Serendipity and Silk Dyes

I've been busy again, this time playing with gorgeous silk dyes and scarves. I love silk, it takes these French dyes beautifully and they look even brighter after they've been steam-fixed. I did a mix of habotai and chiffon scarves - both are lovely - and used three different colourways. I usually select three colours for each batch and mix them to create shades and hues that work well together. Some of the scarves have been shibori-dyed and some space-dyed - both techniques are unpredictable, hence the serendipity in the title. The most exciting bit is unwrapping them after they've been steamed and seeing the final result - always beautiful, but not always as expected!

Here's a photo showing some of them dancing in the sunshine yesterday.

Bag preview

I've been on a roll with the bag-making since my last post - to date I've completed EIGHT new bags and still have a few more in the pipeline. I aim to finish at least another two over the weekend, but that's a tough target. It really depends on the designs I choose to make and how much time is spent adding extra bits of decoration or embellishments to them. Most of my bags 'evolve' as I make them, so I have no idea in advance how long each one will take, or what they will eventually look like!

The bags I've already completed include four new small silk handbags, using my own hand-painted and hand-dyed silk, backed with toning silk dupion. These bags were popular last year as Christmas presents, so I decided to add a few more this year. The silk colours are beautiful and each bag is unique, perfect as a special gift, but very affordable at just £25 each. They come boxed and beautifully wrapped too.

The other four bags are a new design, a simple clutch bag - so popular this year - with a flap front. Although the design is simple, the fabrics are gorgeous - embroidered silks, shot rayon, chiffon, velvet and vintage kimono silk in a range of colours and patterns. The bags are well-made and beautifully finished with many layers of interlining, padding, stiffening and lining to give a 'luxury' feel to them. Each one takes a full day to make so they are a bit more expensive (from £50) but still exceptional value for an exclusive, individually-designed bag.

The bags will be available to view and buy at the upcoming Crafts at Lancing College, where I'll be selling  over the weekend of 27th/28th October. I won't be listing most them on Folksy until after that weekend, but they can be purchased before then by contacting me directly. Here are some photos of them:

Teal and green shot-silk type outer fabric in a diagonal patchwork design, lined with pale blue silk, small inner pocket, magnetic fastener. £70

Hand-painted silk front, trimmed with buttons, toning copper-red silk dupion back and strap, lined with black satin, button/loop fastening. Sold.

Hand-painted silk front, toning turquoise silk dupion back and strap, lined with gold satin, button/loop fastening. £25

Hand-painted silk front, toning pink silk dupion back and strap, lined with gold satin, button/loop fastening. £25

Deep pink/gold silk and black velvet outer fabric, trimmed with black stitching and two large vintage glass buttons, lined with black satin, small inner pocket, magnetic fastener. £60

Vintage kimono silk crepe outer fabric, lined with royal blue silk-type fabric, small inner pocket, magnetic fastener. £60

Hand-dyed silk front, toning pinky-mauve silk dupion back and strap, lined with black satin, button/loop fastening. £25

Brick-red/gold silk outer fabric with a chiffon drape, lined with dark red satin, two inner pockets, magnetic fastener. £60