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.
Nettle plants are found worldwide. They have been historically used for cloth, food, and medicine. Traditionally spun, the fiber is also easy to twine.
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.
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.
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.
I did not comb this fiber before twining, but pulled apart sections starting from the middle of the bundle.
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.
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.
I have spun milkweed seed fiber before, but I have not yet worked with fiber obtained from the plant. I purchased it from Conserving Threads and it came uncombed in a large cloud of fiber. I pulled out long strands to twine, knocking loose many tiny fibers. Combing or hackling the fiber first would remove most of the short bits.
The milkweed bast fiber is more course than the seed fiber, but it is also stronger.
