• On Demand

    This course is self-paced and is available immediately after you enroll.

  • Free Episode Available

    Watch the first episode of the series for free.

  • Series

    This course includes five mini-episodes plus bonus resources.

Explore the World of Silk

From the irresistible luster of cultivated silk to the natural colors and textures of wild silks, knowing more about them can help you choose the right one for your project. 

For more than four decades, Karen Selk has traveled the silk roads connecting villages in rural India to large-scale textile processors to fiber artists around the globe. After founding Treenway Silks in 1977, she became a go-to resource for those who weave, spin, and stitch with silk. Karen joined SOAR (Spin Off Autumn Retreat) in 2022 as an instructor and keynote speaker, and afterward, she sat down with us to talk a bit about silk. From peduncle to peace silk, grading to gassed finishes, you won’t want to miss this chance to hear Karen Selk on silk.

In this mini-series, you’ll learn:

  • How reeled and spun silks are processed 
  • Why different grades of silk produce different textile effects 
  • What peduncle silk is and how it came into recent production 
  • Where tussah silks are grown and how they vary


This course is ideal for anyone interested in exploring different silk fibers or threads, whether you are new to silk or looking to expand your understanding of the cultivated and wild silks available today.

This series is brought to you by:

Treenway Silks is where spinners, weavers, knitters, and stitchers find the silk they love. They offer the largest variety of silk spinning fibers, yarn, threads, and ribbons in a rainbow of colors, thoughtfully hand-dyed in Colorado. Love natural? Treenway's array of wild silks provide choices beyond white. If you love silk, you'll love Treenway Silks, where superior quality and customer service are guaranteed. Shop today at Treenwaysilks.com.

Along with video instruction, this course includes two of Karen's in-depth resources on silk to aid in your journey to understanding silk. Look for them in the resources section at the end of the course.

The first episode is available for everyone to enjoy for free. Just sign up for a free account, and you'll be able to access the episode. Plus, All Access subscribers get the full series and the bonus resources as a part of their subscription.

Instructor

Karen Selk

Karen Selk is the founder of Treenway Silks and the author of In Search of Wild Silk. A textile artist, educator, traveler, researcher, and writer, her main focus for the past 45 years in all those pursuits has been silk. How silk is “raised” and processed, how different cultures work with silk, and how she can work with silk as an artist and educator to show its amazing qualities and share her love affair with this miraculous fiber.

Reviews

Joy of Learning About Silk

“The comprehensive story about the industry from different perspectives with excellent descriptions and intriguing photos gave me a true appreciation of silk.” - Kathryn Felix

Eye opening!

“Fantastic! I had no idea about the intricate details about the different silk worms and the magical fibre produced. Thank you for sharing your incredible knowledge and opening my eyes to the under appreciated people who work in unimaginable circumstances to make their living.” - linda hall

Karen Selk’s Silk Mini-series Video

“Great class on silk varieties and processing. A whole lot of valuable, very helpful information, packed into a great format. I use a lot of silk, and this has been extremely helpful to me. Thank you! 5-stars!” - Debbie Ellis

Course curriculum

    1. Introduction

      FREE PREVIEW
    1. How Silk is Graded

    1. About Tussah

    1. What is Peduncle Silk

    1. Peace Silk

About this course

  • $9.99
  • 5 episodes
  • 23 minutes of video content