Some products look so interesting, you just have to have them. After it arrives you think, What am I going to do with it?
Stitchers, quilters, mixed media artists and doll makers are all discovering the texture and fun of working with various unspun silk fibres. Use them for texture, hair, clouds, tree trunks and wherever your imagination leads you.
We had our first Project Development day in August and concentrated on experimenting with our hand-dyed silk cocoons to share with you ideas for some of the fun things that can be done with them.
Here are the results of some of our efforts as well as examples from other artists!
Dyed Silk Cocoons
The cocoon is the metamorphosis home of the silkworm. It is spun in one continuous thread almost a mile long.
The cocoons vary in size. Most of them are an oval shape. They can be cut, dyed, painted and sewn.
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Silk Cocoon Wall Hanging by Therese Deschesne | |
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Silk Cocoon Ring by Barbara Cohen |
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Napkin Rings by Trish Murrary Dyed silk cocoons, copper wire and glass beads | ||
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"Key to my Heart" Earrings by Teri Shaw |
Skunk Cabbage by Karen Selk Leaves and petals made from silk hankies and sliver fused with textile medium. Stamen constructed from silk cocoons. | |
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Necklace by Karen Selk Dyed silk cocoons and hand carved bone buttons strung on a cord of silk threads |
Bookmark by Teri Shaw Dyed silk cocoon cut into a star and attached to a silk carrier rod |
Flowers by Karen Selk Silk cocoons have been cut into petals. Top with cocoon centre, bottom with button centre. |
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Stuffed Olive & Lemon Zest by Sue Earle |
Clown by Sue Earle |
Flower by Sue Earle |
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Silk Butterfly by Karen Selk Body made with silk cocoons and wings with silk fibre fused with textile medium | |
These funky silk fibres are available natural and hand-dyed.
→ Dyed Funky Fibres
→ Natural Funky Fibres
→ Funky Fibres Box
→ Silky Play Pack
See the work of other textile artists in our Silksters Gallery