Silk cocoon jewellery
22nd April 2009
I use dyed and natural silk cocoons in my jewellery as I love to mix materials. The natural form and texture of the cocoon is a contradiction to the man or in this case woman made frame that holds the light weight but strong cocoon.I looked to carnivorous plants and orchids as inspiration as to how these pod pieces should look. 
The domesticated silk worm, used for the finest silk, is cared for and fed throughout its life in open trays. As it readies to change first into a chrysalis and then the silk moth, it is placed in open boxes rather like egg cartons. There it builds a protective support of silk fibres within which to spin the cocoon.
The unreeled white and cream coloured tussah silk cocoons contain sericin glue, this binds them into shape and is unique to this fibre. In the wild, the silk worm prepares to form a chrysalis by folding a leaf around itself, pulling the leaf into shape with the first silk fibres it creates.
Silk fibre is taken from the cocoons by unreeling them in hot soapy water, catching the fibre of spun silk and then pulling off as much filament silk as possible. Each strand of silk is joined with 10-15 more cocoon strands to form the glossy reeled fibre. Papers can be made from the gummy reeled silk, which comes in hanks. The hanks can be cut up and the fibres used to create a well organised fabric.
You can learn how to unreel a cocoon by visiting www.wormspit.com
. The web page will open in a separate window.
The domesticated silk worm, used for the finest silk, is cared for and fed throughout its life in open trays. As it readies to change first into a chrysalis and then the silk moth, it is placed in open boxes rather like egg cartons. There it builds a protective support of silk fibres within which to spin the cocoon.
The unreeled white and cream coloured tussah silk cocoons contain sericin glue, this binds them into shape and is unique to this fibre. In the wild, the silk worm prepares to form a chrysalis by folding a leaf around itself, pulling the leaf into shape with the first silk fibres it creates.
Silk fibre is taken from the cocoons by unreeling them in hot soapy water, catching the fibre of spun silk and then pulling off as much filament silk as possible. Each strand of silk is joined with 10-15 more cocoon strands to form the glossy reeled fibre. Papers can be made from the gummy reeled silk, which comes in hanks. The hanks can be cut up and the fibres used to create a well organised fabric.
You can learn how to unreel a cocoon by visiting www.wormspit.com
. The web page will open in a separate window.
