Silk

History of Silk:
Silk was used in China sometime around 3500 BC (although it was found with some Egyptian mummies dating back to 1070 BC).  As a luxury fiber, it was used to make hoity-toity, fancypants things for kings and their pals.  The demand grew and the production increased.  With silk coming out of their ears, the only logical thing to do was to try to get other cool stuff for it.  Eventually, the silk trade burst wide open and silk (while still a luxury item) was more readily available all over the world.  It is still a staple in the economies of China & India, in addition to several other countries.

How Silk is Made:
Silk is made by silkworms.  Silk moths lay eggs which hatch into silkworms.  Silkworms which are fed mulberry leaves, for example, produce finer silk, while silkworms that eat say, oak leaves, produce coarser silk.  The silkworm lives for roughly 30 days before beginning to spin its cocoon.  The cocoon takes roughly 2 to 3 days to complete.  The chrysalises are killed by heating the cocoon.  Then, the cocoon is washed and unwound into a single silk strand.  The strands from 8 cocoons would be roughly as thick as one human hair.

Here's a pretty cool video of a silk factory in China.

Interesting Silk Facts:

• Silk is the strongest natural fiber, but has poor resistance to sunlight and water.
• According to Islamic teachings, Muslim men are not allowed to wear silk.
• Genghis Khan & his Mongol soldiers wore silk under their armor to protect from arrows.

My Silk:
I picked up some 100% silk yarn from Colorfield Farm at this year's Shepherd's Harvest Sheep & Wool Festival.  It's a hearty, coarse silk.  The colors are fantastic; blues, grays & tans.  It isn't quite what you'd expect when you imagine silk, but a lovely yarn all the same.

• Texture: 3 Yarngasms.  It's not a soft as you would expect from a silk yarn, but it's not as rough as the texture would lead you to believe.
• Durability: 3.5 Yarngasms.  I've schlepped this project around.  I've worn it several times.  It's not pilling, shredding or breaking.
• Frogability: 2 Yarngasms.  I wouldn't frog this yarn more than once, maybe twice. As coarse as it is, remember, it's still delicate silk.
• Drape: 4 Yarngasms.  It hangs well, not too light and not too drapey.

My project:
I knit Audrey's Cardigan from the Spring 2010 issue of Interweave Knits.  As much as I loved my yarn in the hank, I lurve it for this project.  The piece isn't too heavy to be reigned in by the silk satin ribbon, but hangs just enough when left to its own devices.  This project with this yarn is a strong 4.5 Yarngasms.