The Silk Farm

102508 } The Silk Farm

So we’ve passed the Artisan’s de Angkor Silk Farm sign several times. It’s really close to our high school actually. We decided we’d check it out on our leisurely afternoon today. Who knew we were so close to such an interesting place!?
They said they have 5 hectares of mulberry trees which the silk worms feed on. They showed us the life cycle of the worms and when they take them from the fields they bring them to this area where they turn into the cocoons and then they boil the water and then thinly feed the silk threads into a machine where they can separate everything.

It really was pretty amazing. I touched one of the silk worms and it was really, REALLy soft. Will ate one that had been boiled, (he claimed it could’ve used some salt and told the woman who was boiling them as well).

Then we were shown where they dye the threads and also where they refine it. They also use raw silk in some of their weavings.

Then we went into the room where the women were doing the weaving. Several different looms were all being worked by hand. It was quite amazing actually. To make a patterned fabric with 4 colors it takes about a week to do (approx. 40 hrs).

I tried to convince some workers to teach me how to weave the silk and I would teach them English in return, but they didn’t seem too receptive. I think I’ll keep asking about it though- as they made such beautiful fabrics, it would be very interesting to learn.

Anyway- it’s pretty neat that we’re so close to this place, I’ll definitely have to go back and visit. You can see some pictures of it here to get a glimpse:http://picasaweb.google.com/willandsteph/081017#