For 7 years I’ve been dying and selling silk scarves, ties, wraps, clothing and paintings at street fairs and Saturday markets in the Seattle area. You can also buy from our website at www.silkfromthehartz.com.  I’ve learned silk dying from books on the subject and lots of experimenting.  I have a red-green color deficiency (as 8% of men do) so I often consult my wife on colors.  I get all my supplies from Dharma, and sincerely appreciate the knowledgeable staff, variety of products, and amazingly quick delivery time. 
 
We live in a small town in the Cascade Mountains, so I have plenty of nature around me for inspiration.  I painted Mica Mountain, above, with dyes on silk from pictures emailed to me from Lazy Dog Acres, a B&B near Mt Robson, Canada.  The pillow was loosely based on sedimentary rocks.  The autumn leaf scarf is drawn from local leaves.
 
I primarily use Jacquard Red Label silk dyes as they are by far the least expensive and yet produce rich, beautiful colors.  I also use certain Tinfix, Pebeo, and Dupont silk dye colors for their good reaction to salt.  I love the Sumi brushes, #3 through #5.  Some of them I’ve left in dye for years and they still work fine.  I use Inko resist in several ways, sometimes mixing it with dye, and alcohol to prevent mold.  I then apply it with GAMT #9 squeeze bottles, sea sponges or a small nylon silk painting brush. Occasionally I dye the already made Men’s Silk Neckties, but prefer the quality I get dying Silk Satin (Charmeuse) 19.5mm fabric and then sewing it into ties.  The wraps we sew from 12.5mm Silk Satin, then stretch and dye.  They turn out wonderfully soft and luxurious, with a rich explosion of color, as do the satin scarves and clothing. 
 
See our website for many ways to tie scarves and wraps, silk care directions, and to see more designs and colors.  Every few months I come out with a new batch of ties, which are my favorite to dye, as the possibilities are endless and hey, if you’re going to wear a tie, make it exciting. 
 
Warren Hartz
www.silkfromthehartz.com
WELHartz@msn.com