I never paint the same scarf twice. The combination of my loose, freehand gutta work and then the random way the dyes flow into each other make it an impossibility. However, I do roughly repeat a design in different colours. I usually paint four or five different colourways of the same design to produce a mini collection.
My recent visit to see the Hawstead Panels at Christchurch Mansion, Ipswich, inspired me to create a design for a neckerchief. The first one in this series based on the pines and wildflowers painted by Lady Hawstead, was a combination of blues and mouse brown.
Having established this basic design and feeling comfortable with the patterned components, I then moved on to a new colour combination.
This neckerchief design is a mixture of techniques with thick, coloured gutta for the pine tree tops, single colours painted into delineated spaces and some resist layering.
I like resist layering, but you have to wait for the gutta to dry. This can be speeded up by using a hairdryer. Resist layering is where you add the clear gutta resist to a pale area in a pattern let it dry, then added a slightly darker dye, then add more clear gutta patterning let it dry and finally another layer of even darker dye. You are left with a more painterly effect and even a hint of brush marks or should I say daubs.
When all the dyes have been added and all the gutta has dried, the neckerchief is rolled in protective paper and steamed for two hours.
The finished neckerchief is photographed and added to my shop.
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Agnes Ashe 
What a lot of work but what a beautiful result!
Thank you.
I’m intrigued as to how you figure out how a particular design will look when the scarf or neckerchief is actually being worn. It’s not like a painting that will lie flat and in its creation it looks as it will in use. I like how the colors arranged themselves on this piece when it was being “worn”.
Ah yes the trick is the corners for squares scarves and ends for long scarves! It’s about remembering what areas are more visible when tied in a usual way. These ‘picture’ style scarfs end up as good value because if you tie the different corners together it’s almost like having two different scarves.
I think this is really interesting and I know I’ll be thinking about it when I see your next scarf postings…
As always, I’m fascinated by the processes involved in your work. Labour and creativity intensive!
Well, it is work and happily just sold one and dropped it off at the Post Office.