Aurora Borealis - Ecoprint and botanical dyed silk scarf

The colours of the aurora borealis when they appear in their full spectrum are shifting changing waves of blues, greens and pinky mauves. This scarf reminds me of those rare luminous colours in the Northern sky. Every now and then I create a piece of silk that I find extraordinary. This is one of them.

Eco printed with black walnut leaves from a tree on the shore of Slocan Lake, coreopsis flowers, tickseed flowers and cotinus (smokebush) leaves from my garden, and maple leaves from my friend the maple tree in front of our home. The pink/mauve comes from cochineal and lac, natural dyes from insects who have a special relationship with the cactus and tree (respectively) that they grow on. Finally the blues, greens, golds and purples were created with indigo and a shibori technique called itajime.

Rows of contrasting little window shapes run down the edges of this scarf, interacting with exquisite botanical details in their geometric shapes and capturing the mauve/pink in the previous dye bath . These little square shapes are made using clamped blocks to resist the dye - this technique is called itajime, or clamped block resist - when the clamps are released after dyeing, beautiful shapes remain.

This is a large but very lightweight silk scarf with a soft drape. It can be worn looped, knotted, draped, hooded or as a light shawl. Wear this large sized scarf in a variety of ways - silk offers warmth in winter and coolness in the summer.

Details:

Measurements: 94 inches long by 22 inches wide

Fibre content: 100% medium weight habotai silk

Stitching: Hand hemmed by the artist using 100% silk thread

Care instructions: Wash by hand in cool or warm water using a mild soap or a small bit of mild shampoo. Hang to dry, and iron if you wish.