Silk Floss

Posted by Monica Ferris on January 30, 2007, 9:21 pm

Posted by explorer on January 30, 2007, 9:38 pm

x-no-archive: yes
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I musty have missed a book or two - I have never heard of Doris Valentine.

Posted by LizzieB. on January 30, 2007, 10:03 pm

Monica Ferris wrote:

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I don't understand about spinning your own silk. Do you mean, like,
processing it for use as the silk worm spins it?

I've never used silk that was processed for weaving and not for a
needle, but I would assume that thread that is to be woven would be just
fine to use in a needle. It may be a little thicker or thinner than
your average Chinese, but I don't see why it wouldn't work.

Posted by The Lady Gardener on January 31, 2007, 3:40 am

It's been a long time since I put anything up on rctn. I've partly
been lurking, partly gotten busy with other things. Like writing
Knitting Bones.

Now I'm about to start a new Betsy Devonshire novel, Thai Die, and one
of the things it's about is silk. When I went to Thailand last
January, I bought silk fabric, but couldn't find any silk floss. I
believe most silk used as floss originates in China and I know that
Thai silk is not as smooth as Chinese silk. But Thai Die is about
Doris Valentine (one of my running characters) going to Bangkok and
coming back with some silk threads she got at a silk factory that
ordinarily spins and dyes the silk and then weaves it into fabric. My
question: Have any of you ever spun your own silk? Or used silk
threads not meant to be used in stitching? What was it like?

You may want to reply to me directly: marypulver@aol.com. And thank
you in advance!

Mary Monica
aka Monica Ferris
see my new, improved web site: monica-ferris.name
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
I adore silk thread and have tried to use it in a multitude of ways, with
varying amounts of success.

The best silk threads actually emanate from France, not China. I did once
try to tease some strands from a length of dupion like silk for a reason
that escapes me, possibly trying to ameliorate some dress damage, but the
threads just shredded the moment I tried to get them through fabric. I also
tried to tease out some threads from some chinese silk to mark an edging
thread, but the weave was so tight that fraying out a single strand proved
beyond my tolerance for fabric/thread induced pain.

I have a bobbin lacemaker friend who lived in Thailand for many years, and
on a visit some years ago she returned with some silk thread which is akin
to sewing machine thread. She had seen a lady in Thailand using this thread
to make the most wonderful bobbin lace. Many of us tried to use this thread
in our own lacemaking only to find that when the pins were removed the
thread 'sprang' like wire. This leads me to think that there is a silk
thread made in Thailand, though it is not an embroidery thread.

One other disaster worth recounting is the time I decided to wash a skein of
Au Ver A Soie to ensure colour fastness. I did not unravel the skein, and
in the washing process - gently by hand in cool water with shampoo - the
skein turned into a mat......the silk had felted!

Despite these glitches, I adore using silk in lacemaking and embroidery.

--
¸.·´ .·´¨¨))
((¸¸.·´ ..·´ Joanne -:¦:-
- -:¦:- ((¸¸.·´ in an incredibly hot Perth, Western Australia -:¦:-
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Posted by Karen C - California on January 31, 2007, 12:03 pm

The Lady Gardener wrote: the
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I used to tat because it was the most compact craft, fit nicely in the
pocket of my jeans.

I found a lovely spool of silk sewing thread in pink/blue/yellow, at a
point where I needed a baby gift. Had the brilliant idea to use it to
tat a baby bonnet. I had the same experience. The thread shredded when
I tried to tat with it. I got two or three rings done and realized that
this wasn't working, had more to do with the thread than with my technique.

--

Karen C - California
www.CFSfacts.org where we give you the facts and dispel the myths
Myths, with research cites: http://www.aacfs.org/images/pdfs/myths.pdf

Finished 1/26/07 -- Classy Lady in Coral (JCS) -- done in purple to
match the companion piece

WIP: housewarming gifts, July birthstone, Flowers of
Hawaii (Jeanette Crews) for ME!!!
Retrieved from UFO pile: Marbek's Snow Angel
LTR: Fireman's Prayer (#2), Amid Amish Life, Angel of Autumn,
Calif Sampler, Holiday Snowglobe

Editor/Proofreader www.KarenMCampbell.com
Design page http://www.KarenMCampbell.com/designs.html

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