Silk Floss

I musty have missed a book or two - I have never heard of Doris Valentine.

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.

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: snipped-for-privacy@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.

Monica Ferris wrote:

Welcome Back Mary Monica, I have silk embroidery fibers from both France (Rainbow Gallery) and Japan (YLI) in addition to all sorts of other silk fibers. Fortunately for me, the Japanese Embroidery Center is here in the Atlanta metro area and my needlework group got ot take a tour. The stitchers there use cones of very, Very, VERY fine silk thread. It's far too fine to try and stitch with so they ply their own needlework silk threads. Depending on the stitches they are doing and the design they are working on, they will ply 2 or 3 strands of fiber. IIRC, they cut off multiple strands from a cone of silk fiber and they use long lengths. They then hold the lengths of fiber between thumb and forefinger, carefully lay the fibers along the heel of the same hand and then rub the heel of the other hand over the fibers in one direction only, twisting the lengths of fiber together. They then move that twisted part of the fiber up, grab onto it between thumb and forefinger and follow the same procedure until the total length of the fibers have been twisted together. From personal experience, the fibers that are used to weave many silk fabrics are (IMNSHO) too fine to be used as needlework threads. I have done what another person mentioned and taken fibers from the edges to use for repairs but I have used several of the fibers and loosely twisted them together to get them strong enough to be used for hand sewing. Actually, I have seven different shades of white silks in my sewing room as I'm going to be making an all silk quilt soon. I just went and "played" with them and the dupioni I have is made of threads that are close in size to my needlework silks. The other fabrics are made of much finer fibers and would need to be "plyed" to be used in any sort of handwork, be it decorative needlework or fabric repair. I have used silk sewing thread when I couldn't find the actual color of silk needlework fiber. I just compared my silk sewing thread (the stuff I will use on that quilt, it's YLI #100) and a strand of it looks about the same diameter as a strand of standard needlework silk (Rainbow Gallery, Dinky Dyes & Caron -- I just checked). The difference is that it is tightly twisted, thus stronger so that it will hold up to use in a sewing machine. It gives a bit different look, more textured due to the tighter twist. Needlework silk isn't really twisted at all -- not like the sewing silk. Bottom line is that you certainly can use silk sewing thread (I did so on my DS' Hummingbird piece)when doing needlework. You just need to be aware that you will get a bit of a different look from it similar to the difference between stranded silk (Rainbow Gallery) and filament silk (Eterna Silk). Also, the number of strands required for the desired coverage will likely be different than what is needed with either stranded silk or filament silk. CiaoMeow >^;;^<

PAX, Tia Mary >^;;^< (RCTQ Queen of Kitties) Angels can't show their wings on earth but nothing was ever said about their whiskers! Visit my Photo albums at

I can't help, but just want to say...I missed your posts!! It is good to see you back, and keep writing about Betsy and crew!!

Gillian

The Lady Gardener wrote: the

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.

Gill Murray said

me too!!

Here are some people to contact:

Mike Cook operates

and most like would be willing to share his knowledge. Vikki hand dyes her threads she too might be willing to talk with you.

I know this is a little behind the times but I am catching up on my internet time. By the way, love your books and your characters!

Japanese Embroidery works with unspun silk, called "flat silk". Depending on the use, the stitcher will work with the flat silk directly off the spool, divide it, add additional plies (the spools come with the flat silk wound with twelve to eighteen sugas or plies)

Orthe stitcher can take various numbers of plies and hand "spin" it oneneedle length at a time. Those spun lengths can be flat & fluffy, tinyand tight or any variation in between. [The link is toinstructions on twisting that can be purchased.])I've done this sort of "spinning" or twisting. When you first start towork with the flat silk, it snags on everything. But it is amazinglydifficult to snap a suga. First, you have to take a length much longerthan you will be actually stitching with. Do an underspin, then fold inhalf and allow the thread to twist back on itslef, creating the overspinwhich "locks" the twist of the thread together. When doing the firsttwist, or undertwist, you roll the thread between your palms and countthe number of times you do this - this way you can repeat the processconsistently.

Your hands must be smooth so you do not snag the threads, but they also must be free of oils and lotions which will stain the silk, since this kind of silk embroidery cannot be washed. But then, if your hands are too dry, when you try to twist the thread, there is not enough friction to roll it!

You can use the same technique with cotton floss to experiment and practice - and that is a great way to make cording to use with finishing needlework projects.

Aside from the Japanese Embroidery Center in Atlanta

sources I know for this use ofsilk are Shay Pendray in Michigan andJennifer Ashley Taylor in Florida [this link goesto an order page for "The Techniques of Japanese Embroidery" whichincludes here email]).Shay Pendray was instrumental in introducing the techniques of JapaneseEmbroidery to the USA. Jennifer Ashley Taylor was one of her studentwho has gone on to teach and who has developed items to make JapaneseEmbroidery easier and more accessible to Americans students of thetechniques. Shay Pendray has made a number of trips to Japan to studytechniques and to bring materials back from Asia. I expect eithercould be helpful to you. Anne

Hello, I'm re reading hanging by a thread right now. I'm as new member as of tonight and it is all thanks to you and Betsy! Cheers njk