COOKIN’ COCOONS 2008

Black Sheep Fodder --- silk worm cocoons to dye and spin

HERE ARE SOME PHOTOS OF THE COCOON COOKING….

I THOUGHT I COULD JUST MAKE A SLIT TO GET THE DRIED UP DEAD RATTLIN’ BUGGIES OUT OF THE COCOONS, BUT THEY WERE BIGGER THAN I THOUGHT, SO I ACTUALLY HAD TO SNIP THE END OF THE COCOON OFF (just like the instructions said….).

EACH COCOON HAS A DRIED WORM AND ANOTHER LITTLE…THING (don’t ask). {Becky Sims says it is “frass” – bug pooo.}

THERE WAS A SLIGHT “FRAGRANCE” FROM THE CRITTERS…..

YOU SIMMER THE COCOONS IN A POT. THE INSTRUCTIONS SAID TO PUT THE WASHING SODA (included with the cocoons) INTO THE POT. (It’s not that I don’t trust instructions – or can’t be told what to do …cough….I just want to know ALL the ways to do it, so I read on line about cooking them in a little soap. So, besides the washing soda, I put in a squirt of Dr. Bronner’s Natural Lavender Liquid Soap. I think it helped with the smell, too!). I COOKED THEM FOR 40 MINUTES AT A SIMMER (all instructions were specific about a simmer, not a boil, so as not to tangle up all the silk fibers). See? I can do as I am told……

AS THEY SIMMER AND ALL THE RESINS (or gums or whatever the sticky stuff is called….worm spit?) ARE COOKED OUT AND THE COCOONS BECOME MORE LIMP. THE INSTRUCTIONS SAID TO DUMP THE LOT INTO A STRAINER AND RINSE THEM (without moving them around) WITH HOT WATER, FLIP, AND RINSE THE OTHER SIDE. THEN YOU SOAK THEM IN VINEGAR WATER FOR A BIT (until I could practice a few songs on the piano!). I rinsed again and spun the whole mass in the washer to remove water.

SO HERE THEY ARE DRYING. I WILL PROBABLY DYE THEM DIFFERENT COLORS AT DYE DAY IN AUGUST.

WHEN YOU ARE READY TO SPIN, YOU TAKE AN INDIVIDUAL COCOON, FLUFF IT UP INTO A GOLF BALL-SIZED MASS, DRAW IT OUT, FLUFF MORE, AND DRAFT IT OUT TO SPIN.

THE GAL I BOUGHT THEM FROM DEMONSTRATED THIS AT BLACK SHEEP GATHERING.

FUN.

LATER IN AUGUST….DYE DAY 08

I USED SEVERAL DYES (MOSTLY KOOL-AID AND WILTON CAKE COLORS) DILUTED IN PAPER CUPS WITH A LITTLE WATER. I HAD THE COCOONS -- THAT HAD BEEN SOAKED IN VINEGAR WATER AND THEN SQUEEZED OUT A BIT – LAIN OUT ON A PIECE OF PLASTIC WRAP. I APPLIED THE DYE WITH A PLASTIC SPOON, AND THEN PUSHED THE DYE INTO EACH COCOON.

ONCE I HAD A SUFFICIENT AMOUNT OF DYE ON, I WRAPPED THE ENTIRE BUNCH UP, BURRITO STYLE, AND PUT THEM IN A MICROWAVE SAFE DISH.

{FOR MORE PHOTOS OF THE SISKIYOU SPINNERS DYE DAY, GO HERE.}

I NUKED THEM FOR 2 1/2  MINUTES ON HIGH, LET THEM REST FOR 2 1/2  MINUTES, THEN DID AN ADDITIONAL 2 1/2  MINUTES ON HIGH. I LET THEM COMPLETELY COOL BEFORE UNWRAPPING, RINSING SLIGHTLY, THEN LETTING THEM DRY.

AND HERE ARE THE RESULTS!!!!

I TAKE EACH COCOON, FLUFF IT UP, THEN SPIN IT LONG DRAW ON MY BUNNY TAKLI. MAKE SURE YOU DO A LOT OF FLUFFING. THE MORE YOU FLUFF AND PREDRAFT, THE BETTER!

REMEMBER THAT SILK IS STRONG, AND THE FIBERS FROM THESE COCOONS CAN BE VERY LONG (OR VERY SHORT NEAR THE END THAT WAS SNIPPED OFF!). WHEN I LONG DRAW I NEED TO KEEP MY HANDS FAR APART.

EVEN WHEN THE FIBERS ARE DRAWN IN TO A VERY THIN THREAD, THEY ARE VERY STRONG, SO IT IS HARD TO CONTINUE TO DRAW THINNER IF YOUR HANDS ARE CLOSE TOGETHER.

THERE ARE NIBS AND NUBS, BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE COCOON HAS BEEN CUT. IF YOU PREFER NOTHING BUT LONG STRANDS, YOU CAN REEL THE SILK OFF, AS SHOWN IN THIS KNITTY ARTICLE.

Hope this helps!

Grannie Linda

2008