Archive for year: 2006

Chris got me a camera for Christmas. He gave it to me early, because we’re going to be going on a trip, and this way I can figure out some of its astounding powers. It’s TINY, but it can do amazing things!

Cut, to spare my friends who are squicked out by bugs

I’m going to be demonstrating silk reeling and talking about caterpillars and sericulture at the Texas Discovery Gardens at 11 AM each Sunday and Monday through the run of the Fair. The Fair runs from Friday, Sept. 29 through Sunday, October 22. If you get down there, definitely stop and say howdy! I’m there for 40 minutes or so each morning on those Sunday and Monday dates.

And lots and lots of pheromones.

My partner Chris made me some silkworm trays; I looked at them and realized they might be *just* the thing for hanging the female moths in the yard to attract males. Last night was a perfect night for moth romance – it rained early in the evening, so it was cool and nice, and there was a light gentle breeze, and a little over half moon. I had three female moths which had hatched a day earlier, but hadn’t gotten any suitors the night before – so they were, well, REALLY in the mood.

It was… a moth orgy. Or, perhaps, a gang-bang.

I’m sure that most of you who are into obscure textiles information, know about the Digital Archive of Documents on Weaving, Lace and Related Topics. Ralph Griswold scans out-of-copyright books, and makes them available for download as PDF’s.

In my silk research adventures, I’ve gotten hold of a lot of fascinating old books. Some of them are decades old, and others stretch back a couple of centuries. Some of them have information on hand-processing silk which has faded from modern knowledge in most of the West.

I’ve started a collaboration with Ralph, sending him my books a couple at a time to scan and render into PDF’s. He’s posting them on the Archive, and I’m also making a Library Page on wormspit.com.

Right now, there are only two – more will be posted as the scans are completed. Presently on the virtual shelf, a short book for young readers called “The Story of Silk,” and a fascinating in-depth “Letter from the Secretary of the Treasury” – a remnant of one of the many attempts to establish silk in the US. Currently in the works, an 1830’s translation of Chinese manuscripts, and a Young Learners type book on sericulture.

I know several of y’all have seen this already.

I put the San Antonio Living segment up on YouTube. Their rules about television shows didn’t address when it’s news, and it’s ME – I’m hoping this doesn’t get yanked out for copyright reasons!

If you were able to download the video from SendSpace, it’s the same footage – although this is a nicer copy.