Thread: take one of dyeing silk fans

what a bloody mess!

i attempted to dye the silk while attached to the staves..the prep was easy enough but i noticed the silk instantly pulled away from the staves..it's almost like there was no glue or anything to hold them on. Maybe different 'brands' don't have this problem.

Working around the staves was a biatch, i didnt bother to try to cover up the staves (i know they will be discolored but i do not anticipate a strong deep dye, only a faint stain)

i'll be rinsing/washing/drying tomorrow. I'm anticipating that the silk will be completely unattached to the staves at that point.

Does anyone use plastic staves? You know those cheapie fans that are sold with spanish lace and such? they are small but maybe there's a larger size available/ I find the bamboo ones really cumbersome but i tend to be a clod so might just be me

With all this in mind i do think it would be MUCH easier to just dye the silk and either offer a link to where staves can be bought or i can buy a small lot of them and ship them together so all your shopping is at one place. I'm not at all inspired to attach the silk to the staves..it's too much sitting still.

BUT i could offer the silk and staves, where you put it together, for CONSIDERABLY less.

I wasnt impressed with the silk on these fans either. Dharma has a better 5 mm. Unhemmed will float better, yes.

so there's part one. I'll look for a source for bamboo or plastic staves in bulk.


about the glue..I would imagine a fabric glue will be just fine. If dancers are already adding fray check to the ends of the silk, ,I doubt fabric glue will hurt. I'd suggest getting a flat knife and making a thin spread of the glue on the staves then sticking the silk on.

more soon!

Meleea www.beledi.com sells wooden staves I think they especially for fan veils.

I'm off to bed now Jes it's nearly 1am here and I'm bushed.

Love Nikki XXX

thank you! let me shop i believe there is a local shop here that sells hawaiian fans for a couple of bucks..the paper design in them could easily be removed and they are only a couple of bucks:)

another consideration is to use fabric pens or paint and DIY'ers can self decorate their fans. add glitter and what not

Sorry to hear that!

As soon as my local shop gets tai chi fans back in stock, I am planning to experiment with making fans (w/o veil), inspired by the fan I got from Onca, see here: Untitled Document - these fans can be made with different kinds of fabric, using both wooden and plastic staves. I will share my disasters ;-) I'd like one of these fans with heavy silk chameuse, too ... (hey, a girl can dream)

Fingers crossed that you find the perfect recipe!!!! I am having high hopes for this project,

we'll see what turns out tomorrow

on a side note i think the silk could be sold as fan veil silk OR poi silk so there's an option