Currently on display at London’s Victoria and Albert museum is this beautiful cloak made entirely of spiders web. The Golder Orb spider from Madagascar is able to produce thread which is bright gold in colour. Using an ancient weaving technique, cloth was made which is so light that people who had the it placed in their hands while their eyes were closed were often not able to tell that they were touching it. It is, nonetheless, very strong, and the cloak can be worn. It took four years to make, using over a million spiders. It is the only specimen of this type of fabric known to exist today.
A different cloth, but it proves the process.
taking a break from Mainbocher to appreciate this. We get golden orb spiders in my back yard during the springtime, maybe I should try making one!
