How do you tell if you have real silk or a sneaky fake? According to a lot of sources on the trusty internet, you burn it! I got such a good deal on some [alleged] silk I bought on a recent fabric-buying extravaganza that I was a little suspicious of its authenticity. I'm happy to report that what you see here is apparently evidence of the real thing. Here's what you should see if you try holding a flame to it:- The fabric should not continue to burn after the flame is removed. (check)
- The ash should be black and crispy. Black clumps should crumble easily. (check)
- The burning silk should smell like burning hair. (eww, check!)
Gotta love the scientific method. Now I just have to clean up the mess.
The quilt I ended up making with the silk is a wholecloth one. I wanted to keep the design simple to show off the lustrous fabric. I used a cotton sateen sheet for the back (the mess you see here is me cutting up a fitted sheet!). And I gotta say, this quilt has mad drape! So soft too.
And there you have it. Just listed the [bonafide] silk quilt in my etsy shop! 
Hi!
ReplyDeleteThanks so very, very much for the comment you recently left on my blog. I hope you can see my exhibition at Waterworks Visual Arts Center in Salisbury during its stay there. I'd love to hear feedback from someone whose background is in fibers. The opening reception was wonderful. It is truly my honor to have a solo show in a real, accredited museum and to see people reacting to the work. After noticing several people tearing up while looking at the work, the director actually placed a box of facial tissues on one of the gallery benches. People have really been responding to the Decision Portraits.
Thanks again!
Susan