ribbon and scrim 2
This is my second experiment with gauzy ribbon and scrim. Possibly one that I won’t repeat.
Scrim in this context is a very light gauzy material made usually of cotton or flax or jute which is opaque in effect. I believe it is used for reinforcement e.g. In book-binding and plastering. I’ve never felted it before and as it will immediately lose its stiffness during the wet-felt stage, I wanted to see what happens.
First I made a pre-felt with hand dyed silkworm silk applied to the surface.
I cut the pre-felt into squares. Then I laid out my felt with striped ribbon, scrim and the pre-felts. I added some more scrim cross-wise half way through the felting process.
This is the result. It started quite large but got smaller and smaller as frustratedly I cut off edge bits of scrim which broke up.
I learnt that felt made with this type of scrim needs treating very gently early in the wet stage to keep the fibres in place. I think it is better added part way through. To be honest I am not sure it adds too much on this colour of Merino wool top. The scrim needed dying or there needed to be enough contrast to show the scrim fibres but it does have potential in creating shadow effects. When it felts deep into the wool it adds a pleasing wiggle within the wool fibre. I liked best the effect of using two pieces in cross-over. I think personally I prefer to get similar effects from coloured net which is more resilient and adds a more definite structure
Principally felt 
I like how that turned out, the different layers and textures š
I use those cotton gauze squares from Boots, I love the way it sinks into the wool and becomes part of the whole thing, almost invisible but altering it and adding an interesting wavy texture.
Thanks. I’ve sent something to your hotmail account if you can take a look.