NEW IDEAS AND ADVENTURES

Today as I was reading my previous blog about the draped scarf I am going to make I started getting some fantastic ideas on how to make it/them. I say them because I do not think I can stop at one. In fact I know I will not stop at one. Today, as  I was putting together a tutorial in my head so I can write it out and send it to Ruth if she wants it and for sure use it in a class for my ASG group I started thinking about the ways to finish the edges other than plain old hems.Hems are nice if done properly and can be hand sewn or machine sewn but for an artist or someone  that does not sew it needs to  have a non sewn technique. That is where the fun begins.

So, depending on what the fabric is made of it could be burned like Yvonne Porcella teaches in her book 'Color Changing Hues'. If you choose to make it from knit it can be left with no hem at all since knits do not ravel.  And if you have a high end machine that does fancy stitches like mine does it could be machine hemmed and  hand rolled and sewn  if you have nimble fingers. Much of it will depend on the style you want to evoke and the fabric used. 

Yvonne's book is a treasure trove of information on dying, painting and finishing of fabric. I laugh when I think of the era I bought this book in. I was an avid cloth doll maker and fell in love with her art dolls and have been in love with art dolls ever since though my doll making phase is over with for now.

Here is an example of her art dolls and if you look closely you will see the burned edges of the fabric





The book also has great tutorials on dying and painting your own fabric which is another option to make your draped scarf very 'uniquely' yours. But that is another subject altogether so will save it for later.