Silk Fibres
Luxury, beauty, refinement, sensuality, elegance - silk is synonymous with all of these. Silk has a greater range in length, texture, strength and lustre than any other fibre, natural or man made and is supremely adaptable (example here). Beautiful to spin and mix with wool too. Sample here.Silk Tops
Tussah Silk
From silk worms fed on oak leaves. The tops have been both carded & combed so that all the fibres are aligned. All of our tussah silk tops are hand dyed in Australia. Many pages of colour themes to choose from.
Jacinta's 'Illuminations' colours are in mulberry silk, and come in 20g packs.
Jacinta Leishman's: page 1 page 2 page 3 collections page
Martien Van Zuilen's: page 1 page 2 original colours
Rachel Meek's: page 1 page 2Jacinta's and Rachel's themes (25g packs): $11.90 ($10.82)
Martien's themes (20g packs): $10.80 ($9.82)
Jacinta's Illuminations themes (20g packs, mulberry silk): $11.90 ($10.82)
Natural (Undyed) Silk
Tussah and Mulberry silk tops. (Mulberry is now back in stock.)
picturesUndyed Tussah, 25g pack: $7.00 ($6.36)
Undyed Mulberry, 25g pack: $7.50 ($6.82)Silk Caps
We have silk caps (as used in the book 'Beautiful Bowls') hand dyed by Jacinta in many of her colour themes. Just ask for available colours.Hand dyed silk cap: $8.50 ($7.73)Hand Dyed Silk Hankies
Silk in very fine layer form, hand dyed by Jacinta Leishman. The hankies are made from degummed cocoons that have been stretched over a square frame, forming a square of approx 22cm x 22cm, from which cobweb thin layers of fibre can be peeled off. Beautiful to look at, and great fun for experimenting with. Try trapping things inside the layers. Very versatile.
Colour themes include our collections themes of 'Australiana', 'Opulent', 'Illuminations' and 'Whimsical', as well as almost all of Jacinta's other themes. The 'Australiana' themes as applied to the silk hankies are shown here.
For the other colours, refer to Jacinta's Silk Tops colour charts; page 1, page 2, page 3 and collections.Hand dyed per piece: $3.30 ($3.00)Throwsters Waste
Very long lustrous strands of silk filament, very fine and squiggly, Great texture and fibre strength. Hand dyed by Jacinta Leishman, in most of her colour themes (see Jacinta's silk top colours). If we don't have the theme you ask for, we will substitute.
samples5 gram pack: $3.30 ($3.00)Nobbly Noils
Hand dyed silk fibres to use in silk papermaking (makes wonderful textured paper), needle felting or to add texture to your embroidery. Courser than throwsters waste. Available in almost all of Jacinta's silk tops themes. We will substitute if we don't have your choice.
samples20 gram pack: $8.50 ($7.73)Silk Cocoons
These are quite rigid and shell like. We have a range of colours hand dyed by Jacinta Leishman, Oliver Twists and Stef Francis. Ten per pack. Just suggest the sorts of colours you would like and we should have something to suit. The pictures show some of Stef Francis', however, just describe the colours you would like, and we should be able to provide.
picturesPack of ten: $6.50 ($5.91)Silk Cocoons Undyed
By popular demand. Thirty to a pack
picturePack of 30: $5.00 ($4.55)Silk Sensations Strata Pack
From Oliver Twists, a hand dyed assortment of sumptuous silk textures perfect for needle felting, couching, mixed media, and textile artistry.
picture and themesPack: $26.50 ($24.09)Degummed Silk Cocoons from Oliver Twist
Soft textured mass of degummed silk cocoons. Suitable for felting with wool for added lustre, silk papermaking, or couching into embroidery for added texture. Hand dyed by Jean Oliver in a range of subtle variegated colours.
We are constantly renewing stocks, and sometimes the colour chart does not quite match stock in hand, however, just describe the colours you would like, and we should be able to provide.
coloursApprox 10g pack: $6.50 ($5.91)Silk Pods, Hand Dyed
In a range of colours hand dyed by Jean Oliver. These come in 6g packs, generally four pods. As we are constantly renewing stocks, sometimes the colour chart does not quite match stock in hand, however, just describe the colours you would like, and we should be able to provide.
examplesPack of 4-6 (weight approx 6g): $6.50 ($5.91)
Cocoon Strippings
Stripped from the inside of the cocoons, these raw silk fibres contain enough of their own sericin to make paper without paste. Simply spray the fibres with water and iron between layers of paper, adding other fibres, leaves etc as you wish.
pictures30g pack: $6.60 ($6.00)
50g pack: $9.90 ($9.00)Silk Fusion Intro Pack
The best way to learn 'how to' is by doing.
The kit contains netting, hand dyed silk fibres, textile medium and full instructions. If you haven't made silk paper before, then this is everything you need.
pictures and detailsSingle pack: $12.30 ($11.18)Slushies
15 micron merino wool and mulberry silk fibres that have been carded together making a uniform textured, interesting, sheeny fibre. These are being hand dyed by Jacinta Leishman in the same themes as her pure silk fibres.
Due to high demand, we have the following, only, in stock:
Victorian Rose, Barrier Reef, Indian Summer, Carnivale, Indian Splendour, Grace, Royal Shiraz, River Gum, Summer Pudding, Isabella, Iron Bark, Montano
More colours coming as fast Jacinta can dye them.
slushy packs
scans of same themes from silk tops
fibre detail50 g pack: $24.00 ($21.82)Silk 'n Wool
A pack of colour coordinated silk and wool, 25 g wool, 12 g silk. Add spice to your felting and general textile work.
themes33 g pack: $11.00 ($10.00)The Guliette Scarf
A self contained project using Guliette, silk fibres and machine embroidery thread, to make a stunning, stylish scarf. Colour themes are: Indian Splendour, Carnivale, Royal Shiraz, Arabian Nights, Lavender and Lace, Vanilla Beans, Cradle Mountain, Kimberrley Dreaming Barrier Reef and Desert Dawn. If none of these suit, just look through the Silk Tops colours, and choose your own colour theme. Full instructions included.
finished product.Kit: $24.00 ($21.82)