A few years ago, I received a package of silk carrier rods as a gift from a fiber artist friend. I wasn't familiar with them at the time and had no idea what to do with them, but I stashed them away. Now, I want to start experimenting with other fibers besides cottons and wools, so I dug them out of my supplies and read up on them. Silk carrier rods are the by-product of reeling silk from the cocoon.
Eventually these are cut off and what you see above is the result. Mixed media and fiber artists have found some ingenious ways to incorporate these into their work, one of which is silk fusion. The package I had in my stash contained four or five that were dyed to various shades of green. When the rods are flattened out, they come apart into several layers. The texture is amazing! The cross hatching is visible from the filament overlapping on itself and yet there is a sheen in some parts from the natural silk properties.
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Since moving to Colorado, I have had the opportunity to meet with fellow fiber artists in a regional SAQA group once a month. We share ideas, give critiques, encourage and help each other pursue our creative endeavors. This month, I offered to teach a technique that you might have seen on my blog if you've been reading a while: Kool-Aid Dyeing. We experimented with all sorts of fibers (even some that we didn't know what the fiber content was!) and we combined mixing with some over-dyeing to see what kind of results we could get. Any animal protein fiber works well with this technique, including wool, goat, alpaca, and even silk! Plant based and man-made fibers (cottons, polyester, etc.) may tint with the Kool-Aid or resist it altogether, so this technique is also a great way to "test" your fiber content.
Good results are easy to achieve, vibrant and deliciously fragrant! And the best part? This dyeing technique is safe! Safe for yourself, safe to try with kids, safe for pets and safe for your pipes! With so many chemical options available, it's nice to have an alternative that's affordable too! I'd love to see what you come up with too! |
About MeFiber artist, wife to a wonderful husband and mom to 2 awesome, grown kids Archives
July 2023
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