Green and white silk thread is guided onto a roll on a silk farm near Siem Reap, Cambodia.

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Photo du Jour: Smooth as Cambodian Silk

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For centuries, Cambodians have been making silk and creating woven masterpieces with it.

Once the silk has been carefully extracted from the silk worm’s cocoon, it is washed, twirled on to bobbins, and boil-dyed either via a natural or artificial coloring technique.

I’m not sure if the silk samples featured here were colored naturally or artificially. Either way, the resulting colors are vibrant!

Where in the World?

Photography & text © Tricia A. Mitchell. All rights reserved.

Tricia A. Mitchell Avatar

About the author

Hi! My name is Tricia Mitchell. I delight in telling stories about my slow travels through more than 65 countries. Some of my highlights have included sharing meals with locals in Armenia, Cambodia, and Tunisia; sipping sparkling wine with French cousins in Alsace; milking goats in a sleepy Bulgarian village; and training with a Japanese mine-clearance team in Laos. My husband, Shawn, and I are based in France’s Loire Valley.

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9 responses to “Photo du Jour: Smooth as Cambodian Silk”

  1. Victor Ho Avatar

    Great photo essay. Looking at the fine shots inspires me to want to pick up my camera.

    1. Tricia A. Mitchell Avatar

      Here’s hoping you’ll get some time to snap away this weekend, Victor!

      Glad you enjoyed the silk shots, too. Each finely-crafted item is such a work of art — and so much time and effort go into each piece.

  2. marinachetner Avatar

    Lovely and colourful images! I’ve always been fascinated with how silk was made. Did you see any silkworms?

    1. Tricia A. Mitchell Avatar

      We sure did see some silkworms — I’ll be posting on the silk-making process soon. The process also captivated my attention! Have you also seen some worms in action?

      1. marinachetner Avatar

        I did keep some as pets – they would spin cocoons after munching on mulberry leaves. it was pretty funny. So I have been intrigued ever since I found out that it was those fat worms that make such gorgeous silks! I cannot wait to see your post about it. I truly have no idea how it all happens!

      2. Tricia A. Mitchell Avatar

        What unusual pets! I had critters that would’ve enjoyed eating yours as snacks (chameleons, toad, etc.). :-) I’ll be posting shortly! Hope you’re enjoying your Saturday, Marina.

      3. marinachetner Avatar

        That’s so funny – I guess they are unusual pets but it was all the rage at school, where we’d collect them from the mulberry trees. Those poor silkworms!

  3. janewalters Avatar
    janewalters

    Such gorgeous, vibrant colours!

  4. Tricia A. Mitchell Avatar

    The items in the gift shop of this silk farm were extraordinarily beautiful — unfortunately, photography was a no go there. (It was only allowed in the workshop areas.) Glad you enjoyed the shots, Jane!