My creative space - silk paper

I've been making silk paper (silk fusion) today.  Usually I try and make it as thin and wispy as I can but today I wanted to make it a little thicker.  The first thing is to lay out some silk fibres onto a piece of netting - I have 2 (ish) layers of undyed tussah silk fibres here.

Then another piece of net on top to hold it all in place, and rub dilute silk paper medium (you can use dilute PVA or wallpaper paste too) through the net so it soaks the silk fibres - I use an old stencil brush for this.  Turn the sandwich over and rub from the other side too until all the fibres are holding together.

I decided it still wasn't thick enough, so I folded it in half.

Once it was dry, I cut some heart shapes out of it.  I love the texture and sheen of silk paper - what I have in mind are some simple hanging decorations to show it off.

See what other people have been doing in their creative spaces.

Hearts

Been stocking up on some old favourites this morning - here they are hanging up to dry.

Silk paper hearts with an integral copper wire edging - all the beauty of silk with added strength!  The bright red one is soybean silk which works just as well.

Silk Hearts

I have been redesigning an old favourite of mine - my silk fusion (silk paper) hearts.  I always liked these but I was unhappy with the wire I used for the edging.  Now I have used a heavier wire and incorporated a wire hanging loop to make them easier to hang.  I've made a few colours - do you like my drying rack???

 

The red ones are already listed in my etsy hypsela shop - the other colours will be following shortly - the perfect Valentines gift!