Tag: twine

Change of plan

On By CarynIn Craft

Ripping out knitting or crochet is just a matter of pulling. When I decide to undo a looped project, it isn’t that easy. I had started a new loop and twist bag, but then learned of a new-to-me ancient technique of looping around a core cord. That sounded much more interesting to try than continuing on a second iteration of the same bag I’ve made before. So I pulled out the knots, first the twist, then the knot, for each loop.

Photo description: one twist removed from the beginnings of a loop and twist net bag

The whole of the cord has to be pulled back through each twist and loop, and since I made the cord as I went, I had quite a lot of twined flax to pull through. Eventually it was too much and I kept dealing with tangles, so I cut the cord. I was able to recover a good bit of hand made twine, so it was worth the effort.

Photo description: small ball of recovered flax twine, with Izzy the calico cat as a background since she sat on my lap the whole time I was pulling out knots

This recovered twine will become the core for the loop around a core construction of the next project.

Coconut coir fiber

On By CarynIn Craft

I took my dried coconut husk back outside after soaking it, pulling it apart, rinsing it, and then air drying it on a drying rack inside. The mass of husk was copiously shedding bits whenever the drying rack was disturbed, so outside was the best choice for further processing. I decided to twine the coconut coir, the long, strong fibers from the coconut husk.

Photo description: twined coconut coir in front of a pile of separated coconut husk

Even with the soak and rinsing, there was still a large amount of spongy brown pith on the fibers, which I scraped off with my nails. I separated out the longest fibers, leaving the pith and the short, fine, breakable fibers, which were more difficult to twine.

Photo description: paper bag of cleaned coconut coir fibers
Photo description: bucket of coconut coir pith, I promise there is a bucket under there

I was a little disappointed in how few long fibers I was able to rescue, and I’m not sure that the soaking and rinsing really made my work any easier. I have four more white coconuts (unripe), which I will try getting the fibers straight from the husk as a comparison. The coir pith I put in my compost heap, it has excellent moisture retention so will do well in the mix for future plants.

Bag progress

On By CarynIn Craft
Photo description: loop and twist bag in progress next to flax fiber

After about 14 hours of riding in the car, I figure I have put about 12 hours into my loop and twist bag that I am twining from flax fiber as I go. I like the work because I can enjoy the scenery as we drive. I can both twine and loop mostly by feel (I do look when I join in new fiber.) I’m drawing my fiber from the center of the bundle, which I don’t think is the best way, because I’m getting tangles that have to be pulled out. I tried from one end, but the tangles were worse. I should lay out the fibers like flax spinners do, but space in the car is limited, and flax fibers can be over three feet long. The plan is to continue to twine until I run out of untangled fiber, then clean up the tangles and twine the string for the closure.

Twined bag 1

On By CarynIn Craft

I have finished my twined bag. Yes, I was obsessed with making it and spent three days working on it. (Should I have been doing other things? Oh yes, but this was fun.)

I experimented with the weave as I progressed, not only doing stripes, but changing twist direction and number of twists between warp threads to control which color was on top, using this project as sampler.

Photo description: body of a twined bag made with natural jute and hand spun orange and white wool showing different styled stripes

To make the strap, I threaded long strands of jute through the top edge of the bag, then used more hand-spun wool to cover the jute, reversing twine direction on each row, so as not to introduce bias twist in the final strap.

Photo description: starting the strap, with the excess yarn wrapped onto recycled plastic bobbins

I felt the other end of the strap needed some adornment, so I cut a slice of antler and drilled two holes to make a decorative button. It is sewn on, not functional, but I think it came out nice and coordinates well with the natural jute.

Photo description: antler decorative button attached at the other end of the strap.

I finished the bottom end of the bag and the end of the strap with tassels lashed with wool.

Photo description: finished twined shoulder bag made with jute, wool, and antler

I absolutely love this weaving technique. Want to learn more about twining a bag? There is an excellent book called “Twined Bags: A Historic finger weaving craft of the Native Americans” available from Livingston Press, written by Monica Newman Moore.

Twined bag

On By CarynIn Craft

I have a crafting friend who taught me to twine a bag! I’m borrowing her wood frame, made by her husband, and using jute twine and her hand spun wool. Below is the picture of the progress I made on our crafting morning.

Photo description: wood loom with jute twine and orange hand spun wool twined around the upright poles of the loom with one stripe of natural jute and one stripe of orange finished

The warp is attached with larks head knots to a circle of jute at the top of the frame. Two longer strands are then twined around two hanging threads at a time, with one twist between each pair of warp threads. I love the open ended warp technique; it is so much easier to twine than on a loom where both ends of the warp are fixed in place. I also love twining, but to this point have only made cordage. This is the next step in my twining journey.

Twining is found historically around the world, and this type of twining with the open ended warp was used by Native Americans.

My friend also has a great book called “Twined Bags: A Historic finger weaving craft of the Native Americans” available from Livingston Press, written and signed by Monica Newman Moore. It is a very comprehensive book with instructions on the basic twining as well as tips on patterns.

What a wonderful rabbit hole!