Explorations, Episode 2: Voluptuous Folds

Explorations, Episode 2:  Voluptuous Folds

At long and much-wished last, I get to re-create this image in fiber.  Maybe I'll call it Sand and Foam.

In my last post I described the process of creating 4 scale-size mock-ups of four different images as a way of deciding which to use for my final product for this exhibit,which is to be a 30 x 50 piece.   

Here are two of my four practice patterns, traced onto raw silk in preparation for needle felting

Here are the other two patterns, traced onto raw silk and then layered on pieces of commercial felt in preparation for needle felting

Today I want to focus on the pattern on the left, because, well, look what it's based on!

This image has been haunting me ever since I took it.  I'm visualizing the foam as some sort of shirred silk, painted these gold and champagne colors and embellished with beads and metallic thread.  The ripples will be felted and embellished with thread painting.  That image became this pattern:

And the pattern was traced onto a piece of raw silk, which was then layered onto a piece of commercial felt in preparation for needle felting:

I'm so psyched about re-creating the voluptuous folds of this elegant but earthy foam that I bought several different fabrics to try, most of them silk.  I chose silk because it's pliable without being slippery.  Synthetic sheer fabrics, by contrast, tend to be both slippery and stiff.  I think silk would be much better at forming itself into those voluptuous folds.  So I acquired a lot of it, most of it from Dharma Trading  https://www.dharmatrading.com/

Silk habotai and silk gauze.  My silk gauze is very lightweight at 30 momme, where momme is a measure of the heaviness of silk.  It's pronounced "mommy."  Ya gotta love it! Wikipedia says that silk habotai is a basic plain weave, quite easy to dye.  My silk habotai is 16 momme. 

Above, silk chiffon and silk crepe de chine.  Wikipedia says that chiffon is a plain woven sheer and crepe de chine is a fine, lightweight silk with a plain weave.  The silk crepe de chine on the right above is 12 momme, which isn't very heavy. 

 The heavy crepe de chine, right above, is 30 momme.  But it doesn't feel heavy to me.

Raw silk, smooth raw silk, lightweight raw silk.  The raw silk on the left, 35 momme, has a nubby texture and forms the foundation for these practice felted pieces. The smooth version in the middle is 31.5 momme and the lightweight version is 22 momme.  I've never tried the smooth or lightweight versions.

I also acquired some of the silks' lowly companion, unbleached cheesecloth

Which of them do you think will work better for those foamy folds?

I'm going to seek the guidance of one of my favorite books:

Are you familiar with this one?  Check it out:


 https://www.amazon.com/Art-Manipulating-Fabric-Colette-Wolff/dp/0801984963/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1520968170&sr=8-1&keywords=the+art+of+manipulating+fabric&dpID=51%252BdqUyJuIL&preST=_SX218_BO1,204,203,200_QL40_&dpSrc=srch


 It includes an entire chapter on shirring alone!

I'm thinking that shirring may be the way to go on those foamy folds.  Look at some of the things you can do:

I'm going to look for ideas in the shirring chapter, then practice on some of these materials.  Does the paint color the fabric before or after the shirring? I'm not sure.  Stay tuned.