Sari Silk, not Banana

Following emails between Carole of Spinknits at the V & A Waterfront in Cape Town, and myself, it appears that the yarns I thought were from banana fibres are in fact recycled sari silk. Offcuts from making saris are pulled apart to retrieve the individual silk fibres which are then respun by the women of Nepal. The resultant yarns are very colourful and much thicker than the original silk yarns. As shown in my earlier blogs they result in interesting scarves.

Peach silk

One more scarf ready for the Claisebrook Duck Race Carnival tomorrow. It is a hand-dyed, peach coloured, silk scarf in a simple pattern. The scarf is 1730mm x 220mm and weighs 60g.

Indigo blue silk

To replace the indigo blue scarf sold at the March Perth Upmarket I have woven one more. I have used a crinkley silk yarn as the warp and a fine silk yarn as the weft. Both yarns have been hand-dyed. The scarf is 1930mm x 220mm and weighs only 42g. It is a lovely, long, lightweight scarf and will be on my stall at the Claisebrook Duck Carnival this coming Sunday.

Banana and silk yarns

I have now woven the second multi-coloured re-cycled banana fibre purchased recently in Cape Town. Again I have used a silk warp and the banana fibre as the weft. The scarf is 1620mm x 200mm and weighs 213g. An interesting product that I will test on the public at the Claisebrook Duck Festival this Sunday and at the Donnybrook Apple Festival over Easter.

Cashmere in Moss

Have just completed one more cashmere scarf using hand-dyed Kogane 2/20 cashmere yarn. This one is coloured Moss and is 1740mm x 205mm and weighs 78g. It will be on my stall at the Claisebrook Duck Carnivale Sunday 25 March.

Opal and Sky cashmere

To help restore my stock of cashmere scarves after the March Perth Upmarket I have woven two more scarves using hand-dyed Kogane 2/20 cashmere yarn.
The first is coloured Opal and is 1630mm x 210mm and weighs 80g.The second is coloured Sky and is 1760mm x 210mm and weighs 82g.Both scarves will be on my stall at the Claisebrook Duck Festival on Sunday 25 March.

Recycled banana fibre

During the whole of February I was on holiday in Africa. I travelled overland from Livingstone (Zambia) to Cape Town via Botswana and Namibia on a G Adventure tour - fantastic.Whilst in Cape Town I purchased two yarns of recycled banana fibres.
I have now woven the first one using a pink silk yarn as the warp and the banana fibre as the weft. The scarf is 1770mm x 210mm and weighs 207g. Obviously not as soft as my usual cashmere and alpaca, but nevertheless, an interesting colourful scarf.
I intend taking it to the Donnybrook Apple Festival over Easter if not sold beforehand.

March Perth Upmarket

Immediately upon my return from a holiday in Africa I had the Perth Upmarket at UWA on 4 March. It turned out to be a successive market for me despite the hot weather and I show below a couple of views of my stall.