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Whoooosh and A Silk Scarf
The sound you just heard was me, deflating with relief. What an INSANE few days. But, I did it! I got two pieces in the mail a day ahead of schedule (which means tomorrow I’ll actually be able to prepare for teaching machine applique on Weds…what a concept…being ready!)–the one for Bali Fabrics and the one for Lion Brand Yarns. Also, got the scarf in the mail for the scarf challenge. So, I think I’ll make this a couple posts (just to make uploading photos easier…..”Hello” from Picasa is supposed to be easy but just makes me nuts, so bear with me…).
OK, the silk scarf challenge. On the Dyers’ List…a listserv for folks interested in dyeing fabrics and fibers, one list member was able to purchase a bolt of silk (actually a cotton-silk blend, more on which in a sec)…65 yards or so by 80 inches wide! jacquard (a rose pattern—not my thing, but what the heck) for a pittance. She challenged us to dye the fabric and make two scarves…one to keep, one to swap. This is an odd-angle photo–like me holding the camera over the table. The actual color is closer to the second photo (below), but this one shows the back side of the scarf—that light area in the center.
I decided to keep it simple, given the chaos of my life. I used Pebeo Soie silk dyes, which require steam setting. I hung the silk over an adjustable shower curtain rod rigged up over the tub, then dripped / painted dye (using a sponge brush) onto the silk. Then, when dry, time to steam.
Alas, I don’t think I took pics of the steaming set-up…looks kinda like a still. Put hot-plate on floor and plug in. Set canning kettle on hot-plate, fill with 6-8 inches boiling water. Set two sections of stove pipe (total height, about 5 feet) INTO water. Make “tent” out of aluminum foil…tape to stove pipe and tent over outside edge of pot…this funnels the steam into the stove pipe and not up the outside. Roll silk inside paper (or cloth). Tie roll. Hang inside stovepipe, making sure roll of silk and paper doesn’t touch the insides of the stovepipe. Place towel over top. Place canning pot lid on top of towel. Why the towel? So the condensation on the inside of the lid doesn’t drip and stain the silk…..
Anyway, I didn’t read the paper that came with it very well, and missed the part that said this was a silk BLEND, as in partly cotton. Because I used an acid-dye, not a fiber reactive dye, only the silk “took” the dye. This was not planned, but I actually like the way the cotton stayed white, and makes a stronger contrast with the silk, which is vibrant. I make my swap scarf 12×80 inches, and hand-hemmed. Then, because it was fairly plain, I added some beads to the ends to help weight it,
though the scarf is surprisingly weighty on its own. It is large enough that you could use it as an evening wrap. However, given the last time I needed an evening wrap or anything fancier than a denim skirt was about 8 years ago, well……I think I’m going to save the rest of the silk and use it in a quilt. As a friend said…does fancy schmancy silk go with polartec and jeans to the grocery? It’s not like there is a high demand for fancy duds in a mom’s life!
So that’s it for the scarf. I’ll let you know what I get in exchange, when I get it………