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Silk is the product of the Bombyx Mori, the flightless Silk Moth. Tiny worms are hatched from the eggs of the moth. The worms have a voracious appetite, feeding almost continuously on mulberry leaves until their body weight has increased some 10 000 times. The worm then begins to spin its cocoon by secreting a liquid mixture from two glands. The worm moves its head in a continuous figure eight action, sealing itself within the cocoon. The liquid dries upon contact with air, becoming the filament of silk fibre. Silk is the only natural fibre formed into a continuous filament. It can be over one kilometre in length, quite different to the short, staple fibres of wool, linen and cotton. Between five and eight individual filaments are twisted together to make a single silk tread. Silk has a triangular cross section and a glass like appearance, made up of layers of protein, creating its pearl like sheen and inherent lustre. It has high absorbency and insulating properties. In addition, silk is the strongest of the natural fibres. These properties help us to understand the unique characteristics of silk, and predict how we should use silk to give the optimal results.
Whilst the industrial
revolution and technological developments dramatically altered much of the
textile industry, a great quantity of beautiful silk is still produced by
the old-fashioned hand reels and looms. So silk remains rare in comparison
to other natural and synthetic fibres. For discerning sewers, the
intricate production process seems to add to the allure of the finished
product! |
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Silk Sewing Pty Ltd |
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