Saturday, March 31, 2018

Coral and Olive Twist--a Hand-painted Silk Scarf

Coral and Olive Twist Hand-painted Silk Scarf
     I made this silk scarf in coral, sage, and olive hues by a different method than my usual technique of painting on a scarf stretched on a frame. For this scarf (and one other I'll show you soon), I used twisting or folding techniques that do not require a stretcher frame.

Another view, before the scarf was steam-set and pressed
     The technique came from a library book. The "Fold and Color" chapter in Fabric Surface Design by Cheryl Rezendes (published in 2013) presents step-by-step guidance for a number of  designs--some have roots in Japanese shibori hand-dyeing and others are reminiscent of tie-dyeing. 

     For this scarf, I twisted a 60" x 11" plain white silk scarf tightly (the author suggested fastening one end to something; instead, I asked my husband to hold one end while I twisted the other). Eventually, the twisted scarf began to fold in on itself; at that point, I folded the twist in half lengthwise and secured the ends together with a rubber band.


Detail view
     Placing the twisted bundle on a plastic tray, I then used an eye dropper and sometimes a brush full of paint to drop coral and olive dyes alternately (but not in a perfectly even pattern) on the folds of the twist. I soaked the areas well with dye, but with uneven saturation. Sometimes I let the colors run together, which I knew from earlier testing made a nice brownish hue. Of course, I turned the twist over and made sure all sides had adequate dye.

     After letting the scarf dry thoroughly (it took a couple of days until I had time to go back to the project; it was probably dry after 24 hours or so), I opened it out to discover the pattern you see here. Since I used French silk dyes, the scarf required steam setting, so I waited until I had 3 other pieces to make a batch. Then, I steamed, washed, and pressed it.

     For those interested, I obtain all my silks, French silk dyes, and other tools and supplies at Dharma Trading and have had excellent service from them. These two colors, Olive Green and Coral Red, are Tinfix brand, made in France by Sennelier. Some of my dyes are made by Dupont, a former French company I believe is now in Belgium.

Question of the day: Do you haunt the library and sometimes find fun how-to books there, or do you use information or videos from the internet--or both?

7 comments:

  1. I was wondering what you were up to as I started reading “my” blogs today. And … there is a new post. The scarf is just beautiful.

    In answer to your question, I rarely study art or anything else. I am especially art history challenged. I still enjoy it though….. I do read articles that catch my eye, mostly on the internet.

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  2. Dear Mary your scarf is stunning. I just love those colors. I have never tried painting fabric or silk before but this sounds like such a super way to do art. Just beautiful friend. Have a blessed weekend.

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  3. Always love hearing from you, Jo! Thank you for your compliment and for your interesting answer to the post's question. I go for long periods of time without any outside art "input" and then feel as though an article or book might give me a fresh spirit. Usually, I use them only to spark my own creativity, but in this case, I used the book as instruction on technique.

    Hi Debbie! It's fun to hear from you, and I truly appreciate your encouragement. Our weekend was excellent, thank you, with a dinner party with interesting friends and some inspiring music. Hope your week goes well.

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  4. Mary, thanks for stopping by to visit my blog. I'm sorry for not visiting here in so long. I smile every time I come over and see your gorgeous scarves and paintings. I read about your Savannah anniversary celebration...it sounds like a perfect way to enjoy each other and the family too. All the best! Happy Anniversary!

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  5. Thank you for your kind good wishes, Joan; we are deeply grateful for each other and for our years together. When I picture you visiting, browsing posts, and smiling, then I smile too. You've brought me a lovely gift tonight.

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  6. The scarf is beautiful! I have a friend who does dying, scarfs and such. Very interesting

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  7. Thank you so very much for your visit and for your kind encouragement.

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