Silk yarn is made from the cocoons of the silk moth. Silk is known for its drape, luster, and beautiful depth of color. Silk or silk blend yarns are drapey and smooth. Silk is very warm and insulating, but similar to wool is also very breathable. Silk wool blends are lovely for cold weather, and silk; cotton blends can create wonderful warm weather pieces such as tops and neckwear.
What is silk made of?
Silk comes from the cocoon fiber of silk moths. Silkworm farming is a practice that has been around for over 5,000 years.
What is silk yarn?
Silk is one of the strongest natural fibers. Silk yarn tends to be smooth and has a sheen. The fabric of 100% silk garments or neckwear tends to lengthen while wearing because of the extremely smooth nature of the silk fiber. Using a tighter gauge or a silk blend yarn will reduce the stretching and help the item stay in its original shape.
What is Mulberry silk?
Mulberry silk refers to the diet of the moths, who have only been fed Mulberry leaves, which creates high-quality silk.
What is Tussah silk?
Tussah silk refers to the method of harvesting silk. Tussah silk is collected in the wild in the forests of India and South Asia. The moths are allowed to emerge from the cocoon before the fiber processing begins. The Tussah silk is golden-colored and tends to be more textured.
Can you knit with silk yarn?
You can knit garments and scarves from silk yarn. The silk fabric is drapey and smooth. Items that would benefit from this flowy fabric are great for silk yarn.
How strong is silk yarn?
Silk yarn is strong but more delicate than plant-based fibers such as cotton or linen.