Category: Tutorials
How to Iron a Silk Scarf
We, at Littleviews, design silk scarves and sell them on Sketch-Views.com. With that in mind, if you own or buy a silk scarf (or scarf out of any thin material), you’ll need tips on how to iron it. Our video, “How to Iron a Silk Scarf” shows you how!
How to Iron a Silk Scarf Transcript
You can read a short article about the video in the description box under the video. Below is a rough transcript of the video:
Welcome to our Littleviews tutorial on how to iron a silk scarf, created by Littleviews artist and designer, Karen Little.
Washing silk scarf material is easy. Fill a basin with warm water, add gentle soap, like baby shampoo, and squeeze.
The problem begins when you rinse your scarf, especially if it is a natural fiber like silk or fine cotton. These fabrics, like the silk scarf shown here, wrinkle easily, especially when wet. They do not drape smoothly.
While it is nice to squeeze thin scarves in a towel, and we do that later in the process, we still need to iron. What removes wrinkles efficiently is using a mesh pressing cloth when ironing. Using a mesh pressing cloth, in fact, is the key to success!
To dry freshly washed scarves, we usually fold them to fit on a hanger or rod.
When we are ready to iron, we re-dampen the scarf with water spread by a spray bottle, then roll the scarf in a towel where it will stay for several minutes to promote uniform dampness.
If you are processing several scarves, they can all be rolled in the same towel.
When the scarf is uniformly damp, you will find that many of the wrinkles caused from washing are now relaxed and the scarf is easy to handle.
Now, let’s get ironing!
To iron, spread the scarf on your ironing board, then cover it with the mesh pressing cloth.
To use this pressing cloth, set your iron on high heat with no steam. Do not, of course, use a very hot iron directly on the scarf, especially if it is synthetic, as it might melt or pucker.
With the pressing cloth in place, iron as normal.
If the scarf becomes dry during the ironing process, dampen it by using a spray bottle.
As you can see, when done, your scarf will be silky smooth with not a trace of wrinkles.
Should you need to touch up your scarf without using a pressing cloth, lower your iron setting to Silk / Wool. Set it even lower if your scarf material is synthetic.
As demonstrated, however, this 50 inch silk scarf we used came out perfectly smooth. By using a mesh pressing cloth, there are no little creases, wrinkles, or dents.
Note that scarves made of synthetic materials do not wrinkle as easily and may not need as much pressing. Silk, thin cotton and wool do, however, with your only other cleaning option being taking them to a dry cleaner.
Links
The key to successfully ironing silk scarves, or any thin material, is ironing on a mesh pressing cloth.
- Pressing Pad by Household Essentials, a polyester net. www.householdessential.com
- There are a number of brands that sell mesh pressing cloths available on Amazon and Walmart.
- For more general information, search Google.
Contact
- This video tutorial was written and produced by Karen Little and was published on YouTube in September, 2020.
- The video, hosted on our YouTube channel (Littleviews & Sketch-Views) is free for inclusion on non-commercial websites (or other media) with attribution to Littleviews.com.
- The announcer is Rose McDonnel. Would you like us to create a video-article for you? Ask!
- All other material on Littleviews and Sketch-Views (with noted exceptions) is copyrighted on the date of publication or as noted in credits.
- Questions? Ask Karen Little at Karen@littleviews.com
How to Tie a Scarf Securely
In our 2.5 minute “How to Secure a Scarf” tutorial, we demonstrate how to tie scarves so they won’t come undone.
It’s important to know how to tie a scarf so it looks stylish on your head or around your neck. If, however, your scarf shifts and the knots become undone, it loses its appeal.
When you tie a scarf on your head, your natural hair, or your braids, you need to know that your scarf is secure and it won’t move around. When you properly secure your scarf, like we show you in this video, you feel confident all day long while wearing it.
The secret to how to secure a scarf is using hair-care bands, often called Pony Tail bands. These are small, round, elastic bands that are practically invisible when holding scarf ends in place. The products we worked with are:
- Scunci Medium Hold bands
- Scunci Gentle Hold bands
- Scunci Girl No Damage Polyband Elastics
- Super Stretch Rubber Bands
- Walgreen’s Large Poly Bands
The best bands for silky scarves are the last three in the above list, with poly bands being particularly nice because they are invisible. Poly bands are available from a number of hair control lines, including Scunci.
While it is important to know how to tie a scarf, when you first secure a scarf with an elastic band, as demonstrated in this video tutorial, your arrangement will stay in place, your scarf knots will not come undone, and your scarf’s draping will be beautiful.
Contact
- This video tutorial was written and produced by Karen Little and was published on YouTube in September, 2020.
- The video, hosted on YouTube, is free for inclusion on non-commercial websites (or other media) with permission and attributes to Littleviews.com.
- The announcer is Rose McDonnel.
- Would you like us to create a video-article for you? Ask!
- All other material on Littleviews and Sketch-Views (with noted exceptions) is copyrighted on the date of publication or as noted in credits.
- Questions? Ask Karen Little at Karen@littleviews.com.
How to Develop Elements for Surface Designs
This 2-minute video was first posted in August 2020. In it you’ll learn how to quickly develop secondary images and designs to complement the subjects of your work, both now and to draw upon in the future.
Here is a rough transcript:
How to Develop Elements for Surface Designs
While we at Sketch-Views and Littleviews specialize in pet portraits, we also create repeatable surface designs on products such as coffee mugs, fabric, and scarves.
Unlike the art of producing a single composition (such as a portrait), surface designs refer to repeatable patterns that, when connected, can cover large areas, like cloth or wallpaper.
Surface designing often combines main subjects with multiple secondary or subordinate subjects. The secondary subjects are used to fill in spaces not covered by the main design.
Karen’s inspiration for Sketch-Views’ fall 2020 scarf collection were butterflies and flowers where butterflies are found.
As seen in neighboring gardens, butterflies, bees, and other flying insects gathered around groups of small, white flowers, which she drew, then arranged in secondary groups.
It takes time to develop secondary objects! To stretch your imagination, use your computer to distort your initial vision, no matter how beautiful that vision might be. The effect is like squinting at an image, which causes main objects to drop away and new patterns seem to emerge.
Sketch while squinting to develop a library of secondary elements. These can be used in traditional compositions, such as in pencil sketches or watercolor paintings, as well as in computer graphics.
After time, your library of images will become a great resource for adding elements to current and future work.
Links
- Video discussion about using Adobe Illustrator to manipulate your designs: Top 3 Secrets for Surface Pattern Design Success
- Video pep talk on how to get started: Surface Pattern Design: Five Amateur Mistakes (and how to fix them) | Elizabeth Silver
- Video showing how a fabric collection was developed by manipulating background elements: How to Design Fabric – Surface Pattern Design
- Article for those of you who want to create surface designs, but do so by hand instead of using Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop: How to Create Pattern Repeats by Hand
Contact
- This video tutorial was written and produced by Karen Little and was published in August, 2020.
- The video, hosted on YouTube, is free for inclusion on non-commercial websites (or other media) with permission and attributes to Littleviews.com.
- Would you like us to create a video-article for you? Ask!
- All other material on Littleviews and Sketch-Views (with noted exceptions) is copyrighted on the date of publication or as noted in credits.
- Questions? Ask Karen Little at Karen@littleviews.com.
Pet Portraits: How to Pose Dogs for Photos
This video tutorial shows you how to pose pets for photos artists can use as reference material for portraits. Posing is easy, and taking photos with your cell phone is easier! No need to straighten the house or find an idyllic site for the photo shoot, either.
I hope you found this tutorial to be helpful!
Author:
This video tutorial was written and produced by Karen Little and was published on July 31, 2020.
The video, hosted on YouTube, is free for inclusion on non-commercial websites (or other media) with permission and attributes to Littleviews.com.
All other material on Littleviews and Sketch-Views (with noted exceptions) is copyrighted on the date of publication or as noted in credits.
Questions? Ask Karen Little at Karen@littleviews.com.
Support Our Mission:
Products sold on Sketch-Views.com contain images exclusively created for Sketch-Views gift products by designer, Karen Little. Revenues support Littleviews’ mission to provide drawing tips and events.
