Spinning Silk Hankies

I got some silk hankies to play with to see how well they dyed and how easy they were to work with after dying.  They are made from silk cocoons that have been stretched apart on a frame.

You spin silk hankies by pulling off one tiny layer at a time. It should be super thin and you should be able to see through it.

This is one layer pulled off, readyt to be drafted out. I use the width of my table to make sure I am drafting them all about the same thickness.

I make a small pile of silk hankies all drafted out before I start spinning, just like I do with roving. There is a tutorial on knitty that shows how to stretch the silk out. I draft it a bit more when I spin, and add some twist since I am going to be plying it.