Silk Worm Cocoons

Because I have been curious about how the silk threads are taken from the cocoons so when I went to the Hamilton Fiber Festival I purchased about twenty of them.  I read on-line a few blogs about how to take the silk threads from the cocoons.  I dropped a couple of them in warm water and then gently rubbed one of the cocoons when very fine threads began to come off into my hands.  I wrapped the threads onto a bobbin and collected what threads I could from the cocoon.  The cocoon is created totally from the silk threads down to the very tiniest piece.  Its amazing.  Once the cocoon begins to dry, the threads do not loosen as easily as when it is wet.  It is laborious work.  The small amount of silk on my bobbin is from four cocoons.  The lifeless silk worm was inside the cocoon and disposing of it made me sad.