Silk is a natural fiber produced by the Bombyx mori moth and a number of wild Tussah moths. It is sometimes called “worm spit,” because the fibre is excreted from the salivary glands of the moth’s caterpillar, and it is used to build a cocoon inside which the worm gradually changes into the moth. We will demonstrate how silk fibre can be unwound from the cocoon to produce a strong, lustrous strand, and how multiple fibers can be spun into heavier yarns that can be woven into exquisite cloth.
