Tag: twining

Iris leaf trivet

On By CarynIn Craft

I recently found a tutorial from Sally Pointer on looping around a core and really wanted to try it. I look some dried and rehydrated iris leaves from my garden, twined them, then started looping. I didn’t have enough material for a basket, but the thick twine did make a nice trivet.

Photo description: trivet made of twined iris leaves with simple looping over a core construction

I did overestimate the amount of core, but rather than cut it off, I switched to just looping with the tail and was able to add some width to the trivet. I then sewed a leather label in a circle to an outer loop.

I like this method of construction. The core gives a way to tighten the stitches and fill in the density of the looping. It can also be done as the twine is created and without tools, which makes it a great skill when I am waiting and don’t have a project with me.

Iris leaf basket

On By CarynIn Craft

I made a small basket entirely from dried iris leaves. The spokes are large iris leaves, and I twined multiple smaller leaves together around the spokes.

Photo description: starting the twining with dried then rewetted iris leaves
Photo description: finished basket made from iris leaves gathered from my yard

The leaves were soaked more than was ideal for weaving, so to dry it I put it in the oven on low and weighed the basket every twenty minutes until the weight was constant, indicating all the water was gone. Air drying a basket that wet would have given too much time for mold to set in.

I found some iris printed fabric and lined the basket. It took me two tries to sew a liner that fit the shape of the basket, and I ended up with a single layer that wrapped over the top lip of the basket.

Photo description: iris printed fabric liner on the iris leaf basket

To finish off the basket, I added one of my new leather tags to the edge of the liner.

Photo description: laser engraved leather sewn-on tag that says “iris leaves”

I like twining, so plan on harvesting more iris leaves in the spring, drying, and practicing on more twined baskets.

Photo description: basket in use holding sewing tools

Blocking transformation

On By CarynIn Craft
Photo description: linen loop and twist net bag

I finished twining and stitching a linen string bag using long line flax and a loop and twist construction. I would twine a section, then loop that section, so the bag was made with a continuous length of string. I did not used any tools other than my fingers. As you can see in the photo above it looks a little wonky. I took it to the sink, gave it a soak in tap water, then laid it out to dry. The transformation was remarkable.

Photo description: same bag after blocking

The bias twist in the stitches eased and it straightened out nicely. What wasn’t nice was the rust colored stains on the top.

Photo description: discoloration at the top of the bag

I used a different batch of flax for the last few rows, and I think something on my well water reacted to something in the flax, which is disappointing. I washed it with gentle laundry soap and laid it out to dry again.

Photo description: same bag after washing with gentle detergent

The rust color lessened, and now it looks more like a different batch of flax at the end, rather than a stain.

I’m also not pleased with the string ties. They are functional, but would be terrible to use to carry anything with much weight. The flax would hold, but the thin cord would cut into the flesh holding it. I do have an idea how to fix it.

Smarter with flax

On By CarynIn Craft

I started a twined loop-and-twist bag from a flax kit from Sally Pointer, historical educator. With the flax strick from the kit, I drew the fibers from the middle, which created horrible tangles of tow flax at the ends. (Tow flax is shorter lengths of flax, line flax can have strands over three feet.) When I ran out of long line flax, I attempted to continue with combed tow flax, which is doable, but I really like twining with long line flax, so I ordered another strick from a local company. I was smarter with this bundle of flax fibers, and actually read the flax passages in “the Practical Spinner’s Guide” book series. I separated out a section of the new flax, and put the rest aside.

Photo description: flax strick (top), twined loop-and-twist bag in progress (middle), smaller section of long line flax untwisted (bottom)

There are several methods of dressing flax to reduce tangles when spinning or twining, I chose to tie a ribbon around and drape the section over my shoulder. I sit on a high backed chair when I twine, so I can keep tension on the fibers by leaning back.

Photo description: section of flax tied with a ribbon to keep the fibers neater

I’d like the bag to be big enough to hold a pound of wool or so. The expansion capabilities of the loop-and-twist bag are quite extraordinary.

Moist extremes

On By CarynIn Craft

When working with flax or plant fibers in general, it helps to have a little moisture. When I first started twining my flax bag on a car trip, I was using saliva. Traveling and licking fingers didn’t seem like a prudent plan, so on the next trip I made a sponge ring by cutting off the end of an inexpensive curler and trimming the hole with scissors.

Photo description: sponge ring to use to wet fingertips as I twine flax, made from a hair curler

As I twined, I noticed the skin on my finger was turning white. Weird.

Photo description: white marks on my finger

I looked again at the small spray bottle I grabbed as I madly packed for the trip. It wasn’t labeled “H2O”, it was marked “H2O2”. I had been moistening my finger with hydrogen peroxide. At least it was sanitized. Sheesh.

Photo description: small spray bottle with pink sponge ring and “H2O2” written in Sharpie ink