How Is Silk Made?

Silk. What is it? How is it made? Silk is often called the most beautiful of all textile fibers, the queen of fabrics. It comes from the cocoon of the silk worm and requires a great deal of handling and processing, which makes it one of the most expensive fibers. Today China is the leading silk producer of the world. Other major silk producing countries include Japan, India and Italy.

The Silk Worm Production of Silk from Cocoon to Factory

Sericulture: The production of cocoon for their filament is called sericulture. The species Bombyx mori is usually cultivated and is raised under controlled condition of environment and nutrition. The life cycle of silk worm encircle in the four stages. The egg, the silk worm, the pupa and the moth. The silk worm which feeds on mulberry leaves forms a covering around it by secreting a protein like substance through its head.

This stage is called cocoon, the desirable stage for the silk producers.

Filature operations: The cocoons raised by the farmer are delivered to the factory, called a filature, where the silk is unwound from the cocoons and the strands are collected into skeins. Some cocoons are scientifically bred in such factories. The filature operations consist of the following stages.


a) Sorting cocoons :
The cocoons are sorted according to the color, size, shape and texture as these affect the final quality of the silk. Cocoons may range from white and yellow to grayish.

b) Softening the Sericin : Silk filament is a double strand of fibroin, which is held together by a gummy substance called sericin or silk gum. After the cocoon has been sorted, they are put through a series of hot and cold immersions, as the sericin must be softened to permit the unwinding of the filament as one continuous thread.

c) Reeling the filament : Reeling is the process of unwinding the silk filaments from the cocoon and combining them together to make a thread of raw silk. As the filament of the cocoon is too fine for commercial use, three to ten strands are usually reeled at a time to produce the desired diameter of raw silk which is known as "reeled silk". The useable length of reeled filament is 300 to 600 m.

d) Bailing : The silk filament is reeled into skeins, which are packed in a small bundles called books, weighting 2 to 4.5 kg. These books are put into bales weighing about 60 kg. In this form raw silk is shipped to silk mills all over the world.

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Characteristics of Silk

Silk is very strong in terms of tensile strength, meaning it can withstand a lot of pulling type pressure without breaking. This should not, however, be confused with wear ability or abrasion resistance. Silk will not stand up to the heavy wear that other fibers will.

Silk can take on many different appearances. A raw silk fabric may fool you into thinking that it is cotton or synthetic. The more refined the silk and the smaller the yarn, the more it resembles the look and feel that we know as silky.

Silk is a protein fiber like wool. This gives it many of its characteristics. It is sensitive to a range of chemical situations and cannot withstand prolonged exposure to either high alkalinity or to acid or oily soils. It will become brittle with age and exposure to sunlight.  

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Identifying Silk

The burn test is the best way to be sure. Burning silk will leave a powdery ash and will extinguish itself when the flame is removed, just like wool. The easy way to tell silk and wool apart in the burn test is the smell. Where wool will have the smell of burning hair, the silk will have a much more disagreeable smell.

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Four Varieties of Natural Silk

Out of the numerous species of silk moths, scientists have enumerated about 70 silk moths which are of some economic value. But of these only a very few have commercial value. The four commercially known varieties of natural silk are (1) Mulberry silk (2) Tasar silk (3) Muga silk and (4) Eri silk. Although the bulk of world silk supply comes from the silk moth Bombyx Mori which is domesticated, the other varieties of silk are known as wild silk, as they are grown in remote forest trees in natural conditions.

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A wide range of silk fabrics are produced at different production centers   both Handloom and Powerlooms. A brief account of the range of fabrics is furnished below, as is known by its popular names.

Mulberry Varieties
Some important mulberry varieties are discussed below:
(a) Plain Silk Fabrics

A range of thin silk to deluxe qualities are produced in this category using filature. Fabrics ranging from 20 gm to 70 gm are produced in this category using both handloom as well as powerloom. The fabrics is available as per the requirements in different shades as well as in checks and stripes. Beautiful pin stripes are a specialty for shirting. Plain silk is mostly used by exporters for making ladies blouses, fashion garments, made-ups and scarves. Deluxe and super deluxe qualities are also produced as per specific orders.

(b) Dupion Fabrics

A specialty of Bangalore Handlooms, Dupion is the craze of the west. Produced out of twisted filature warp and dupion weft is available in different quality ranges and shades. Dupion checks and stripes are elegant in look. Mainly used for dress material and cushion covers and furnishings, dupion is a popular name among the overseas silk importers.

(c) Charka Silk

Using filature in warp and Charka in weft a thicker fabric is made on handlooms. For most of the zari decorative sarees charka yarn is popularly used by the sari manufactures.

(d) Chiffon

Using highly twisted yarn, a thin but strong fabric is produced on power looms, which after processing and finishing attains a soft and smooth texture. Chiffons are used for varied end-uses for ladies garments and scarves/stoles.

(e) Chinnon

This is also produced from highly twisted yarn of filature in power loom. After the final processing and finishing the fabric gets a soft but crimp effect. Chinnon is ideal for ladies dresses and scarves/stoles.

(f) Crepe

Produced from 2-ply twisted yarn of 's' and 'z' twist and woven on power loom, crepe is used for varied uses. Mysore crepe saris are very popular in domestic and export front.

(g) Organza

A very thin fabric produced from highly twisted yarn. After a starchy finish the fabric gets a rough texture. Organza is used as sari material as well as for embroidered garments.

(h) Satin

Silk satins are a popular variety of fabric used for a varied end use. When made into dresses satin gives an elegant Look. Banarasi Satin Saris are popular for export and domestic markets.

(i) Tabby Silk

A type of plain silk fabric produced in Kashmir. Tabby silk is mostly used for printed saris and scarves.

(j) Murshidabad Silk

A popular silk fabric produced in the Murshidabad district of West Bengal. Used mainly for saris and scarves, the fabric is available in different qualities known as 16s, 18s, 20s, and so on .

(k) Matka Fabric

Using Matka yarn for both warp and weft, a thicker fabric is produced mostly for furnishing. The fabric mostly produced in Bhagalpur is a very popular export item at present. By using multiple yarns the texture and thickness of the fabrics can be modified according to the end use.

source: http://www.silkpaintinggallery.com/silk.htm

How to Make a High-Waist Maxi Skirt

How to Make a High-Waist Maxi Skirt

Tools:

• Sewing Machine
• 2 metres of fabric
• Pins
• Fabric Scissors
• Zipper
• Invisible Zipper Foot
• Thread
  

  

 How To:

1. Cut out two rectangles. The length would be your desired length plus a little extra for flow.

2. Cut out a waist band that would fit around your waist plus a little excess. Make it about 4 to 5 inches wide.

3. Sew the two rectangle together (side seam)

4. Baste the top of the skirt and then pull on one thread to gather the top. Evenly distribute the gathers around a width that would fit your waist.

5. Attach the waist band to the gathered top, right sides facing each other.

6. Attach a zip to the skirt on the open ends.

7. Finish off the waistband

Fold the waist fabric over a couple of times. Press. Pin. Sew.

Finished? Show us what you’ve got! Post a link to your finished products photo below!

Easiest Silk Pillowcase EVER

AWESOME IDEA From DesignSponge.com For an Easy Silk Pillow Case

here’s what you’ll need:

scarf

double-sided fusible interfacing

backing fabric (around 1 1/4 yards for an 18” pillow)

pillow insert

sewing machine

iron

thread

1. if your scarf is thin, (i.e. silk) fuse it to a piece of fabric with double-sided fusible interfacing and an iron, to give it extra strength before sewing.

2. for the envelope style backing, cut out two squares of your backing fabric that are 1” longer than your pillow and wide enough so that they will overlap by 2 to 3 inches after you’ve sewn a 1” hem along one side.

3. overlap the two pieces and pin together so they create a square that is 1” larger than your pillow insert all the way around.

4. with right sides together, stitch the top scarf piece to the envelope pillow backing all the way around using a 1/2” seam allowance.

5. turn right side out, press and insert your pillow.

Original source:

http://www.designsponge.com/2008/11/diy-wednesdays-silk-scarf-pillow.html

How To Care For Your Silk Garments

Versatile, comfortable, and elegant, silk is a practical luxury with a place in any wardrobe. With today's "peace silk," made without harming silk worms, even those concerned about the environment can enjoy this fabric. Although relatively durable, silk is protein fiber similar to human hair and does require special care to stay looking good. By knowing the right way to clean, dry, press, and store silk, you can keep your silk garments in top condition for years.

Dry cleaning
Care instructions for most for silk items, especially for pure silk, recommend dry cleaning. For dupioni silk, lighter silks like chiffon, China silk, and crepe de Chine, and multi-color or hand-dyed prints, dry-cleaning usually is the best option. For other types of silk, though, while dry cleaning helps maintain the original texture of the fabric, it does carry some risks. Commonly used cleaning solutions aren't suited to silk and silks can be damaged if placed in the same vat with rougher fabrics. To make sure your silk gets proper treatment, always tell the dry cleaner that your garment is made from silk and make sure they know how to clean silk.

Handwashing
Silk fabric has been produced for over five thousand years, whereas the dry cleaning process has only been around since the 1840s. Clearly, dry cleaning isn't a must. Even dupioni silk, which is almost always labeled as dry clean only, can be hand washed if the seams have been serged and you don't mind the fabric losing some of its firmness or color. Although low-quality silk may become rough or dull after hand washing, better quality silk tends to looks better and last longer when hand washed. The natural coating on silk fibers reacts well to warm water, so hand washing also has the advantage of refreshing silk and giving it a better drape. Silk can be hand washed in cool or lukewarm water using a mild detergent such as Woolite, Ivory soap, or shampoo dissolved in the water. Because silk resists dirt and stains, only a small amount of soap should be used. Silk, like most natural fibers, doesn't tolerate abrupt changes in temperature very well, so stay with one water temperature throughout the wash. Avoid soaking silk as this may fade the dye. To both revive faded or yellowed colors and protect the fabric from alkali damage, rinse the silk in water with a few tablespoons of white vinegar added. While some people prefer a matte finish, this texture is usually a sign of alkali damage, which can eventually make the fabric brittle. The vinegar rinse will minimize this. After the wash and vinegar rinse, rinse the silk thoroughly in cool water.


Machine washing
In general, machine washing is the worst way to clean silk as the agitator and other garments can damage the fabric. Garments made with a combination of fabrics or those that are highly detailed should not be machine washed at all. However, if the instructions for your wash machine state that the machine is safe for silk, there should be no serious problem washing most silks in it. Before washing, make sure there's no soap or dirt on the inside of the machine that might stain the silk. Place the silk item in a mesh bag or a pillowcase loosely tied closed. Use a small amount of a very mild detergent and wash on a gentle cycle, such as a wool cycle, at a temperature of no more than 86°F (30°C). If you use a spin cycle, keep it as short as possible.

Treating stains
A capful of hydrogen peroxide and or a few drops of ammonia added to the wash will help keep white silk bright and rinsing silk in white vinegar diluted with water will help remove yellowing. While recent perspiration stains may be washed out or dabbed with a tablespoon of ammonia dissolved in half cup of water, older perspiration may be removed with a vinegar solution. Unfortunately, though, perspiration stains on silk, as on many garments, may not be completely removable as perspiration causes damage to the fibers. Remember, silk may be strong, but harsh chemicals can cause permanent damage, so avoid using bleach or any product that contains bleach, enzymes, or whiteners on silk.

DryingEven if you machine wash, never use a machine dryer to dry any silk as the friction and lack of humidity and can damage the fabric. Instead, roll the silk item up in a bath towel and gently press the water out. Never wring silk. When most of the water is out, finer silk should be hung up to dry, while coarser varieties, such as bourette, should be dried on a flat surface. Keep the garment away from heat sources or direct sunlight, both of which can turn silk yellow.

Pressing
Silk should be pressed while still damp, never when completely dry. If the item has dried, dampen it with water from a spritzer bottle before ironing. To avoid damage, turn the item inside out and iron on the reverse side of the fabric on a cotton-covered ironing board. Use a low setting and don't use steam, which can leave watermarks. Because many silk garments are hand sewn, take care not to apply pressure to the seams of the garment.

Storage
For long-term storage, keep silk in a cotton pillowcase or other material that can breathe. Avoid plastic, which traps moisture and can cause yellowing and mildew. Silk, like other natural fibers, is a favorite with moths, so store cedar chips or balls with your silk to keep the bugs away.

Silk may be considered a luxury, but caring for it properly doesn't cost much in terms of either money or time. Gentle washing, drying away from a heat source, and storage in material that provides air circulation is all silk really needs to stay looking good. Care for your silk garments well and they'll keep their original softness and sheen for years.