Peach and Gold
These are cocoons from eggs that a friend of mine sent me last season. They are a variety of Bombyx mori, the classic silkworm – but they throw
Author Archive for: Michael
Entries by Michael
Branching Out, variations
I took a lace-knitting class at CHT, and found out that it’s not as impossible as I had heretofore believed. We did Old Shale as a learning experience, which didn’t turn me on so much… but it paved the way. So Susan Lawrence’s Branching Out on Knitty was just the right thing at the right […]
Gratuitous picture post
At our concert last week, the wandering photographer snapped a good shot of me. So here I am!
Howdy, y’all! A friend has sent me a HUGE amount (I’m guessing six thousand or more) eggs from his silkworms. These are a cultivar of Bombyx mori, and they eat mulberry. They spin a beautiful yellow-gold silk, which when degummed is white. I can’t raise this many eggs myself. Once they’ve begun the warming process, […]
Yaaay for prizes!!
I just got back from this state-wide fiber arts convention. My class was small (only four people signed up!) but they did well and I think learned a lot. I’ve forgotten how draining it can be to stand up and talk for hours and hours. A lot of people expressed interest, and some of them […]
Tussah silkmoth eggs
If anybody who reads this wants some Chinese Oak Tussah silkmoth eggs, I’m going to have a bunch on hand. Please email me privately at oakenking (at) gmail.com. They eat oak leaves, and produce a golden-tan silk. The moths are huge, docile, and very pretty.
Silkworm gut
Silkworm Gut Silkworm gut used to be the preferred material for making fly fishing leaders. It is flexible, strong, and very nearly clear; it’s amazing that it’s actually natural, it looks so much like plastic. PLEASE NOTE: This page shows the dissection of a silkworm for the gut; if you don’t want to see that, […]
Orangeganzine
I finally finished the skein I’m entering in the Contemporary Handweavers of TX juried show.
I have *so* got to try this.
I’m not sure what will make the best food-safe-for-bugs dye, but I’m thinking I’ll experiment with some commercial acid dyes – small batches so I’ll know what works for color, and what the worms can stand. Dyed food makes colored cocoons
Well, the answer is: the synthetic spider silk does take dye. It takes dye very well, pretty much identically to how the bombyx does. It has a slightly more tan shade, but not as dark as tussah silk.