Sari Silk Monarch
Shimmery silk for a butterfly
By: Project by Dawn Liu-Smyth/Heartfelt Fibre Arts
Sari Silk Monarch, 17" x 21”. Sari silk ribbon and wool on primitive linen. Designed and hooked by Dawn Liu-Smyth, Toronto, Ontario, 2018. A monarch butterfly on a coneflower makes a perfect subject for hooking in shiny silk ribbon.
Last summer I was inspired to hook a monarch butterfly in sari silk ribbon from India. Sari silk is available in so many beautiful colors and I love the sheen and texture of the finished piece. A monarch butterfly with its bright, eye-catching wings seemed a perfect subject for the silk ribbon.
As a child I was fascinated at how these seemingly fragile creatures were able to migrate nearly 3,000 miles between the northeastern United States and central Mexico. It seemed unimaginable to me that they could make the journey. In recent years, the monarch population has been threatened by deforestation and climate change. However, this past summer, I was greatly encouraged to discover so many of these distinctive black and orange-winged butterflies right in my own backyard. It would seem we are making some progress to help this beautiful species to once again spread beauty across the continents.