I collected canna leaves and stalks from very willing donors around town. These very tall herbaceous plants have large leaves and strong stems that have to be cut, not pulled. I dried the leaves, then rehydrated gently by wrapping them in a damp towel overnight. If twined or woven before drying, the material has too much moisture and will shrink significantly. By drying first, then adding back moisture just until the material is pliable, the shrinkage is minimized.

I tore the leaves into about one inch sections, separating most of the thin papery leaf from the long strands of the stem. Some stem fibers came away with the leaf.

The twined leaves have a fuller more even appearance, but the twined stem feels stronger.

I still have the stalks to process, which will involve retting, which is something new for me. I am hoping the retting process, which breaks down the material around the fibers, makes it easier to free the very strong stalk fibers.