Thanks for painting a silk scarf with us. Silk is an all-natural fiber that’s amazingly strong – but it does require proper care, especially right after it’s painted.

So be careful. Avoid these three mistakes:

  • DO NOT remove the salt until you set the paint.
  • DO NOT scrunch or tie the scarf tightly until you set the paint. (Gentle folding is fine)
  • DO NOT wet or wash the scarf until you set the paint.

OK – so you’re probably wondering, “How do I set the paint?” There are two ways: Ironing and Non-Ironing.

Setting paint with an iron:

After the scarf has rested a few hours (or overnight) press the scarf with an iron: Use a cool, dry iron on the “silk” setting.

Take your time – at least 5 minutes. Start on the backside (tagged), then iron the front, then iron the back again. Use a pressing motion, lifting the iron up and down, so the salt granules don’t scratch the paint.

Iron directly onto the silk (no cover cloth).

Once the paint is set you can wet the scarf and rinse off any remaining salt. DO NOT use soap – just rinse with clear water.

Air dry.

Setting paint without ironing:

Hang the scarf over a hanger for one week.

Rinse the scarf with clear water to remove the salt.

Air dry.

(optional) Smooth the scarf with a warm iron on silk setting.

Cleaning the scarf:

It’s best to avoid soap. However, if your scarf gets dirty, hand wash with a few drops of Dawn dishwashing liquid. Never use a detergent or bleach. DO NOT USE WOOLITE! Use cold water and rinse thoroughly.

When you’re done washing the scarf, wrap it gently in a towel and squeeze out excess water. Do not wring or twist. Allow it to air dry away from direct sunlight. Never machine wash your silk, as that is likely to shrink it and change the texture.

Freshening. If your scarf just needs freshening, skip the soap and use cool water. Then use the towel method detailed in the paragraph above.

Ironing. It’s OK to lightly iron your scarf once it’s dry (or nearly dry). Use a silk setting, usually about a “2” on most irons. Touch the silk lightly with the iron. If it tries to stick, your iron is too hot. Turn it down, let it cool a bit, and test again.

Displaying your scarf. Many of our guests hang their scarves on the wall as art – and then unclip the scarf to wear around town. If you’re going to hang your scarf, be sure to hang it out of direct sunlight. Bright sun can fade the colors.

For long-term storage, place a layer of white tissue paper against your scarf and carefully fold it so the surfaces touch only paper – not the other surfaces.