Photo above: new limited edition A1 quality Bombyx Silk from China colorways. L-R: Moonlit Meadow, Red Canyon, Autumn Greens, Coastal Waters, Treasure Chest, Lilacs and Hugs & Kisses. More photos in the gallery below.
Back in stock--A1 Quality Bombyx Silk Combed Top/Sliver from China. We celebrated by dyeing seven new limited edition colorways!
CLICK HERE to order.
India vs China Bombyx Silk Combed Top/Sliver
Previously, we received some Bombyx Silk from India, from our trusted India Silk Guy. It has a 3-4 inch fiber length. The India Bombyx silk's natural color is white, but less of a cool/silvery white compared to our China Bombyx sliver. The processing is a bit different--our sliver from India is "airier" which makes it feel a bit softer and less slippery.
However, once we dye it, using the same dye process we use for all of our silks and silk-blends, the India Bombyx Silk changes. The best way to describe it is silk becomes "compressed." It doesn't attenuate (pre-draft) well and it doesn't draft smoothly. This means it's not as pleasurable or as smooth to spin as our China Bombyx Silk.
We dyed a lot of India Bombyx Silk and then realized the difference. Everyone who ordered the hand-dyed India Bombyx silk between June and August should have received a letter from me. Because we cannot recommend our India Bombyx for spinning, we have reduced the price significantly.
If you plan to blend your dyed bombyx silk, then the silk from India is an economical and lovely choice. Or if you use bombyx silk for felting or other fiber arts, it's also a great choice. If you plan to hand-spin it, then we recommend our China bombyx silk sliver.
China Bombyx Silk
I contacted our 30+year China supplier and placed and emergency A1 Quality Bombyx Silk combed top/sliver order. Rather than our usual transportation via ship then truck, we had the silk sent via FedEx as we needed it in time to dye for Spin Off Autumn Retreat (SOAR).
We have an excellent relationship with our China supplier and they had the silk ready for FedEx in just a few days following my urgent email. And FedEx delivered it within a week.
We celebrated by dyeing seven new limited edition colorways. We could tell by handling the silk through the dyeing, rinsing and packaging process, that the new A1 Quality China bombyx silk behaves the same as our previous China bombyx silk.
Our new shipment of China Bombyx Silk spins like a dream--we asked a couple expert spinners at SOAR to give it a test spin.
It has a crazy-long fiber length: 8-9 inches long (20-23cm). If you're spinning for cardweaving or for warp, you'll really appreciate this long fiber length.
Moral of the Story
If you've read to the very end, the take away is that Treenway Silks will always supply the best information and the highest quality silk, even if it's a circuitous path to get there.
The moral of the story is not all silk is created (and processed) equal. If you've tried to spin silk and not enjoyed it, it might not be you. Give it another try.
