Using Upcycled Sari Silk Products!

If you are looking for a unique and colorful material to use in your fiber art projects, you might want to check out our upcycled sari silk, made from the scraps and trimmings of silk saris, the traditional garments worn by women in India.

Instead of throwing away these leftover pieces, women’s cooperatives sew them end to end and create stunning ribbons and yarns that can be used for knitting, crocheting, weaving, quilting, and more. This not only reduces waste and helps save the environment, but also generates income and support their families. These versatile products imported from India include:

• Multicolor ribbon skeins: These are one-of-a-kind skeins that feature a rainbow of colors and textures. Each skein is 100 grams (approximately 45-50 yards) and can be used for knitting, crocheting, or weaving. For knitting, suggested needle sizes are US 10-11. See also our Eyelash Sari Ribbon, wonderfully textured and frayed and Printed Chiffon Silk Sari Ribbon, also packaged in multicolor skeins.
• Solid colors: These are skeins of sari silk ribbon dyed in a single color. They are perfect for adding a pop of color to your projects or for creating monochromatic designs. Each skein is 100 grams (approximately 45-50 yards) and can be used for knitting, crocheting, or weaving. For knitting, suggested needle sizes are US 10-11.
• Silk Fat Quarter Bundles, available in Brights and Darks. Each includes 12 different pieces of silk in solid colors (some small prints may be included) that measures18 in. x 22 in..
• Recycled silk sari yarn: This is a textured yarn made from recycled silk fibers. It has a rustic and organic feel and can be used for knitting, crocheting, or weaving. Each skein is 100 grams (approximately 75 yards) and can be used for knitting, crocheting, or weaving. For knitting, suggested needle size is US 9-15. (See also our Chunky Silk Sari Yarn.)

The possibilities are endless with upcycled sari silk! You can use it to create stunning garments, accessories, home decor items, or art pieces. To follow are some examples of how we and our customers have used these beautiful fibers.

Art quilts: You can iron the sari silk ribbon flat and weave it into a gorgeous art quilt. You can also use it as a binding for your small art quilts.

Dreamcatchers: You can use embroidery hoops, Hand-dyed doilies (you’ll find treasures like these in our Inspiration Packs, along with fabrics and other trims) are suspended in embroidery hoops and accented with sari silk ribbon to create fanciful dreamcatchers that will add charm to any room.

Mixed media art. “Mixed media, mostly stitched fabrics, sari silk and mixed beads from the shop,” shares Creative Mind Ming Z. about one of her colorful, embellished pieces (pictured above) that features a magazine cutout. You can use sari silk ribbon and yarn to embellish your mixed media art pieces and combine them with other materials such as beads, buttons, lace, paper, etc.

Knitted or crocheted projects: You can knit or crochet with sari silk ribbon or yarn to create cozy scarves, shawls, hats, bags, or even sweaters. The sari silk will give your projects a unique texture and color.

Where Can You Find Inspiration?

If you need some inspiration on how to use upcycled sari silk in your projects, you can visit our YouTube channel where we have many tutorials and demonstrations on various fiber art techniques.

For instance, Artistic Artifacts owner Judy Gula used sari silk ribbons and yarns with fabric scraps with her collection of embroidery hoops to weave wonderful display art (above). Watch her tutorial! She specialized in weaving for years, and still enjoys experimenting with using the techniques in mixed media. Her finished hoops now hang in our shop windows!

You can also join our Creative Minds Facebook Group where you can share your creations with other artists and get feedback and encouragement.

We invite you to browse our online shop or visit our store to see our selection of upcycled sari silk. We would love to see what you make with this amazing material!

Above, more to inspire you! the Brights colorway of our Silk Fat Quarter Assortment is pictured paired with Soie d’Alger 7 Strand Silk Floss, in complementary colors: top left Frida, Picasso, IngeMeta and center Suricata (left) and Aruba. Soie d’Alger strandable spun silk can be used in full, or the plies easily separate for you to use your choice of number of individual threads as you stitch. All Painter’s Threads fibers and textiles are hand painted in Germany and are absolutely stunning in fiber art!