Spinning Silk

Mawata, to be precise. Silk cocoons that have been slit open, degummed, and stretched on a frame, and beautifully dyed.

I remember, years ago, taking a class in silk reeling where the intact cocoons are heated in water and a thread from maybe half dozen of them are gathered up and pulled into a long strand. Fine thread indeed.

Working with Mawata is very different. It is full of nebs and noils, and although a very thin thread can be obtained, it is unlikely to be 'silky' smooth. However, it takes well to chain plying and the plying tends to even things out, leaving a nice silky, shiny yarn.

With Mawata, it's all about pre-drafting. I start by lifting one hanky out of the bundle and stretching out it's border, all around. Then I poke a hole in the middle of the hanky and pull it into a ring, breaking it at one point. I then draft the whole into an almost final size. I finish the drafting while spinning. It requires a very long drafting area as the fibers are long and strong. Couldn't be much easier, but it's challenging if there's the slightest breeze and the silk wants to stick to everything. It finds every little rough spot on your hands

Top to bottom: A 'hankie', stretched out edges, pulled into a circle, drafted out (this is about 1/4 of the pre-drafting that I will do before starting to spin it.).

There is a technique of spinning Mawata where one simply bunches it up and drafts away. I haven't tried that yet but my experience so far tells me that the drafting must be quite difficult. I will try it at some point.

I'm spinning with a drop spindle, one I purchased years ago from someone online. Resin with embedded leaves. It spins beautifully.

Current amount spun. This is 3 ply, chain plied.

I found this fabulous carrier the other day at the thrift store, $4! It has a zillion compartments and pounches, perfect for porting my spindle spinning.

Work continues on the woolen, modified long draw spinning, and the green Merino spindle spun yarns.