Legend says an empress enjoying tea in her garden discovered the first silk cocoon, unravelled its immense length (up to 1300 meters) wrapped her tiny threads together and the goddess of textiles came to life.
Silk, saying the word, resonates in the realm of beauty and mystery. A kind of celestial glamour. Silk a pure strand of protein, stronger than steel, stands on her own as the preeminent fabric.
Her sensitive ability to cool when hot, to warm when cool, to absorb colour like a mercurial countess, goes unrivaled.
Silk glows as charmeuse, adorns as habotai, embraces as velvet and shapes as taffeta.
She comes in 12 silk solo variations and weaves beautifully with linen, cotton & hemp gracing these fibers with her shining strength.
Silk became one of the premier products traded along the Silk Road. Due to its softness and beauty silk was in great demand in the ancient world. The Silk Road began at the ancient city of Chang'an (modern day Xian) and stretched over 4,000 miles (6,437 kilometers) to the Mediterranean Sea. It traversed deserts, high mountains and many other natural challenges.
The Silk Road took routes transporting products by horse and camel which was lengthy and costly; therefore traders chose smaller, lighter, and more expensive goods. Other popular products besides silk Porcelain, gold, silver, ivory, salt, spices, and tea accompanied silk on these journeys. http://en.unesco.org/silkroad/about-silk-road
I began my silk colouring journey through workshops with Rebecca Burgess and experimenting with sustainable botanical ingredients with all kinds of silk, making a natural palette of inks and layering colours on velvet like Mariano Fortuny in Venice.
I attended The International Symposium and Exhibition on Natural Dyes, ISEND 2011 EUROPE, in La Rochelle, France, April 24-30, 2011. By bringing together people from many different backgrounds, each contributing complementary experiences, it is the aim of ISEND 2011 Europe to provide a genuine platform for discussing the crucial issues facing the cultural and economic revival of natural dyes and colorants and to present examples of the contribution they already make to a "greener" world. This International Symposium and Exhibition on Natural Dyes will last for six days, and will feature lectures, posters, films, dyeing demonstrations, a market of natural dyes and pigments and products using them, a fashion show, two special exhibitions (at the Aquarium and at the Museum of Natural History). There will also be field excursions to visit farmers growing dye plants, to the CRITT laboratory, and to meet the local species of purple-producing muricids along the sea-shore.
Then I turned to directing colour silk lengths with a master artisan whose expertise of over 30 years finally touched the level of quality I envisioned. All of this focus developed pursuant to my sophisticated eye for nuances that are rarely seen in the textile/fashion/interiors world.
I believe in the beauty and power of pure materials and how they enhance our health, our thoughts, our experiences. Even our relationships. Quality is essential even though one's wardrobe may be considered small in quantity it can be wonderfully able to clothe you in style, comfort and memory.
For practical understanding of the colouring process ~
First pure 100% silk velvet is a rare textile. Most velvets are rayon, cotton, or linen mixed with 20% silk.
Second the velvet must be coloured in layers with botanical ingredients, like yellow then blue to create green.
Each colour is done according to measurement of weight, ratio of tone and timing, some cool overnight in the bath before being carefully washed, line dry and softly ironed to burnish the colour on the silk. It is a labour of love, knowledge and artistry.
Victoria + Albert Museum Indigo video
As with a reservation at the French Laundry, ardent skill, preparation, and age old techniques win the day for flavour that exceeds and stellar presentation which in our case becomes a legacy textile.
Unbeknownst to most people the textile industry is a major pollutant with toxins in both clothing, water and environment.
Choose to make a difference for your family and generations to come by wrapping your life with enlightened textiles.
See our Vimeo channel here ~
Silk, saying the word, resonates in the realm of beauty and mystery. A kind of celestial glamour. Silk a pure strand of protein, stronger than steel, stands on her own as the preeminent fabric.
Her sensitive ability to cool when hot, to warm when cool, to absorb colour like a mercurial countess, goes unrivaled.
Silk glows as charmeuse, adorns as habotai, embraces as velvet and shapes as taffeta.
She comes in 12 silk solo variations and weaves beautifully with linen, cotton & hemp gracing these fibers with her shining strength.
Silk became one of the premier products traded along the Silk Road. Due to its softness and beauty silk was in great demand in the ancient world. The Silk Road began at the ancient city of Chang'an (modern day Xian) and stretched over 4,000 miles (6,437 kilometers) to the Mediterranean Sea. It traversed deserts, high mountains and many other natural challenges.
The Silk Road took routes transporting products by horse and camel which was lengthy and costly; therefore traders chose smaller, lighter, and more expensive goods. Other popular products besides silk Porcelain, gold, silver, ivory, salt, spices, and tea accompanied silk on these journeys. http://en.unesco.org/silkroad/about-silk-road
I began my silk colouring journey through workshops with Rebecca Burgess and experimenting with sustainable botanical ingredients with all kinds of silk, making a natural palette of inks and layering colours on velvet like Mariano Fortuny in Venice.
I attended The International Symposium and Exhibition on Natural Dyes, ISEND 2011 EUROPE, in La Rochelle, France, April 24-30, 2011. By bringing together people from many different backgrounds, each contributing complementary experiences, it is the aim of ISEND 2011 Europe to provide a genuine platform for discussing the crucial issues facing the cultural and economic revival of natural dyes and colorants and to present examples of the contribution they already make to a "greener" world. This International Symposium and Exhibition on Natural Dyes will last for six days, and will feature lectures, posters, films, dyeing demonstrations, a market of natural dyes and pigments and products using them, a fashion show, two special exhibitions (at the Aquarium and at the Museum of Natural History). There will also be field excursions to visit farmers growing dye plants, to the CRITT laboratory, and to meet the local species of purple-producing muricids along the sea-shore.
Then I turned to directing colour silk lengths with a master artisan whose expertise of over 30 years finally touched the level of quality I envisioned. All of this focus developed pursuant to my sophisticated eye for nuances that are rarely seen in the textile/fashion/interiors world.
I believe in the beauty and power of pure materials and how they enhance our health, our thoughts, our experiences. Even our relationships. Quality is essential even though one's wardrobe may be considered small in quantity it can be wonderfully able to clothe you in style, comfort and memory.
For practical understanding of the colouring process ~
First pure 100% silk velvet is a rare textile. Most velvets are rayon, cotton, or linen mixed with 20% silk.
Second the velvet must be coloured in layers with botanical ingredients, like yellow then blue to create green.
Each colour is done according to measurement of weight, ratio of tone and timing, some cool overnight in the bath before being carefully washed, line dry and softly ironed to burnish the colour on the silk. It is a labour of love, knowledge and artistry.
Victoria + Albert Museum Indigo video
As with a reservation at the French Laundry, ardent skill, preparation, and age old techniques win the day for flavour that exceeds and stellar presentation which in our case becomes a legacy textile.
Unbeknownst to most people the textile industry is a major pollutant with toxins in both clothing, water and environment.
Choose to make a difference for your family and generations to come by wrapping your life with enlightened textiles.
See our Vimeo channel here ~
