A surprising fashion item is coming back in style and can be seen on the runways of London, Milan and Paris. It’s also been spotted on the necks of celebrities such as Jennifer Lopez and India Arie. There are many ways of wearing a square scarf, including the traditional one of the Ukrainian Babushka, tied at the chin. This is the retro look that has been featured in Vogue and one that’s useful for keeping the hair in place whilst being driven in an open topped convertible. If like me, you are still waiting for that opportunity, a sculptural tie under the chin is a lovely alternative These two scarves were painted on Habotai silk and cost 28.00. They measure approx. 90 x 90 cms. They are not in my shop – contact me to buy.
I’ve just taken some new scarves to my main outlet, a gift shop in Southport (UK). After experimenting with different ways of folding and dyeing to create patterns on the silk, I came up with a two step process using shibori techniques. A short clip of the second step can be viewed on my Instagram. I’m painting on twill silk, a heavier weight that takes the dye beautifully and is less slippy on clothes than crepe de chine. I only have a fair idea of how the patterns will look when the scarf is unwrapped from its folds or unrolled from around the tube.