Midsummer oddities
T-shirt prints for natural dye workshops, Sideways festival, 2022


Midsummer Oddities is a series of 7 edgy t-shirt prints designed exclusively for natural dye workshops held at Sideways music and art festival in June 2022, Helsinki. The festival visitors had a chance to print the artwork onto t-shirts in two different workshops. The dyes were made of mushrooms, flowers and wine.
The prints combined lyrics from Finnish artists and bands performing at the festival to visuals picturing midsummer oddities, spells and sparkle. The theme emerged from the mystical atmosphere of midsummer known in Finnish folklore.
Prints were made with collage technique combining photography, hand and digital drawings. The robust aesthetics enabled clear printing results with the delicate dyes, which would fade in time.
The workshops were designed and facilitated by Helsinki-based Softislab, "a platform for kind, curious and experimental activities with textiles, clothes and fashion - collective making, learning and sharing".

Above mock-ups of the prints in different colourways. The snake print was inspired by the song Siamilaiset (2018) by Ruusut. Design above is based on a Litku Klemetti song Mitä muutakaan tekisin (2019).


The light brown colour emerged with a mix of red wine and iron. Photos above: Mira Järvinen and Eemeli Rimpiläinen.