A friend gave me a complete set of Time Life's Guide to sewing (published late 1970's?) that her husband rescued from the local library's throw away pile. An absolute treasure, indeed. If you ever come across a set, grab it!

Beautiful! And yes, Charlotte, you can do it on silk. I have used this technique to make silk scarves many times. They are popular sellers because the colors are so gentle and neutral that they go well with just about anything. I've found that regular China or Haboti silk of about 8mm is best for this technique because you get a good 'stain' on both sides of the fabric.