The way a fabric burns depends in part on what it is made of. Just in case there is another costumer out there that makes costumes for fire twirlers this table describes burning characteristics of fibres and ranks them from the most to least hazardous.
While on the site you may like to check out this Dictionary of sewing terms and the illustrated dictionary of sewing tools
On another note completely my daughter Eve (the fire twirler, stilt walker and clown in the family) has the images from her tour online. There are a number of new galleries to poke about. This Aussie lass sure gets around. In 12 weeks the ground she covered was exhausting. She started with the Thames festival, the Towersey festival, and the Wallinford Bunkfest. Take a look at Eve walking tall at the Mull of Kintyre festival and the Workhouse festival.
Eve also went to Ireland Will-o’-the-Wisp stopped in Bangor, Dublin, Tara, Cork, and arrived in Millstreet just in time for the European Juggling Convention. In Scotland at the Lock Lomond festival Eve was dancing on stilts and was also dancing on stage at the Wickham festival.
love the fire picture!
Arlee, Caroline and Marty I thought everyone knew my daughter works in a circus – as I brag about her all the time. I do try and associate it with something textile related but …
Arlee I do the same thing as ther eis nothing more frustrating as getting somethng home – particularly if it is for costumes and then finding it is not suitable
Marty – yep she already has a pile of good stories that keep me entertained.
i carry a lighter and a teeny bottle of bleach with me to test “unknown” fibres–of course one should *ask* for a little swatch to test OUTSIDE as salespeople get SO persnickety about you setting fire to their fabrics then valiantly trying to put it out with a Visine sized bottle of bleach :}
Well. I wish I’d known about your daughter. Wickham is just up the road from me…
She is going to have THE best stories to tell her grandkids!! Fantastic!