Continuing with the ocean theme is this wrap that I have been calling kelp, which is still in process. I thought I would share it since it is another experimental piece. In the cover picture, the kelp wrap has been wound on the pole a second time very tightly, by leaving in the first pleating. It is to be lightly discharged and then overdyed an intense ocean color blue. This is my hope anyways. It has yet to be accomplished. The first time I did this process was without the discharge, as it was not necessary. I got a feather pattern that was just exquisite on a pink, lavendar, and plum scarf. Gonna try this again now and this time I am hoping for an ocean look of some sort. What does it want to do though??? We shall see...
The silk was first layed out on a layer of plastic on my work table and I wetted it. Then I sponged on several different colors and let them dry. The colors did not run all that much, as they did when the rainbow wrap was on the table being dyed. The wetting process that is used makes such a difference in the look that you get.
I also used the dyes without any auxilliaries because I wanted to see what effect this would have. The look of the dyes on the fabric were muted in a very nice way. Not too intense, with some blending. I also left very little white space, while the rainbow wrap had lots of white spaces along the entire length of silk.
After folding and pole winding the fabric, I discharged it quite a bit, removing a lot of color, and then dyed it espresso bean brown. At the last minute I added a whole lot of lemon yellow to it with the notion of lightening it up. The hue did lighten to a sort of sienna brown color. The color had a strangely kelpish yellow brown green sort of look to it. It just depends on what color is under it and next to it; it plays a chameleon part, changing color as the surroundings dictate. This wrap is a very large piece - it is 22" wide by 3 yards in length.
Another blog piece will be written when there is further progress on the kelp wrap. Thanks for taking the journey with me!
(Originally posted 18 August, 2015). Edited 26 January, 2024