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Jenn Sal
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I hope this is the right place to post this question...Where can I find the cheapest play silks? I was thinking of making my own, but I just don't have the time before Christmas arrives. I'm getting a play stand for FREE  from a friend. So, I'm looking for the 9ft silk. Anything lower than $30 out there?
I'm in the market for the smaller ones as well. Anything lower than $10?
Thank you!
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Jennifer, Texas
Wife to Mark, Mom to Cora 13,Kade 10, Sarah in Heaven 12/05, Colette 7, Corin 5, & Kieran 2
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MaryM
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Okay, when you said you were thinking of making your own, did you mean sewing? Because there is a way easier way to "make your own." The option I would choose is buying the white ones at discount and dyeing them. It's really cheap and super easy. If you still didn't feel like you could dye them before Christams, you could just get them and dye them with the kids after Christmas as a fun "project." The dyeing method we have used is with Kool-Aid packets. It gives beautiful colors and like I said is super easy.
And the prices are way cheaper than $30 and $10 for those sizes. More like $8 and $3.50. I have ordered mine from Thai Silks and been very happy with the products. Choose the Habotai China Silk. On that site the 36 X 36 (which is the standard smaller size play silk in the catalogues) is $3.85. They don't have a 9 ft. one but they do have the 6 ft. (45 X 72) which we have here. Those are only $5. You could sew two of those together for a really long silk.
Another site that has been recommended here in the past is Dharma Trading Co. There prices also look good and they do have the 9 ft. silk (under veils).
Dharma Trading Co. - Scarves
Dharma Trading Co. - Veils - does have the 36 X 108 length for $7.78
I have been intending for quite awhile to post a tutorial for this on my blog - so now if you are interested, I'll get on that.
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Mary M. in Denver
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Jenn Sal
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Mary,
I looked at the Dharma Trading Co. and that's where I thought there is no way I can do all of this  . If you know of some easier way without many chemicals, I would love to hear about it! You may have given me hope!
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Jennifer, Texas
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MaryM
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Oh yes, Jenn - it's easy and no chemicals! Supplies you need are Kool Aid packets, hot water, and vinegar. We did multiple ones in about an hour. I'll post a tutorial tonight.
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Mary M. in Denver
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Jenn Sal
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Mary,
Oh, thank you!  Thank you! This will help me out so much for Christmas! I am so excited!
I'm going to order the silks from Dharma so I can one stop shop for the large size and they have the small 35x35.
I look forward to seeing your tutorial. You are wonderful! 
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Jennifer, Texas
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stefoodie
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Mary, a big THANK YOU from me too!!! My little one wanted some and I've been planning to make them but now I'm looking at my calendar and wondering when I would have time for this!! Looking forward to your tutorial.
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Mary Chris
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Mary, I am so glad you posted about the kool aid dying method, that was my first thought.
Years ago we did a little day camp in my backyard and one activity was dying the silk, we used Rit so it was just the moms doing the work. It was very fun! I can still picture all the silks hanging on the bushes in my front yard. Ah memories  !
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Jenn Sal
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Question....using this process, does the dye run off the silk if it gets wet?
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Jennifer, Texas
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MaryM
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No, it is colorfast once you heat set it.
EDITED TO ADD: It really makes one concerned about the
dyes in what is something approved to drink. It is an amazingly strong dye.
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Mary M. in Denver
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folklaur
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This is so cool! I always have hesitated because I didn't want to use all the chemicals either! Wow!
I have ordered things from Dharma Trading in the past and been happy with the products.
Oh, I am so excited to give the play silks a try! My dd5 would love them for Christmas!
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Mary G
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We did the Kool-aid dying last year with yarn and it is fun, easy and NON-toxic (altho as MaryM mentioned, makes you wonder what they use for the colorant!)
I think we might do this after Christmas as a color project ....
MaryM, you're a "peach" to offer to do the tutorial! !
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MaryM
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| Posted: Dec 05 2007 at 2:24pm | IP Logged
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Okay, it took me a little longer but I have posted my tutorial.
Play Silks - Simple Dyeing Method
Since I had an additional large silk that we had not gotten around to dyeing, we did that this morning so that I would actually have pictures through the process.
Here are a couple other sites/blogs that have different variations on the process so you can see the possible variations in techniques used by others.
Kool-Aid Dying Playsilk Tutorial
Making Play Silks
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Mary M. in Denver
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Jenn Sal
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I can do this!!!! I can't wait for the silks to arrive!
Thank you, Mary!
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Jennifer, Texas
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MaryM
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Oh, and here are a couple color charts to get an idea of the colors you can expect with different flavors of Kool-Aid or other drink powders.
Color Card
Kool-Aid Dyeing
You can also get a "splotchy" effect by sprinkly the powder directly on the wet silk. After you rinse the silk there will be areas where there are spots of darker color - looks mottled. It's a cool effect.
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Mary M. in Denver
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Mackfam
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Oh Mary! This is a real treasure! I bookmarked your blog tutorial for use later. I have been lamenting the cost of play silks for years, and always put off the purchase while always wishing I could add these to our play area. I'm hoping we can do this simple project after Christmas.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
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Barbara C.
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I knew there was a very good reason that I switched to using Invisible Kool-Aid. The white carpets in my new home look horrible enough after one year without us accidentally
dyeing it. Then again, maybe I should consider intentionally dyeing. It might actually look better. 
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Jenn Sal
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I just dyed three silks. Yellow, red and purple. It went so fast and easy.
The only thing I'm trying to figure out is how to make the color more even. I moved the silk around, but still got white spots. I have four more to do tomorrow night, including the 9ft'r!
We'll see!
BTW.....I haven't had Kool-Aid since I was little. When I opened the first packet, I was like ahhhhh, I love that smell! Then my husband walked in later and said, oh man, I love that smell!
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MaryM
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Jenn,
I actually pulled mine out of the dye a couple times to rearrange and make sure the liquid was getting to all parts and there were no bunched up areas. There are lighter spots in a couple places - not totally uniform -but no white spots.
Another way to deal with that is to use more water and a larger pan. Then the material can float more loosely in the solution so there aren't areas that bunch up.
You can also re-dye the ones that have white spots in the same color again.
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folklaur
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I did it!
While dd5 was at her enrichment classes, I spent some time doing the Kool-aid dye!.
Thank you so much, Mary! I never would have known about this, or given it a try. I am so excited!!!!
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happymama
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Mary, thank you! My 4ds & I dyed 6 silks from Dharma for 1dd Christmas present. We had a great time doing this together, it worked beautifully, and can't wait to open this gift!! Thank you!!
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4Real Forums : Our Lady's Loom, Larder, and Laundry
Topic: Play Silks
