Hi, can someone please give me advise on folding silks? I want to fold the silk as small as possible, but when I open my hand, the silk will spring out. I know folding it in a zig-zag fashion works, but doing that is very time consuming and awkward for me. Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions how I could do this a little easier? Thanks in advance.

shayne

I would think any method of folding a silk "as small as possible" is going to be time consuming.

Thank you for the very useful response. You have really helped. lol

OK, here is where I wish I had a video link onto the Café!
Well, you’ll just have to use your imagination!

--Hold the silk taut between your right and left hands by the finger tips.
--Now quickly grasp and wiggle-up with your other fingers
--(you want to Z-fold up the silk sort of like window-blinds)
--When you have a long, smooth, zig-zag fold of about one-and-one-half inches…
--Keep the silk taut and move fingers over thumb quickly right to left
--You are again doing a z-Fold but sideways
--(you should have a small tight packet about one-and-one-half inches square

If you practice this technique, you can get a very smooth, very flat, very crisp fold.
It takes a while to get the knack in mid-air and get your fingers coordinated.
Once you have this you can double zig-zag a silk in no time, and it pops-up and out quickly and with few wrinkles.

Hope this helps, a video would have been easier!

Magically,
Walt

Now there's a Spellbinder who knows a zig from a zag! But he's absolutely right. You have probably been trying to pleat fold the silk by laying it down on a table and trying to get every little fold right, but it's not necessary, and it certainly is time consuming. The "other" Spellbinder's way is quick and easy- just give it a try!

More important than "small as possible" is how you want to display it when produced -- as a flash thin drop, as a full silk with message -- as a developing larger and larger piece -- as multiples coming from nowhere?

There are many ways to fold silks of various sizes -- and getting a six footer into a thumbtip just doesn't work.

So -- let us know a little more of how you are using (displaying) the end production.

I’ve always wondered why my Six-Foot rice Dragon-Silks
seem to pop out of my T**** Tips!!!
Must be the wrong fold, huh?

The method I tried to impart above will get a fairly large silk to compress fairly small, and what seemed to be key for this gentleman….. it is a fast easy method!

If he is indeed using a message or picture silk, tiny knots of thread or yarn can be added to the top corners so he can flick it open by touch and have the right side up.

One corner knot with a small buckshot weight in the opposite diagonal corner will allow a silk to unfurl quickly for a flash appearance as well.

Magically,
Walt

Walt -

I do not know if the buckshot would be needed with a properly folded and proper mome silk but that might take a lot of shopping and testing.

I am surprised more magicians do not use beads and similar indicators (as well as shot) in their work. Maybe it is not masculine to sew?

One of my better memories is in a green room of a show we were doing with Eric Buss -- while he was still doing his international "After the Gig" act. He used the time to sew and repair his own props -- revealing that his mom taught him to sew and it had saved him grief on the road -- and tailor bills off the road.

Gregg,

Any guy who can thread a fish hook or lure with a leader for fishing has to be able to thread a needle for sewing on a bead!

OK! I know their response: "We have people who do that." LOL


Bob Sanders
Magic By Sander