Pegboard sandwich board

On By CarynIn Craft

I used scrap pegboard to make a display for all my twine cards for the Pioneer Festival at the Doss Heritage and Culture Center. To make the two pieces of pegboard into a sandwich board I cut and punched a strip of leather and riveted it to the top of the boards.

Photo description: pegboard, leather strips, leather hole punch, two bowls holding one half of the two sided rivets, and a dead blow hammer

My rivets were just the right size to lock together through the leather and the pegboard. I used a dead blow hammer to secure them as the board laid flat on the floor. The second board was a little tricky to set the bottom rivet, so I flipped the board over, put in the rivets, and secured them with tape so they wouldn’t fall out. I used screw rivets to secure side straps to keep the boards at the same angle when open.

Photo description: back side of the pegboard with half the rivets in the top holes secured with tape
Photo description: finished pegboard sandwich board with 18 examples of twine, a laser cut “Twine Examples” sign, two baskets made from looped twine, and a bag made from twine

The twining went over well. I took raffia and taught two wonderful volunteers to twine and they taught hundreds of people coming through the event to twine bracelets while I demonstrated spinning on a great wheel and a treadle wheel (not at the same time, but as a comparison). Of course I didn’t take a single picture of my period outfit, but I did take one of the wheels I worked with in the 1850s cabin I was in.

Photo description: inside the Strain cabin with a great wheel (left), modern treadle wheel (behind the great wheel, twine display (far right), and spinning tools on the hearth: carders, niddy noddy, and drop spindles

The treadle wheel was meant to only be decoration, but it just needed a new string on the footman at the bottom, and a bit of wire at the top to keep it on. I cleaned it and oiled it and had it spinning wool again. On the Great Wheel I was spinning Texas grown cotton.

Twined card: nettle

On By CarynIn Craft

This nettle fiber was grown in Germany and has not been degummed or bleached, I bought it many years ago from Conserving Threads when I visited her booth at the DFW Fiber Fest.

Photo description: laser cut flat wood spool with nettle twine on a bed of nettle fiber

Nettle plants are found worldwide. They have been historically used for cloth, food, and medicine. Traditionally spun, the fiber is also easy to twine.

Twined card: long wool

On By CarynIn Craft

While wool is traditionally spun, it is possible to twine if the staple is long enough. Long wool breeds like Teeswater sheep have longer fiber, which makes it easier to twine.

Photo description: laser cut flat wood spool with twine made from Teeswater wool

So it is entirely possible to make a yarn from wool without any tools but your hands. I twined this wool the same way I do other twining, by taking a small section of wool, twisting it in the middle to make two “legs”, the twisting the individual legs in one direction then twisting them together in the opposite direction. To add in more wool I lay the middle of the new piece between the two legs. Here is a simple video by Sally Pointer on how to twine.

Twined card: aloe

On By CarynIn Craft

The aloe fiber I purchased from Conserving Threads is beautiful, long line fiber with a lovely sheen. It is a little stiffer than flax with a larger diameter and feels similar to lotus fiber.

Photo description: laser cut flat wood spool with twined aloe fiber laying on loose fiber

I did not comb this fiber before twining, but pulled apart sections starting from the middle of the bundle.

Twined card: paper napkin

On By CarynIn Uncategorized, Craft

It is actually possible to make a decorative twine with paper napkins. It isn’t strong, and don’t get it wet, but it is useful for decorating, and fidgeting while waiting.

Photo description: laser cut flat wood spool with twine made from unbleached paper towels

Paper has a grain, tear it one way and it is fairly easy to get a relatively straight line, tear it the other and everything goes awry. I find the direction of the easiest tearing on a napkin and tear it into about 1” strips. You could cut it, but the ragged edges don’t matter once the paper is twisted.

To start, I twist the center of one strip gently, then bend the twist roughly in half. I twist one side away from me, bring it to the front, then twist the other side away, and bring it to the front. Each individual “leg” gets twisted the same way, and the two “legs” twist together in the opposite direction. This opposite twist energy balances the twine and strengthens the material.

To add in more strips I use a different method than usual. I fold the new strip onto the old strip and twist them together. I find this creates less bulk for this kind of twine than laying in a new piece from the middle. Staggering the length of the “legs” also helps smooth transitions.