"Earth Coat".What I was after was an earthy look; one that depicted the layers of Earth from soil up to sky.Different colors of silk noil were first tied up in various patterns from traditional Japanese Shibori dyeing methods, then either overdyed with a darker color, or discharged to a lighter color.For instance, solid black silk was discharged , thusresulting in a tan background with a dark black pattern, and gray silk was placed in a black dye bath (acid dyes by Jaquard) to accomplish the design.The individually made squares were then pieced together, alternating a discharged piece with an overdyed piece.Black bias tape trimmed with various earthy yarns cover the joining seams.The lining is solid black silk noil stenciled with insects, shells, fish, and plants in Jacquard Lumiere metallic fabric paint in coppers, golds, and silvers.

Discharged silk square in acorn pattern.The square of silk noil was originally the dark green of design. This is one of the stages of my "Earth Coat", part of "The Four Element" individual artist show.

What color is fire?I asked myself this when I was designing my "FIRE" coat for my show, "The Four Elements: My Journey into Surface Design" made possible by a grant from thePeninsula Community Foundation.The answer:depends on what is burning!Thus, I had my answer as to how I would approach the making of the coat, the dyeing of the silk chiffon, and the color graduation.I ran solid colors of silk chiffon through a smocking pleater, then overdyed the pleated squares with the darker that preceded it.Squares were serged together,and thenthe coat was trimmed with Mokuba Organza ribbon strips knotted together to maka a boa.

Closer view of Fire Coat.

"AIR" Coat, an element portrayed in textiles, part of my solo "The Four Elements...." show.The sleeves were made by taking feathers and pieces of white silk organza, sandwiching them between layers of "Amazing Solvy", and free-motion stitching with a double needle until I had covered the entire pieces of my "solvy sandwiches" with white stitching.I then soaked thepieces in warm water, dissolving the solvy material, and the remaining pieces were elegant, etheral, and feathered fabric.The main body is silk organza layered with feathers and then each feather was stitched in its own pocket.The back is hand woven polyester organza ribbon with a satin edge.A Mokuba organza ribbon boa trims the neck line as I did with theFire Coat.

"WATER Coat", constructed of silk crepe de chine utilizing various methods of traditional Japanese Shibori dyeing.The coat is comprised of three flowing layers-I wanted a fabric that flowed like water, thus the crepe de chine-and each layer is dyed a certain color and way.The top layer was by far the most time-consuming:I hand tied hundreds of tiny pinches of the silk in order to create my own version of the "Fawn" or "Small Dot" Shibori effect.I wanted something like bubbles inwater.I also used a spider tying technique, and Arashi for thefinal, bottom layer of coat.

"Stained Glass Kimono":100% silk organza, hand dyed (Jacquard acid) in various techniques of traditional Japanese shibori methods.Pieced, over-laid seams with Mokuba organza ribbon, and hand beaded with glass seed, bugles, rounds, and acrylic faceted beads.Mokuba organza hand-knotted boa.
This is another example of my work in which the graduation of colors in the spectrum is key.I had a lot of "scrap" organza fabric and wanted to put it to good use.The colors of the silk run through (most of) ROYGBIV.I say "most of" because I did not have bleu or indigo pieces!Instead, I spring-boarded from the complimentary colors of purple and yellow at the hems, and moved on to orange.Green organza pieces are the consistant between the gradation.

"Stained Glass Kimono"back view.
A beautiful shot by Anisa Yamamoto displaying the wonderful transparency of the materials.

photo credit: Anisa Yamamoto

Four examples of my couturewearable coats at aluncheon fashion show.

Diana Coat:vintage kimono: metallic embroidered silk and hand-tied, small dot shibori

Cloisonne Garden Coat: kimono fabric, hand beaded.

Fairfield Fashion Show Ensemble, "Dragonfly Garden Ensemble"

Back view of ensemble.

"Textile Transparencies"