More silk scarves...a few triumphs, a lot of blunders

I'm trying out some new (to me) techniques. The first is done using Pebeo black and bronze (which you can't see very well) water soluble gutta. Not too happy with the black, because I think I snipped off the tip too far down, making the hole too large, causing the lines to be too thick. Always something with being a newbie. The butterflies are a little overwhelming, even though I adore the colors.

On the second scarf, I had a lot of fun because it wasn't so taxing. Just blobs of color, let them spread, put a teaspoon of salt in the centers. Easily entertained, I was fascinated by the salt as it both repelled and attracted the color, ending up looking like real flower centers and adding texture. Then I painted the whole thing with Jaquard no flow, I think it's called, so that I could outline the flowers with black and not have the ink spread. Then finally I ironed it to set the dyes and washed it in Synthrapol.

Just like when you photograph knits, the items look lots better in person.

Here is a closeup of the salt effect.

I think you also need that touchability to appreciate.


Still having fun, but I REALLY need to get back to my knitting machines.

Silk Scarf Painting Extraordinaire!

Even though I'm a rank beginner, I convinced some friends that they NEED to try silk painting too. We got together yesterday and spent all day at it. They loved it!!! One joked that she was going to sell her knitting machines and take up silk painting full time. I think she is hooked. There is such variety in color and technique. If you click on the picture, you'll be able to see the detail better. They tried stamping, twisting, plaid, free hand, salt, and outlining with gutta. You can't see the rust colored one very clearly, but it is interesting. She twisted the silk as though she were making a knitted cord, put rubber bands every few inches and painted stripes. The darker colors look like pine trees---or knit stitches! I think for first timers they all did a great job. Each scarf is beautiful and unique. They can't wait to get together to try it again.

Mine is the 4th from the left, with the Chinese red background and pink/orange flowers. I tried the PEBEO silver gutta for the first time. It's nice. I did the design free hand with the gutta while the scarf was stretched and was able to control the lines much better. I like how it gives the scarf a little bit of a dressy feel. Since it leaves a slight raised texture, I don't think you'd want to always use it, but experimenting is fun. I bought pearl white, black, copper and silver. So I've got some play time ahead.

I felt like I made some progress in some ways with my blending of color and there are some things I wish I had done differently. So much is dictated by the silk. It wants to be part of the creation and you can't control it. But all in all, I like my flowers.

Fantasy Fish- Silk Painting

Here's my first scarf that is worth sharing. I encourage you to click on the pictures to get a larger view. This is actually scarf #3, but the others I'm not so proud of. These fish have been swimming around in my head for quite some time, my own design. Scary what is up there, I tell ya.

Actually came up with the fishies a few years ago and put them into DesignaKnit and knit a funky drought stopper thing with them out of outrageous colors. It's in use to this day coming in handy during our below zero seige, stuffed with odds and ends of ugly yarn and ugly swatches. The draft excluder is about 8" high and the width of the door. Yarn is a wonderful insulator for this drafty (droughty?) door that goes out to the attached garage.

Anyway, I digress. As I'm learning silk painting, I thought it would be a good idea to try a different technique on each fish, which I sort of accomplished. There is soooooo much to learn. A lot of silk painting seems to be comprised of happy and unhappy surprises. I think I lucked out in a way with the seaweed. It's very forgiving, as are the underwater reflections that lend themselves well to shadings of color. This time I was a little more successful blending my own colors---shades of green, blue and purple.

The first scarves I did had some mud shades resulting from over-zealous mixing of colors. For this one, I used habotai silk, 8mm with pre hemmed edges, 8" wide x 56" long. The resist is water soluble as are the Dye-na-flow paint dyes. I'm still getting the hang of that water soluble resist. It's tricky. There are some fat lines and some thinner lines. I prefer to file them under artistic license....

To stretch my silk, I used a highly sophisticated cardboard box reinforced with masking tape. I used push pins to stretch the scarf over the box's opening. If I keep up with the silk painting, I'll need to get a better frame for stretching the silk. I guess I wanted to get into this the cheapest way possible to see if I liked it or not. I know that's not the best approach, but...

I NEED to take an art class or two. Flying by the seat of one's pants seems to waste some time, although painful lessons sink in pretty good.

My knitting machines miss me. But right now, I am totally infatuated with this medium. I feel Paul watching over my shoulder and cheering me on.

Out of the past

My niece just posted a pic on Facebook of her daughter wearing a sweater I designed for Knitwords several years ago. Maybe 4 years ago? Can't remember which issue. I had given it to Jessie for her older daughter, her firstborn. Is cute and fits this sweet child well. The back of the sweater has an upside down ice cream cone having fallen on the ground, with the word "Oops!" I had used several online translators to get the phrases for "I LOVE ICE CREAM", but I think some of them were slightly off. Oh well, most people don't speak that many languages and would be none the wiser. If they knew how to fix the spelling, they could do so when knitting it. Fun to see Liv wearing it and fun to remember this design.

The private snow plow companies in the Twin Cities must be hurting. We got about 3/4" overnight and the plow came this morning to do our long driveway. Grrrrrrrrrrr, it's $40 a crack or I wouldn't mind so much. I suppose now that I have publicly complained, it will snow again today and they'll come back for double the money.

Have been in a bit of a knitting slump lately. Always seems to happen to me in January. Too much knitting before Christmas, I suppose. Instead,I have gotten interested in painting on silk. Have purchased supplies and dyed two scarves so far. It's painful to be a beginner where you do not have really a clue as to what you are doing and you make a gazillion mistakes. It's fun anyway and I have already worn one of the scarves. Pics to follow if I get the camera fired up and the ensuing scarves aren't toooooooo horrible to look at. It's fascinating watching the dye spread out over the silk. Magical, really. I feel another addiction coming on. If you're interested in silk painting, You Tube has lots of examples and Dharma Trading Co. is a wonderful site for info.