Here we go with Experiment #2:
a non-reactive pot (I used glass)
6 cups of water
15 grams of fels-naptha by Purex
15 grams washing soda
~70 silk cocoons (the rest of the one-ounce package)
I removed the loose silk and the small section of the cocoon that had been mostly cut off.
This time the cocoons were done processing in about 20 minutes.
The washing soda really sped up the cooking time and the cocoons were so soft that I chose not to rinse them.
This left a film on each cocoon which resulted in a stiff hanky instead of the soft hanky that was the result of experiment #1. As the wash water cooled it became gelatinous.
The two hankies on the left are from experiment #2 (they are stiff - like
pressed cardboard) and the hanky next to the cap is from experiment #1 (it is soft and whispy).
I would recommend rinsing and using much less washing soda,pi perhaps 2-3 grams to see how that affects the silk.