowers. It has been painted with a home-brewed iron liquor & hand embroidered with antique thread. It has a washed linen look & feel.

 

Camo Shirt

A hand-dyed long sleeved shirt, bundle dyed with rose, nettle, marigold, & onion skins. It has been altered with a home-brewed iron liquor & hand-embroidered with antique salvaged thread.

Rose Rainbow Mend Hoodie

This hoodie sweatshirt has been bundle dyed with rose, marigold, cochineal, osage orange heartwood. The hoodie had small damage which has been hand-mended using a very special rainbow-gradient antique thread.

Fermented Logwood Blouse

This cotton blouse has been dyed with a 6 month old fermented dye bath of logwood bark. It has a marbled texture of tan, brown, and taupe with some under layers of purple.

The collar has been beaded with salvaged glass antique beads.

 

Algae & Flower Brew Shirt

This incredibly soft shirt has been hand-dyed with weld and marigold flowers, foraged algae, turmeric, and logwood.

Harlequin Hoodie

This hoodie sweatshirt has been hand painted with weld, osage orange, and an aged fermented logwood dye bath. Areas have been altered with home-brewed iron liquor.

Indigo Wash Mended Crewneck

This crewneck sweatshirt has been overdyed with organic indigo. The sweatshirt had small damage which has been hand-mended with antique salvaged threads in various shades of light blue.

 

Rainbow Embroidered Tote

This tote has been dyed with coreopsis, weld, and marigold flowers, with touches of indigo and avocado seed. It has been hand embroidered with flowers on both sides using a very special rainbow-gradient antique thread. It has a washed linen look and feel.

Healing BlockY Linen Trousers

These hand-painted linen trousers carry the healing properties of organic turmeric and organic marigold flower, alongside the more colorfast weld flower, organic onion skin, and osage orange heartwood.

Iron Mend Crewneck

This red & black-brown crewneck sweatshirt has been over-dyed with an aged fermented logwood dye bath and altered with home-brewed iron liquor. The sweatshirt had small damage throughout which has been hand-mended with antique salvaged thread.

 

Desert Flora Tote ~ Muted

This tote has been hand embroidered with antique salvaged threads and features desert flora on both sides in beige and white. It has a washed linen look and feel.

Soft Rose Skull Hoodie

This hoodie sweatshirt has been hand painted an aged fermented logwood dye bath with areas color altered by a home-brewed iron liquor.

Desert Flora Tote ~ BRIGHT

This tote has been hand embroidered with antique salvaged threads and features desert flora on both sides in greens, white, and red. It has a washed linen look and feel.

Sweet Phyl is named after Zannie’s great grandmother, who was also a maker of slow craft.