Fabric for a dress part 2--results

This is the result of rusting the stitched and gathered silk you saw in the previous post.  The fabric is 4 yards so I didn't manage to fit the entire piece in the picture.  Part of it is on the floor.

I tried a suggestion from friend James Dennison to use castile soap to wash the silk.  I do not detect any color shift in this piece although some scarves I washed tonight were not so lucky.   Not that the results are bad, just was hoping there would be no color change.

I used Dr. Bonner's (with hemp, unscented).  Am looking for some other brands to try.  Suggestions welcome. 

Here is a detail of this very large piece of dupioni silk.  The stitching distorted the chevron patterns that usually occur in my shibori rust pieces.  The tea created very black marks.  I did draw with tea dust, but those areas were not as distinct as I'd hoped either.

Another detail below.  There were leaves all over this piece inside the folds and on the outside against the pipe and almost none of them printed or left a distinct mark--just general white resist shapes.   Of course they are distorted too because of the gathered pleats throughout the cloth.  I can't quite imagine a dress out of this--will have to play with it a bit. 

Fabric for a dress part 2

Stitched

Another 4 yards of silk fabric is being prepped.   Had a different light shining on this so the color looks warm compared to the shots below.

Took me days instead of hours to stitch spirals and snakes all over this dupioni.  Took a while to gather everything up too and press.  I'm slow.  What can I say.

The fabric has been considerably reduced in width and length in the process and is now folded and soaking in vinegar.  Tomorrow (hopefully) I'll put it out to rust.  Haven't decided yet what I'll use.  Maybe berries, may not.  I work spontaneously once I'm outside.  Will let you know when I know.

Detail of a spiral gathered up and pressed flat.

Fabric for a dress

Tried another large experiment on dupioni with elderberries and shibori rust (I did a 15 foot long piece last summer--click on the Farm Girl Landscape page to see it).   This 4 yard length of fabric is destined to become a dress...or not.  Depends.  Sassafras leaves were used for the resist.  To my surprise, they preserved the magenta color that initially came from the berries.  The fabric is in my tin box to cure and has not yet been rinsed or washed. 

On the pipe, but ready to come off. 

Off the pipe, wet and not unfolded yet.

Sassafras leaves preserved the elderberry magenta color.

The rest of the elderberry color oxidized to blue.

Wet, unfolded completely, resting in the shade.

Wet and hanging on the clothesline--sun is behind the piece.

Fabric is dry now.  Detail

Detail of string marks and chevron pattern (dry).

Close detail of leaf resist and tea marks (dry).

On the pin wall and floor of my studio (dry).

Detail of dry piece.

 

YIKES!! A Fire near Jacoby Arts Center

This is the back of Jacoby from across the lot at Kentucky Fried Chicken

October 1 was the Innovations Bus Tour for outlying galleries.  The bus arrived on schedule at 3:10 pm but could get no closer than 1/2 block away due to a fire at the end of a block long building that is across the alley from Jacoby Arts Center on Broadway in Alton.  Broadway was blocked off at Henry Street.

Police prevented our visitors from unloading and walking down to the gallery despite many spectators in the area.  I was so disappointed.

The fire started about 12:30 pm and by 6 pm several trucks from four fire departments were there battling from Broadway and the large parking lot at the back.

I'm standing in front of Jacoby looking down Broadway around 3 pm

Taken from behind Jacoby around 6 pm.

Firemen had temporarily stopped blasting with hoses and flames erupted at 6 pm.

Broadway looking towards Henry with the hoses snaking around.

On Broadway across the street from Jacoby.  Fire is in end of this building.

An alley separates Jacoby from the block where the fire is.

Two businesses and some apartments were destroyed at the far end of the building which was mentioned as being "historic".  It has a "modern" exterior however and fortunately the fire is at the far end away from Jacoby.  Here's hoping it doesn't spread any closer.  It looks like one big long building with several businesses on the ground level.   The people who lived there and the businesses lost everything.  Too sad.