Sew Grateful Giveaway: Thai silk

Hooray! It’s Sew Grateful Week, the annual event launched by Debi of My Happy Sewing Place, and today is Giveaway Day.

I’m grateful that I have time to sew, even if I sometimes don’t think I do. I’m grateful for all the people out there who post tutorials, patterns, reviews, and inspiration. I’m grateful for the people who taught me to sew (that’s you, Mom!) and the people who enable me to keep at it (that’s you, Ian!).

And I’m grateful for these giveaways. See, a couple decades ago my grandparents did some world travel. My grandfather took an enormous video recorder to Australia, back when such things rested on your shoulder and didn’t live in your phone. No idea how he did that. Somewhere along the way, my grandmother bought some fabric, silk from Thailand, a gift for my mom. The colors didn’t quite suit, and the fabric has lived in its gift box for years. Eventually the fabric came to me (the colors don’t suit me, either). Because of Sew Grateful Week and the annual giveaway, I can be sure that this fabric will find quality new homes with people who will know what to do with it.

Which is so much more satisfying than taking it to Goodwill!

silk
The first fabric is on the crisper side – I don’t know a lot about silk as I tend to work more in cotton. It might pleat well? Anyway, it’s heavier than what I think of when I think “silk” – definitely not drapey blouse material. It’s a peach color with flowers, and there is about four yards of it.

silk
This one, on the other hand, is all kinds of drapey. It wants to hang in soft folds – no pleats here. It’s darker than the other, more bronze than peach, with texture woven in and splashes of color. The black may be calligraphic characters or may be birds. The piece is roughly two yards.

As far as I know, both fabrics are silk, both are from Thailand, and both are circa late 1980s/early 1990s. And I’m giving them both away.

Which one speaks to you? What would you make with it? Not that it matters for the giveaway (I’m just curious), but have you sewn with silk before? I work primarily with cottons, both for quilts and clothing, so silk intimidates me.

Random.org will pick a winner on Monday, March 3. I’ll ship international, so all are welcome.

Good luck!

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30 Comments

  1. Cornelia

    I would love the first one, and would make a lovely vintage style blouse out of it! Or a skirt 🙂 I haven't worked with silk yet, so that would be fun to try 🙂

    porcelina(at)live(dot)nl

  2. What a fantastic giveaway! I adore the light-pink flowery fabric! It seems like it would make a fantastic 50s style dress with lots of body. I have never sewn with silk before. Mostly because I can't afford it. But I'm always up for the challenge 🙂

    starcross.sewing AT gmail DOT com

  3. Ah Silk! I have one piece of silk here and plan to make something soon. It will be my first experience with silk. Both are gorgeous – The first one would make a lovely pleated skirt- And then work in that blue or teal for a blouse? Or maybe a silk jacket! ~Laurie (Sew Exhausted)

  4. Kat

    That is fantastic fabric! I would love the first one for a swirly summer dress. If there are odd bits leftover (aren't there always!) I'd use them for a lingerie set, they are my latest obsession!

    Thanks so much!

  5. Ooooooh, silk!! I am most interested in the one that 'drapes all over'. Ya to drapey!! I have not sewn with silk yet, but do have some silk chiffon and a lightweight woven silk in the stash. I would make a floaty and drapey summer dress with it. I would love it to flutter all around me when the breeze blows. Ahhhhh, lovely. Lol. My Sew Grateful Giveaway is also up on the blog if you are interested in anything there, please enter! http://gjeometry.com/2014/02/24/sew-grateful-giveaway-how-about-some-red-and-some-threads/

  6. They are both so beautiful. I'd make silk blouses for sure. I wear them all the time. For myself, I'd keep one from the darker color, and the others I'd make for my mother and sister. Thanks for the chance!

  7. Oh, both of these are gorgeous! And such a lovely story behind them. 🙂 I'd be extremely happy to win either one. 🙂

    If it was the first one, I'd make a full-skirted dress. If it was the second one, probably a dress as well if I can squeeze it out of it, otherwise a floaty skirt I think.

    I've only sewn with silk a couple of times. I really enjoyed it both times though, it's so nice to handle. 🙂

  8. Thanks for the giveaway! I'd love to try a jump-suit or maxi dress, or maybe a matching skirt/dress for my daughter and I with the four yards. But I also like the Thai character-ish aspects on the second fabric (I have several friends in Thailand, Japan, and China) so I could see making a sleeveless top from that fabric. Hard to choose! I've got a giveaway on my blog as well be sure to stop by!

  9. Oh beautiful fabric! The first one is just lovely but I prefer the second. I think it would make a great summer skirt, long and drapey. Haven't worked with silk before so that would be a fun challenge.

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