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02 August 2015

Sinamay

Mostly used for hat-making, sinamay is made from abaca fibres and can be stiffened with chemicals.

The sinamay pieces I have on hand are the stiffened sort, and came from a scrap box. I'm turning them into ceramics, with a bit of rolling and stitching - and stretching; the weave along the bias-cut edges can be spread apart. When I tried dipping a small, simple tube, it didn't flop ... and "if it works, do it some more" ... but will the fancy edges keep their form?
Morning sunlight on my work table cast some exquisite shadows. (The fabric is a dusky purple.) It seems a pity to turn the airy structure into something that casts a solid shadow.

And then there are these -
with its shadow (which is which?)

enclosed forms ("handles")
How will the slip affect them?

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