I painted a single silk scarf during a class at our local library about 10 years ago and was HOOKED. Watching as colors flow along the fibers blending to create the most wonderful surprises never ceases to delight me. The hand craft of painting on silk results with no two pieces EVER being exactly the same
- how wonderful is that?
- how wonderful is that?
The Process
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The silk for your Colorways or Elements scarf begins as a silk "blank" which I machine wash with Professional Textile Detergent, working with a batch of no more than 12 pieces at a time. The silk is hung to dry partially then stretched so that I can paint on the fabric.
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The Colorways scarves are painted in a manner similar to watercolor painting, blending between 3 and 5 hues in swirls, waves, or patches of color. Once painted, the scarf "rests" for at least 48 hours allowing the dye to settle deeply into the silk fibers. Next, the scarf is wrapped in fresh newsprint or cotton fabric and steamed for several hours to "set' the dye. The scarf "rests" once again after being steamed and after 48 hours it is washed by hand, rinsed until the water runs clear, pressed and packaged.
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The Elements scarves are detailed and more labor intense. The design for the scarf is planned out on paper as a thumbnail sketch so that I can play with the placement and visual balance of the motifs. The design is "drawn" on the silk by squeezing a thick fluid resist called gutta onto the fabric. The gutta blocks the dyes from moving farther along the silk fibers and allows an artist to create boundaries between colors. The process requires a steady hand. Occasionally air bubbles are in the gutta or my hand cramps from squeezing adding to the proof that each piece is handcrafted.
The gutta is allowed to dry overnight, then the dyes are painted onto the silk. The dyes "rest" for 48 hours both before and after steaming. Once the dyes are set, I wash out the water-based gutta and once again the fabric has a lovely drape and is soft to the touch. |
Elements in nature silks are the result of walks in the woods and time spent in my gardens. Each scarf in the collection is a unique "one-of" design.
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