I have heard a bit about "silk winders". I currently produce a 30 ft streamer from my square circle as well as other silk loads from various places. How would a silk winder help me in the "prep" work I do to load everything? Is it really necessary or can folding and/or rolling work just as well?

Thanks,
FCCFP

You can acordian fold it into a cardboard box back and forth and it will work.

A Rosini style silk winder(which I make) makes it must faster and easier to load. It kind of winds the streamer like a bobbin in a sewing machine and then you pull out the middle to produce it.

To be honest though, it seem like if you are only producing a 30' streamer you could make a little cardboard tube or box to shove it into and then load that into the load area.

With a Rosini winder, you can get 12" x 300' streamer into a pop can with the right weight of silk and winding methods.

Richard,
Thanks for the advice.
I have been rolling them up like a scrowl.
Is that better or worse than an accordian fold?
Would the accordian fold leave pleats or wrinkles?

Regards,
Fccfp

Check this out.
It's a good home made winder.
I have tried it myself and it works beautifully.

http://allmagic.com/magicshow/stage/silktwister.html

Thanks Hugh,

Will this keep "things" from getting wrinkled? I recently took someone's suggestion of ironing my silks, scarves and table drapes before shows. It does look better, but how do you keep them that way?

I think this could extend the useful life of the silks because of the extra time and care you are giving them, as opposed to just stuffing them into a load chamber.

Gen Grant said to iron your silks several days before a show. They have time to dry out and wrinkle less.

For streamers use a mailing tube or a piece of cardboard slightly longer then the width of the streamer. Then wind the silk around this keeping them straight. By cardboard I mean corragated board that has some thickness. Put paper tape around the edges to soften the edges. I then keep in a plastic bag.

Thanks for the suggestions. I will try it. What does a silk winder do though? Is it just there to make it easier to roll up the load as small as possible?

The silk winder makes it easier to load the streamer in a smaller space.

I store my silks folded or rolled on a paper tube. If folded, I put them into a zip lock bag and burped the air out. Seems to help the wrinkle. I know there is a lot of discussion about the silk having to breathe. I have done this for over twenty years and they are fine. Now if you were storing them for years without using them, It could be a problem.

I minimize the ironing of the silks as it adds static to the silk. Ironing ahead as Gen Grant suggested. helps.

Listen to Richard Hughes. He knows.

I roll my "zombie foulard" around a cardboard mailing tube .
Keeps it fresh and flat .