Lately I have received questions in my silk lectures about streamers versus Line of Silks. Both have advantages and disadvantages. In both cases they represent an investment in your act.

Streamers come in more sizes. They range from 1" x 36" to 18" x 100'. Line of Silks is sized by the sizes of the individual silks (9", 12", 18" and 24") and the numbers of silks on the line (usually 10-16).

Streamers are just one long continuous piece of silk. That makes it easy to press and to roll. It also means that once any part of it is damaged the whole streamer is damaged. They are generally much cheaper than Line of Silk. Streamers can also be made to "stream" and trail in circles, figure 8s, and other patterns when the performer moves his or her arms. Dancers prefer streamers for that specific reason. The longest streamer most adults can productively keep moving and off of the ground in such maneuvers is about 12 feet of streamer.

Line of Silk is made of several different pieces of silk. These are usually connected by a ribbon or piece of flat tape. They have to be folded rather than rolled for the best production. When a piece of silk in a Line of Silks is damaged, it can be easily replaced with another silk square. Both streamers and Line of Silk of the same size take the same cargo (load) space. Line of Silk has a top and bottom since the individual silks hang from the ribbon at the top. The Line of Silks is much less likely than a streamer to "flash" before production. There is also the advantage of only having the ribbon in the performer's hand rather than the silk (Often at some uncertain point!). The perform can better maintain eye contact with the audience. (Misdirection in itself!) While dancers don't like to use the Line of Silks, the motion of separate silks fluttering in the wind is quite different from the controlled movement of a streamer in motion. Both have their uses on stage. The Line of Silks makes much better use of the larger stage. A Line of Silks made of 16 silks 18" each will fill a 36' stage. Streamers are better for confined areas. You can pile a 30' silk streamer at your feet in a confined area. (The audience has seen what it will see anyway.)

Two other characteristics that can be very significant:

1. Streamers will always twist to some extent (Line of Silks doesn't have that problem.)

and

2. You really need an assistant, volunteer, or a place to connect the far end of the Line of Silks to best display it. (The same area of silk in a Line of Silks will look longer than a streamer of the same size. Remember that there are spaces between the silks and at the ends.)

I usually use both in the same show. To me they are very different productions. Streamers tend to get laughs and Line of Silks "Ah!"s. Both are fine with me!

What are your observations?

Bob Sanders
Magic By Sander

I will let you know after Tuesday, Bob. I'm doing a couple of shows at a middle school on that day and am planning to do either Duke's Dye Version or an adaptation of Pavel's News-Silks Knotting (without the knotting) using Line of Silks.

Like you, Bob, I don't want to choose one or the other but instead both. Now it's just a matter of seeing how the same routine plays out with streamers versus Line of Silks.

Jimmy

Good luck Jimmy! Let us know how it goes.

I vote for the Duke's Dye Version. It seems a natural for Line of Silks. However, the "News" would be very colorful and work fine too. Wouldn't be great to have silks with ads, sports, and weather on them? Scheme!

It takes a brave man to visit a middle school. (Two teenagers in my house at once were enough!) We surely are glad that you are a real magician. The magic will certainly help!

Make it fun!

Bob

Nice post, Bob.

I pull a 4" x 50' rainbow streamer out of a drawer box in one of my routines, twirling it in a circle, and am able to keep it moving and off of the ground.

And for me, the streamer is an applause point, I don't recall many laughs.

I also use a chain of 20 silks tied together (slightly different than the ribbon method), a 200' chain of beads, and some individual silks, as a part of the same production routine.

- Donald

Donald,

That sounds great! For years I produced a laundry basket full of silks tied together at the corners. It is very effective. It is also very flexible for changing colors to match the company, school or season.

Bob