# Dyeing- I might after this one. My Dh is shaking his head. Lol



## mama879 (Jan 27, 2011)

I could not resist. I had bonus money with paradise fibers plus 15% off the fibers. 3 lbs of pure softness. Plus some dyes to play with. Going this weekend to pick up my supplies gloves, masks and a scale. Have my pot and a old vinyl table cloth. I won't have time to dye anything. Most likely not till next weekend. I will be chewing at the bit to play. Now has any one spun silk cocoons. I always wanted to try. Oh so much fun.


----------



## Cdambro (Dec 30, 2013)

You are so right....oh, so much fun! Look at all that yummy fiber. Cannot wait to see and hear how your silk cocoons spin.


----------



## sockyarn (Jan 26, 2011)

No I have not. It is a bit too fiddly for me.


----------



## mama879 (Jan 27, 2011)

sockyarn said:


> No I have not. It is a bit too fiddly for me.


I hope it won't be for me or I will be selling them. Lol


----------



## Mercygirl76 (Dec 30, 2012)

I've always wondered HOW silk cocoons are spun. Can anyone put in a brief explanation of how it's done???? I'm a new spinner and have stuck with only wool so far.


----------



## BirchPoint (Feb 12, 2016)

I've made hankies from silk cocoons, then spun the hankie. Interesting to do, alot of work, makes a person really appreciate the craftspeople that make silk hankies and bells. Yours are cut on one end - to remove the larvae I suppose. To spin, you need to soften the cocoon in very hot water. For the best explaination, look up how to spin a silk cocoon online. I'm taking a break at work, so won't right now, but if no one else has by tonight, I'll chime in again.


----------



## mama879 (Jan 27, 2011)

I have looked at some videos, some they do not even speak English. lol But you can see what they are doing. I thought these were degumend have to check my order. I won't be able to do anything till the summer with these. Yes the larvae is gone thought it would be fun to do.


----------



## BirchPoint (Feb 12, 2016)

I think your cocoons are NOT degummed - they would be soft and look messier if they were. You can soak what you have in warm water and spin them with the seritin still in - it will make a stiff thread. If you degum, you end up with a fluffy blob, and you can spin from the blob, make a hankie to spin from, card the fiber to spin or blend, the sky is the limit (kind of). To degum, soak in hot water with soap for awhile, rinse, squeeze dry or stretch over a frame.


----------



## mama879 (Jan 27, 2011)

Thank you they are a bit hard. So I will soak them with soap.


----------



## run4fittness (May 22, 2011)

All I can say is: Have fun!


----------



## gardenpoet (Jun 24, 2016)

I spin (drop spindle) from dyed silk hankies that I buy from Blue Moon Fibers (they have an incredible selection of incredibly beautiful colorways), and find them easier to spin than wool because the fibers are so long. But I've worked with a cocoon much less even seen one. I have also read that working with silk fibers that have been dyed is easier because the dye process breaks up the sticky stuff that the larvae leave in the fibers and make the fiber silkier and easier to work with. Maybe the hot water process will help do that too.


----------



## Spooly (Oct 22, 2011)

Oh my goodness! Will be waiting anxiously to see what you do with all those amazing fibers and dye. The silk cocoons look especially adventurous.


----------



## Ermdog (Apr 24, 2014)

Mercygirl76 said:


> I've always wondered HOW silk cocoons are spun. Can anyone put in a brief explanation of how it's done???? I'm a new spinner and have stuck with only wool so far.


I've been slowly going through a bag of them. I make hankies. You can google you tube videos showing how to make hankies from cocoons, then videos showing how to spin hankies. It really is a pain in the rear, but so interesting. The videos will probably put a bug in your bonnet like it did me. I'm almost through the cocoons, then will dye the hankies. I saw one video showing how to knit straight from the hanky without spinning. That was very cool.


----------



## Ermdog (Apr 24, 2014)

gardenpoet said:


> I spin (drop spindle) from dyed silk hankies that I buy from Blue Moon Fibers (they have an incredible selection of incredibly beautiful colorways), and find them easier to spin than wool because the fibers are so long. But I've worked with a cocoon much less even seen one. I have also read that working with silk fibers that have been dyed is easier because the dye process breaks up the sticky stuff that the larvae leave in the fibers and make the fiber silkier and easier to work with. Maybe the hot water process will help do that too.


Part of the process of turning cocoons into hankies is simmering the cocoons in a pan with a little dish soap and washing soda. That breaks up the glue. Then you rinse them well in cold water.


----------



## one more row (Nov 3, 2012)

Several months ago, I received instructions on knitting Paradise (I think), on how to prepare silk cocoons for spinning. Haven't done so, yet but still look at the cocoons and think maybe sometime. Hopefully you can find the instructions in kp history.
Good luck,
One more row


----------



## MrsMurdog (Apr 16, 2013)

Okay, I have no idea about this at all. I am off to google spinning silk cocoons because I am picturing a square hankie that you would keep in our pocket to wipe your nose???!!!!


----------



## mama879 (Jan 27, 2011)

MrsMurdog said:


> Okay, I have no idea about this at all. I am off to google spinning silk cocoons because I am picturing a square hankie that you would keep in our pocket to wipe your nose???!!!!


lol


----------



## spinninggill (Apr 9, 2011)

OOOh have fun. Are the cocoons degummed?


----------



## BirchPoint (Feb 12, 2016)

MrsMurdog said:


> Okay, I have no idea about this at all. I am off to google spinning silk cocoons because I am picturing a square hankie that you would keep in our pocket to wipe your nose???!!!!


Look up silk hankie. Along with what you are picturing should also be spinners silk hankies, which is what we are talking about on this thread! ( by the way, who'd want to blow their nose in a silk handkerchief? Too thin!) :sm09:


----------



## MrsMurdog (Apr 16, 2013)

Okay, I have finished my foray into the Google world of spinning silk cocoons. Too intimidated for words.


----------



## BirchPoint (Feb 12, 2016)

No, no, no. Learning is the fun of it!


----------



## lovey (Nov 11, 2011)

:sm01:


----------



## kwharrod (Jul 24, 2012)

I've made silk hankies, dyed them with acid dyes, and spun the dyed hankies. It is fun and produces the softest yarn ever. If you enjoy spinning the hankies go to www.wormspit.com for lots of information on raising silkworms.


----------

