A loose skein of undyed silk in soft ivory, the filaments smooth and lustrous, gathered into a small tangle of loops.
  • The same silk seen closer and against a dark ground, the long filaments smooth and lustrous with the loops splayed open.

Bombyx silk is a cultivated protein fiber produced from the cocoons of the mulberry silkworm (Bombyx mori), yielding long, smooth filaments that are strong and lustrous.

Composition

Bombyx silk

Handling Notes

  • Silk can be woven, stitched, braided, or twisted into rope and is commonly used for felting, hand spinning, and making silk paper
  • Before use, degum the silk by simmering it in soapy water to remove the natural gum, making the fibers soft for spinning or felting
  • Silk is stronger when wet, allowing it to handle tension effectively in weaving and paper making

Applications in Craft

Keywords

Provenance

Melanie Wilder, Swannanoa, North Carolina. Acquired 2024.

In Use

Have you used this material?

Please contact Mellanee Goodman, Program Director, Curator, and Materials Specialist, to start a conversation about submitting your work for inclusion on this site.

mgoodman@centerforcraft.org