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| Patricia Vivod - Untitled shibori rust on silk chiffon -- 71"x27"(unhemmed) |
I don't much care for chiffon because of the crepey texture. But while looking for something to work with recently (I was temporarily out of dupioni), I decided to use up some remnants I had stashed. The drape and weight of chiffon allowed the fabric to be manipulated into tiny folds and swirls so there is lots of movement in the design and small details. I also used new string so as to create resist marks rather than prints as happens when I reuse string that has soaked up tannins. Iris leaves created additional resist and I soaked the fabric briefly in water rather than vinegar before starting. Tea leaves, and cheap wine were used in the process of setting up the design.
When I checked on the fabric several hours later, I feared not much was going on, so splashed some vinegar on the top side of the pipe and left it overnight. In the morning I was rewarded with some blackened areas. Overall the color is much less dramatic than my dupioni work but I quite like the soft result. It is very likely also related to the cooler weather. It may be difficult to detect here, but the darkest areas have a definite greenish cast to them. There is very little actual rust showing. The chiffon was photographed against a black background. White washed it out.
