It's Bunka! And sometimes even cording.
I thought that, if some of you don't want to look for bunka on line, you might want to search in your fabric stores and thrift shops.
I have been known to try to unravel a tiny tip of the fringe if I am not sure if it will work. That was in the early days. When I didn't know what to look for. Don't get caught! The stores don't like unraveled trims.
On the other hand, if it doesn't unravel, it's not bunka....If it does, you are in business. It's OK to buy.
All of this stuff you see is useable. In the case of the stuff that Tessie draped herself in, it has many yards of bunka and the added attraction of matching silk like cording. That's the stuff on the card to the left.
It is really a matter of knowing that you can tear it apart and finding the right thread to pull.
Most of the time, it is put together with a chain stitch machine and you can find one end or the other to pull to unleash it.
The bunka itself is sort of chain stitch braiding.
See the stuff that Tessie is holding? That's the unraveled bunka. It is the same as the beige on the card in front of her...That is still braided...
Again, it is a matter of finding the right end and thread to pull. Sometimes tweezers help.
This could take hours to get apart, so I am just going to shove it in a box for now...It will be there when needed.
For those of you that are not familiar with bunka....The trim on the green chair is unraveled bunka.
The rug in front of the chair is also bunka. It is unraveled and glued to medium weight pellon.
There are instructions under the "bunka" label on the sidebar. I use the technique on punch needle rug patterns.
A couple of years ago, Walmart had these wind sock like things to hang on your porch that were nothing more than long strands of bunka looped around a ring and suspended from three pieces of....bunka. For a few dollars, I bought them at the end of the season...LOTS of bunka there. If you keep your eyes open, there are a lot of places the stuff is used. And it is much cheaper that way than by the card, if you can find the colors that you want.
Now go forth and search!
I am going back to the cottage to work.
See you tomorrow.
5 comments:
Hi Casey! What a terrific resource for Bunka! I remember when it was super scarce and very hard to find here in Canada and perhaps it still is. I used to buy mine at miniature shows in the U.S., whenever I would see it for sale. Nice to know that a trip to the fabric store might yield more for less!
elizabeth
Well, Casey, you will never, ever have to buy bunka again, that's for sure! I love your bunka rug by the way. One place that bunka can be found is at Little Trimmings in the UK. That's where I get mine. She also has bunka rug kits.
Thanks for the tip Casey. I'll have to keep my eye out for fringing.
Casey, I had to come back because I forgot to say how funny Tessie looks all wrapped up in the bunka. She also looks so cute with those glasses!
Lucille, she may not have the glasses long. I have had to hunt for them in the rug twice today...I fear that I will find them by stepping on them soon. Oh well...There's always the spare Harry Potter ones.
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