http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2008/08/20/silk-lens-optics.html
I usually report on the silk stuff that I’m doing, myself – but this one is too cool not to mention!
If I’m reading it right, they’re using an aqueous solution of sericin. If so, it might even be possible to extract the stuff, and still have the silk for textile (or other) use.
I’m planning to put these up on the silk reeling page – the first video shows catching the strands from the cocoons, the second and third are two different views of adding cocoons to the reeling strand.
For anyone who wanted some of the Heminway silk…
The Ebay seller where I got the 000 Sewing Silk has some more to sell – he had been out of touch, not out of stock! His computer access has been up and down, so if one sells, he can’t always immediately re-list.
You can see my work with degumming and dyeing the 000 silk here:
http://oakenking.livejournal.com/181667.html
and here:
http://oakenking.livejournal.com/181975.html
I haven’t woven with it yet.
Seller’s page is here: http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZbluedolphin-2000
Please let him know I sent you, if you do decide to buy some!
Michael
In case you were wondering (I was!) what the difference between Size A and Size 000 thread is – now I can show you.
I wanted to wait until I had some of the Heminway dyed black, so I could compare apples to apples.
The bulky stuff on the right is regular size A silk sewing thread – 50 meters to the gram. It’s what I wove the medallion ribbon with.
This one, the regular size A thread is on the left.
THIS makes me very, very happy. The silk takes color beautifully, and has a nice sheen.
THIS, on the other hand, makes me very, very frustrated. The silk is so fine that it tangles at the drop of a hat. I’ve been making 1500 yard skeins, and tying them with Figure 888 ties twelve ties per skein… and they’re still snarling up. I’m thinking shorter skeins will help; I can’t really do more ties. Currently, I’ve been getting back about 1/3 of it before it becomes just impossibly snarled. What you’re looking at is the parts that I finally took off the swift, after spending too many hours getting two or three yards at a time off it.
Before degumming, right, and after, left.
I got a great deal on some VERY fine thread. This stuff is Size 000 Silk Sewing Twist – normal, regular-fineness sewing thread is Size A, and it goes thicker up to F, and finer to 0, 00, and then this stuff. TINY.
The problem is – the thread is stiff, not very shiny, not really that attractive. I thought, “hmm… maybe it needs to be degummed.” I don’t know why anyone would sew with their thread raw, but that’s sure what this feels like. It could also be some sort of industrial coating – but if so, it made it feel like raw silk.
So, I decided to degum it. The difference is AMAZING. It’s exactly what I had hoped for. Next step is to dye this stuff, so I can weave with it.
As I’ve said before, I LOVE getting packages from India.
This one is something that I have been looking for for quite some time. It’s a hand-loomed pure Kosa (Tasar, or Indian Tussah) silk sari. It’s BEAUTIFUL. Just a peek, before I let you see the package opening up:
But, of course, what I see first, is this:
This one isn’t nearly as… intensely packaged… as some that I’ve gotten.
I’ve been stewing over this for a while… usually every time that somebody emails me to tell me that I’m a horrible person, and that I should only use Tussah silk, because it’s “Peace Silk”, gathered from the jungle only after the moth has flown away happy and satisfied.
It just ain’t so.
My take on Peace Silk:
https://www.wormspit.com/peacesilk.htm
I’m thinking that somebody out there in Friends-List Land is probably a Ravelry editor… but I don’t know who.
Somebody posted a link to my Stitch Marker Page. The Ravelry link is here.
I’d really like to get it tied to my Ravelry profile. I’d also like to be able to add photos. But, I don’t know how to manage that.
Anybody know the way to do this, or someone who could wave the magic wand for me?
I’m doing a PowerPoint presentation on silk, which is something I’ve never done before – I usually just talk loud and wave my hands and pass around live insects. The live insects are demo rock-stars – everybody loves them. They rock the house.
I have some experience with PowerPoint, but not much. I have a lot of experience giving presentations, just not with the projector part.
This presentation is for a group of about 125 kids; they range in age from first grade to seventh grade.
I’m mostly looking for input on things like type size, does it look too dark, should I use a different transition, that kind of thing.
I haven’t yet talked my way through this completely, to see if it will really take up 30 minutes (I think they really want more like 25 minutes – they have to move the kids in and out).
I will get to spend 20 minutes with each class separately later in the day, and show them things that they can touch and feel, and they get to take home cocoons and silk.
The file is HERE. I know that it’s huge – don’t know if there’s an easy way to scrunch it down, without sacrificing image quality.
Thanks in advance for your suggestions!
I’ve been invited to teach at the Golden Gate Fiber Institute in Winter of 2009. The Institute is a joint venture of Judith McKenzie McCuin and Morgaine Wilder, and they’re setting up some seriously intense workshops. You can check their list of Summer 2008 classes for an idea of what caliber of instructors they’re getting; I’m honored and more than a little intimidated. Nancy Bush, Judith McKenzie McCuin, Sara Lamb… I haven’t seen the full list of instructors for the Winter session, but the names that Morgaine told me over the phone were similarly marvelous. I’m particularly looking forward to meeting Takako Ueki, proprietor of Habu – she and I keep missing each other, and I really want to pick her brain about silk.
What they want from me, is a workshop that starts on Monday reeling silk, and ends on Saturday with brocaded ribbons. It’s a pretty tall order – but I feel confident that I can do it. It’s mostly all stuff that I’ve taught before (except for the dyeing) – it’s just that usually I’ve taught it in multiple classes instead of one long course.
I’d love to get input on my ideas for the class, as well as suggestions for a NAME – I really would like something at least somewhat clever, but it must be clearly descriptive as well. I’m kind of liking “From Cocoon to Brocade,” with the details to be filled out in the description – but just not quite sure.
