The first cut

Most tallitot begin with taking the first cut into  a piece of silk. This one is no exception. I had to do the usual cut and pull a thread to help me cut a straight line along 72 inches of slippery silk.

Either I have gotten better at this, or this heavy weight silk just makes the job easier but after 72 inches I wasn’t a bit cranky. My eyes didn’t even ache.

 

Today I began the first layer of dyeing.

 

The color will be far less spectacular once the silk dries.

The speckles are caused by large grains of salt. You can buy a teeny jar from the silk dye company marked “silk salt” but any large grained salt will do just fine. The larger the grain the more pronounced the design.

 

I have used everything from regular table salt to large sugar crystals or even uncooked rice. They all work.

 

I find that layers of thin dyes built up create a visually exciting surface with real depth of color. I hate colors right out of the jar. I hate looking at  work at a craft show and knowing exactly which  jar of color was used to dye a piece. I like a little bit of mystery when it comes to color.

This client comes by tonight. We are designing her invitation. 

I also did a quick version of one of the 1920’s dresses from  the ad I found in the sewing book.

Here is my dress cut out.

If you unfold the dress at the shoulder line it will be the same shape as the dresses in the diagrams.

I added the wide sides at the waist rather than at the hips. I probably added the width to high for my body.

I have made similar dresses and did not gather the wide sides.

I may undo the gathers. This dress reminds me of something my mother wore when I was a kid, and not in a good way.

 

The marbles print makes it hard to see the gathers but they do add too much extra to my hips.

I am wearing the belt because I REALLY hated the dress without it.

 

So my verdict on the 1920’s  dress diagrams is  that it’s certainly quick. The gathers are a no for my body. I will get rid of the gathers and see if I like the dress better with a draped side .