One of the unique facts that make silk spectacular is that there is not a single insect on this planet attracted to it. (That I am aware of)!
To store your silk simply roll and place in a drawer.  Silk is self healing, which means small pin holes will disappear over time. When ready to wear, simply hang the silk for a bit to remove wrinkles.  

Silk is strong, durable and lightweight.  Perfect for travels!  It is very soft and garments made from this fabric are extremely comfortable to wear.  Sandy uses Jacquard steam set dyes, which are specially formulated for wearable silks.  They are the most lightfast of any dyes in the industry and have exceptional brilliance.  

The care of silk is simple:

Hand washed  using cold water and a mild soap such as Ivory or Baby Shampoo.  Use a gentle up and down motion then rinse well.  Gently wring out excess water,  quickly lay out flat  on terry towels to dry.  If needed, iron while still damp.
For small spots just dampen a cloth with cool water and rub gently.
Silk  may also be dry cleaned. 

Use special care when washing an item with fringe. A gentle up and down motion for washing and rinsing.  Do not ring, just lift from the rinse water and lay flat to dry on terry towels. you may also hold the fringe while washing to keep it from tangling.

 If the fringe becomes tangled use diluted hair cream rinse to help untangle.  Use a gentle stroking motion pulling the fringe away from the silk fabric.  This takes patience but is worth the time.  I dangle the fringe over the edge of a table which makes it easy to hold the silk and gently pull on the fringe.  A great opportunity to day dream!!

All of Sandy's creations are hand painted, using calligraphy and water color brushes.  Many of the techniques used in creating a watercolor painting are incorporated in painting on silk.  There are many types of silk from habotai, crepe de chine, Charmeuse, chiffon and beautiful jacquard silks with intricate woven patters.  The jacquard silks pick up and reflect light creating motion and vibrancy unique only to jacquards.  Silk also has different weights from  say a 5mm pongee (very light and filmy like belly-dancing veils) to a luxurious 19.5mm Charmeuse (think kimono robes and gowns).  The possibilities are endless! 

The silk is first washed and carefully stretched.  There are several different methods for stretching the silk and each holds special benefits for the desired finished effect. Just as there are many ways to prepare silk for the dye,  so to are there many techniques for painting the silk. Each piece incorporates  techniques that will result in a desired result.  The use of resists, soy wax, Lumiere, layering, spotting, salt, sugar, alcohol and the list goes on and on,  results in unique-creative works of art.  

Sandy often blends colors directly onto the silk and this is only one of the many reasons why no two pieces are ever just alike.  Her color and design are so creative, some clients have purchased pieces that were originally made to be worn, then asked that they be framed , instead, in order to be hung  as art pieces.

Although Sandy has  many one of a kind silk items that can be purchased directly "off the shelf",  she also does custom work and creates colors and designs to satisfy particular desires.

One reason Sandy's work is so special is because she considers each client a unique individual and creates each new work of art accordingly.