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July 1-August 14 * Family Activities
Silk: Moth to Cloth
12-4:30 p.m., drop in anytime
Silk is often called the most beautiful of all textile fibers. It is so beautiful in fact, that it is hard to believe that all silk comes from a cocoon that is part of the life cycle of a moth!  Thought to be delicate, silk is actually one of the strongest fibers known. A single strand of silk can support many time its own weight and once it is reeled from a cocoon, silk can be spun and woven into cloth. Silk can be dyed and painted, and its elegant sheen has always suggested sophistication and affluence. In 18th-century Deerfield, imported Chinese silk clothing was worn by wealthy men and women, and young girls chose silken thread to embroider their finest samplers. This summer we will be raising live silkworms in the education room of the History Workshop. Visitors can see the silk worms, learn about the process of making cloth from cocoons, and make a beautiful painted silk bookmark to take home. Included with general admission. |
