The Third Annual Makers Market in the Margo Fournier Arts Centre on Saturday offered a variety of unique hand-made gift ideas.
Sheila Devine, a member of the local Spinners and Weavers Guild, was selling handwoven scarves, tea towels, and silk scarves that she dyed using a chemical dye.
Devine said silk scarves have been an interest for a long time but only recently did she start something new: silk ties.
“I think I saw an article on the computer,” Devine said. “Somebody was doing it.”
After reading the article she went to the Salvation Army Thrift Store, purchased some ties, and away she went.
“I’ve taught a couple of classes here at the Art Centre doing that and then I took a class in Saskatoon doing what they call eco-printing, which is using plants on silk scarves,” Devine said. All of her dying uses a process involving water. including the plants. She said the process creates an especially beautiful design.
“You just find your plants, you lay them on your silk scarf, you roll it up, and you tie it up tight,” she explained. “Then you put it in a basin or a water bath. With the plants, you just have the water and you let it sit in the water for about an hour. Then you take it out, wait for it to cool, to unwrap, and then you get your imprints.”
Devine explained that with the silk ties the process is similar.
“You lay the silk ties on your silk scarf,” she said. “You roll it up, tie it up, and then you put it in a bath with some vinegar in the water. Then you let it sit for about an hour. Again, you wait for it to cool off before you open it up. The ties, you can use them a number of times, not just once.”
The ties have to be 100 per cent silk for the process to work. She explained that a blank silk scarf can cost between $12 and $14 and depends on the quality of the silk used.
Devine gets her silk scarves from a place in Vancouver. She buys them as singles, or sometimes in a bundle of 12 because it’s a little cheaper.
Devine said people are often interested in how she creates the silk scarves and ties.
“It isn’t a long process but it doesn’t take skill,” she said.
She added that working with plants involves some work to find the correct flowers to make the design work.
“With plants, it’s always a trial and error,” she said. “Some plants won’t do it. Peony leaves are very good at leaving an imprint, (and) so are oak leaves. Delphinium flowers leave a nice imprint, a nice blue.
“Then again, some flowers, some plants will give you a different colour than you think.”
She said that sometimes what the flower does is a nice surprise. She said that when you over-dye you can take a mistake and still make the scarf or tie work.
If anyone is interested in her process or to purchase her work, she can be found at the Margo Fournier Arts Centre during the week.
“I live here in Prince Albert,” she said. “I’m a weaver, and I belong to the Spinners and Weavers Guild. I’m here pretty much every Wednesday in our weaving studio. If they want to find me, they can check with the Arts Centre.”
