From Worm to Wrap: Journey of a Silk Shawl – Pre Prep Work
Before you plunge the cocoons into their soapy bath, there’s a little bit of prep work that needs to be done. The cocoons have two layers: A fluffy outer layer, and a papery inside layer.
The inside layer has much more gum, and as such needs more time in the boiling water. You can save time by separating the layers before processing. The fluffy layers took me anywhere from 10-20 minutes to degum, and the papery layers took from 30-60 minutes.
While separating the cocoons, there is one more yucky thing to take care of. While the silkworms are in their cocoons, they shed their skin one last time. You will want to make sure you pick out those last bits left behind. I know it looks gross, but think of it as the equivalent of removing veggie matter from a wool fleece.
Next time, I’ll talk about the degumming bath, or as I call it, Silk Soup!
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November 3, 2009
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Tags: cocoons, Knitting, silk, silkworms, Spinning, Worm to Wrap В· Posted in: Worm to Wrap
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