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Emily Davis-Hale

Mood Board: Autumn 2026 – Sericulture

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Mood board: Autumn 2026 – Sericulture

Proposals due by: September 1, 2025

Final work due by: March 1, 2026

Got something to say about silk? We sure hope so because we’re planning a big silk – sericulture – issue for Autumn 2026, and we want you to share your tips, experiences, techniques, and anything else you love about working with this amazing fiber. 

Do you spin silk by itself? What methods have you found work best for spinning silk? What about the differences between spinning different kinds of silk, such as Bombyx or Muga? What about spinning silk from different preparations, such as silk hankies, bricks, laps, caps, or directly from the cocoon? 

Silk is frequently blended with other fibers, so we want to hear all about blending. Which fibers do you find work well with silk (including protein and plant fibers)? How does the percentage of silk in the blend affect the final yarn/project? Does silk strength have an impact when blended with delicate fibers? Do you have tips for spinning a silk blend to make sure the silk stays blended and doesn’t separate from the other fibers during spinning? 

What kind of fiber prep do you do for silk? What tools do you use: combs, hand cards, drum carder, blending board? What about cutting silk as part of fiber prep? How do you create mawata (silk hankies)? How do you card silk to avoid neps and noils? Or when might you want to use neps and noils in your yarn? 

Silk has such a vast, rich history. Can you tell us about the development of silk or explore the history of the Silk Road? What about all the military uses for this material, such as parachutes during World War II? Silk features in various folktales as well, and we’d love you to share some of those stories. 

What about experimenting with silk? How can you make sure to get the drape and sheen silk is typically known for in your yarn and project? What about minimizing wear and abrasion? Is it about prep, drafting, twist, adding plies? How about silk’s durability, such as using it as a replacement for nylon in socks? What about warmth as a property of silk? What about shrinkage? How much twist does silk need? How can you make silk elastic? We have so many questions and can’t wait to see the explorations you come up with. 

What about dyeing silk and any special considerations when dyeing it alone or as a blend? What are the vulnerabilities silk might have, such as damage from exposure to sunlight? What type and weight of spindles work best for spinning silk? Do you have experience raising silkworms?  

What about weaving with silk? Does it make a difference if it is used as the weft or the warp? What about using it with another fiber? Do you have a weaving pattern you’d like to design using silk? What about knitting or crochet? Wouldn’t you love to design a gorgeous pure silk shawl? How about using a blend, such as silk and cotton, for a top or vest? What other design ideas do you have to feature silk? 

Proposals are due by September 1, 2025. You’ll hear back from us in October 2025, and final articles are due March 1, 2026.   

Submit your proposals here!
Meagan Condon

The Secret to Silk Is in Your Hands

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Literally … your hands are the secret to spinning silk on its own.

Hand care is important for all spinners, but special attention needs to be paid when dealing with silk. It will catch on everything. Silk will catch on other fibers. It will catch on clothes. It will catch on every hangnail and every dry patch of skin on your hands. If you think I am joking, try petting a length of silk top or mawata. Individual strands of silk will stick to the most unexpected places on your hand, and I promise, your hands are never quite as silky smooth as you might think.

Before spinning silk, I always treat my hands to a oil and salt scrub. Salt is naturally abrasive, which helps remove dead skin cells and increase circulation. Olive oil, my favorite oil to use, is made mostly of essential fatty acids which can also be found in our skin. A component of our skin is linoleic acid, which allows our skin to easily absorb the fatty acids. As a result, the oil forms a protective barrier that essentially smooths out the surface of our skin.

Spinner’s Handscrub

  • 1 tsp table salt
  • 1 tsp olive oil

Scrub your hands for 30 seconds to a minute with this scrub, paying special attention around your nail beds and the webbing between your fingers. This scrub will also effectively find every papercut you have. If that terrifies you, sub out the salt for sugar for a gentler scrub. I also use this as an opportunity to massage my hand muscles and warm them up for the spinning task ahead.

Smoothing your hands isn’t the only secret to silk success. How you hold it can also be the difference between a fun spin and misery. Silk feels … well, silky smooth, as if it will slip right through your fingers. As a result, many spinners will try to death-grip silk. The problem here is that silk is one of the strongest protein fibers. I promise that in a fight between your hands and silk, the silk will win. Blisters and silk burns are a terrible participation trophy to get.

Depending on how it was processed, it can also have one of the longest staple lengths. If your hands are too close together, it can be nearly impossible to draft. If you find yourself struggling, try moving your hands farther apart and relaxing your grip.

What tips do you have for spinning silk?

Guest Blogger

Using Yarn for Nuno Felting

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Handspun yarn has always been a favorite of mine for knitting. It makes fabric with interesting textures and color combinations, and I always feel excited about how the fabric will turn out. These yarns are also wonderful for weaving fabric for the same reasons. Anything made with handspun yarn has a bit of magic in it. 

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