" where the Terengganu Batik place in one hub" - Fresh Design from Terengganu Malaysia. Only on Jacquard & Creep fabric (silk)
Luxurious silk clothing reigns supreme as the most versatile, breathable, durable, and exquisitely comfortable fiber known to the world. It’s a natural insulator. And silk also possesses the unique ability to draw moisture away from your skin.
SILK, the fabric that makes its own statement. Say "silk" to someone and what do they visualize? No other fabric generates quite the same reaction. For centuries silk has had a reputation as a luxurious and sensuous fabric, one associated with wealth and success. Silk is one of the oldest textile fibers known to man. It has been used by the Chinese since the 27th century BC. Silk is mentioned by Aristotle and became a valuable commodity both in Greece and Rome. During the Roman Empire, silk was sold for its weight in gold.
Today, silk is yet another word for elegance, and silk garments are prized for their versatility, wearability and comfort. Silk, or soie in French, is the strongest natural fiber. A steel filament of the same diameter as silk will break before a filament of silk. Silk absorbs moisture, which makes it cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Because of its high absorbency, it is easily dyed in many deep colors. Silk retains its shape, drapes well, caresses the figure, and shimmers with a luster all its own.
Loved for its lustrous shine and sumptuous feel, charmeuse is the most widely recognized of the silk fabrics. Wonderfully versatile, this elegant fabric has medium weight and some natural elasticity, making it perfect for skirts, dresses, eveningwear, nightgowns, lingerie, and gently shaped tops. Charmeuse is made with a satin weave which is soft, yet supple and drapes beautifully. Fabric is woven with a satin weave, where the warp threads cross over three or more of the backing threads. The front side of the fabric has a satin finish, lustrous and reflective, and the back has a dull finish.
The matte surface and "pebbled" texture of this graceful fabric reflect individual pinpoints of light, giving it wonderful chromatic depth and striking eye-appeal. This luxurious silk has the additional virtues of great durability and excellent wrinkle resistance. Lightweight with a pleasing drape, designers choose it among silk fabrics for elegant slacks, skirts, dresses, suits, and eveningwear. Crepe de chine is a lightweight fabric made by twisting some fibers clockwise and others counterclockwise. The twisted fibers are then woven in a plain-weave fabric, but it's the twisted fibers, not the weave, that gives crepe its distinctive "pebbly" look and feel rather than a shiny luster. Both sides of the fabric look and feel the same.
see charmeuse and crepe de chine shibori here
Chiffon is often considered the lightest weight and most diaphanous of the silks. It creates the "billows" of fabric that add dimension to garments. It is elegant and sheer, with a very slightly rough feel to it. It is lightweight (Chiffon is French for 'Rag'), but strong. Chiffon is softer and thinner than Georgette, sometimes called 'Crepe Chiffon'. Chiffon is the coolest and most breathable of the silks we use. A great tropical weather fabric. I love the intricate symetrical patterns I can get with the chiffon. They are featured on the fuller garments like Jacket, Duster, Ruanna and Long Vest.
see chifon shibori here
Mommes (mm) is a unit of weight traditionally used to measure the density of silk. It is similar to the use of thread count for cotton fabrics. Mommes express the weight in pounds, of a piece of material of size 45 inches by 100 yards.
The usual range of momme weight for different weaves of silk are:
Habutai - 5 to 16 mm
Chiffon - 6 to 8 mm (can be made in double thickness, i.e. 12 to 16 mm)
Crepe de Chine - 12 to 16 mm
Gauze - 3 to 5 mm
Raw silk - 35 to 40 mm (heavier silks appear more 'wooly')
Organza - 4 to 6 mm
Circa 2700 B.C.
According to Chinese legend, the history of silk begins about 5,000 years ago in the garden of Emperor Huang-Ti. The emperor ordered his wife Hsi-Ling-Shi to investigate what was eating the leaves on his mulberry trees. She found white worms that spin shiny cocoons. She accidentally dropped one of these cocoons into her hot tea—or so goes the story—and a delicate filament separated itself. She drew it out, unwinding a long single strand. Hsi-Ling-Shi had discovered silk. She persuaded the emperor to give her a grove of mulberry trees where she could grow thousands of worms that spin these beautiful cocoons. Hsi-Ling-Shi is also credited in Chinese lore with inventing the silk reel, which turns the silk filament into thread. No one knows if this is truly the history of silk, but the record is clear that silk was first used in China. The Chinese closely guarded how silk was made. Death was the penalty promised to anyone who disclosed the secret to the rest of the world. As a result, for about 3000 years, only the Chinese knew how to make silk.
Silk -- elegant, versatile and washable. In the past, owning a silk garment meant not only the initial price of the garment but also the cost of dry cleaning. All silk is washable. Silk is a natural protein fiber, like human hair, taken from the cocoon of the silkworm. The natural glue, sericin, secreted by silkworms and not totally removed during manufacturing of the silk, is a natural sizing which is brought out when washing in warm water. Most silk fabrics can be hand washed. Technically, silk does not shrink like other fibers. If the fabric is not tightly woven, washing a silk with tighten up the weave.... thus, lighter weights of silk (say a crepe de chine of 14 mm) can be improved by washing as it will tighten up the weave. A tightly woven silk will not "shrink" or will "shrink" a lot less. Silk garments, however, can shrink if the fabric has not been washed prior to garment construction. When washing silk, do not wring but roll in a towel. Silk dries quickly but should not be put in an automatic dryer unless the fabric is dried in an automatic dryer prior to garment construction. A good shampoo works well on silk. It will remove oil and revitalize your silk. Do not use an alkaline shampoo or one which contains ingredients such as wax, petroleum, or their derivatives, as these products will leave a residue on your silk and may cause "oil" spots. If static or clinging is a problem with your silks, a good hair conditioner (see above cautions) may be used in the rinse water. Silk may yellow and fade with the use of a high iron setting. Press cloths and a steam iron are recommended. Silk is also weakened by sunlight and perspiration.
fabrics.net
Silk is truly a great fabric for Wearable Art, used and treasured for thousands of years.
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