Make Fabric From Nettles

[@rosesallotmentadventures9365]

My daughter is currently writing a Bronze age story and has been looking at how they used nettles. This was an excellent video for her research, thank you.

[@QuantumMechanic_88]

Excellent and peaceful video with knowledge . I did not have the devices used for carding , but used 2 large wire brushes in a vise . No clothing made , but 4 very strong bow strings made for primitive bows and 60 feet of cordage . Thank You once again and best wishes .

[@Time.and.Spoons]

The leaves make a wonderful bright green dye

[@Vikingshop]

THAT IS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING❗ Such knowledge means that even if hunger and catastrophy strikes ... those with survival knowledge will be able to save so many lives❗ We should teach this to ALL of our children❗

[@CraftAmundous]

Don't throw those leaves away! Nettle tea is very healing for the body and are a great plant ally! Wash them, dry them, crush them, store in jar. The entire plant is useful!

[@danielwilliams1400]

Not at that point. If you want to harvest leaves, it should be when the plant is young, before seeds come on.

[@tricia-grandmothergrizzlyf3514]

by this time the nettles are too big and old for 'ingestion'....pick when 6 inches to 1 foot in height ONLY...!!

[@laceandbits]

And he does say 'Use the leaves as a mulch, to make plant feed or to enrich compost'. He's not suggesting you throw them away.

[@jezusova]

You can boil it than make it with eggs. It has a lot of iron. But use only upper/"young" leaves

[@itsamysticlife3500]

Thanks for a wonderful video. Harveting nettles is a time of the seaon thing. Spring - Leaves and new stems for eating Early Summer - Young leaves for eating, before flowering Late Summer & Fall - Stems for fiber, .eaves to mineralize compost Old rule that I was taught: you can eat nettles until they are knee high. The older leaves start getting tough and develop crystals that can irritate and damage kidneys. Also, you can let the stems naturally ret during winter, and you can gather and process them after Christmas for fiber.

[@kellydegheldere1433]

Thank you for the little history ! I make cordage from fresh nettles and would like to learn how to make thread from it like in this video. I am visiting my father and have just found in his garden amazing long nettles of a few years old I guess. I harvested and dried them, but am now trying to get the fiber from it, as I thought they would be like retted in this time of year (my father lives in Belgium where rain is quite common too!), but the wooden part does not separate from the fiber. Should I put them in water for a few days ? Or might it be because of the age of the batch ?

[@itsamysticlife3500]

@@kellydegheldere1433 I think your nettles are too old, but you can try to rett them to see if you can get a workable fiber. Allan Brown and Sally Pointer have some really good videos that show their approaches to processing nettle fiber. Allan also works with flax and has a movie out called The Nettle Dress. Sally works with a variety of fibers and processes, and her videos are easy to follow and feel like you're visiting with a friend and having a wonderful time. Best wishes on your nettles. Oh, and in the coming weeks, folks will be checking on their winter retted nettle stems to decide if they're ready to be brought in and processed. 😊

[@loadapish]

Excellent video! Very impressive. Such a shame nobody has a clue about this stuff anymore

[@Nancytoday]

Thank you so much for showing how to rett and remove the pith from the fibers so easily. I can do this! Thanks for the excellent demonstration.

[@MrFingerstrings]

NancyToday Great! And good luck, I'll be very interested in how you get on. You might also be interested in the following comment and links copied here: Beagle Ben 5 months ago Hi Michael, Between yourself and Nettle jen gave me inspiration to put together a video. Harvesting and retting Stinging nettles for fiber @watch?v=hGWOEwlicQc Further processing of nettle fiber @watch?v=N9_wJ8a3NYg Read more Reply ·

[@louisebenton9197]

It's really like magic, especially the carding, turns tough old stems into soft wool. Thanks for the video.

[@laceandbits]

....turns tough old stems into soft plant fibre. Wool is grown on animals.

[@LynxSouth]

@@laceandbits In British English, they say 'cotton wool' for cotton ball and 'wool' instead of yarn.

[@laceandbits]

@@LynxSouth I am British English, but as a spinner and crafts person I find it stupid that nettles can apparently transform into animal fibres. Wool is animal fibre from sheep, yarn is a suitable generic term covering any spun natural animal, vegetable or synthetic fibres. And btw, cotton balls is a description widely used now in the UK as again it's made of vegetable not animal fibre, unless it's synthetic which the cheapo brands often are.

[@LynxSouth]

@@laceandbits It was a bit confusing at first, but I'm guessing that 'wool' was the usual term for a ball of yarn, and it was modified into 'cotton wool' when cotton yarn became available. Every language has these little eccentricities.

[@grtchldy6561]

FYI - in the Pacific NW in the US and Canada you can easily remove the sting and rash from stinging nettle by rubbing the spores from sword fern which usually can be found nearby. These spores are the light brown dots on the underside of mature fern leaves. Works instantly and needs no repeating. I was shown this as a child. Supposedly this idea came from the locals (natives or first nations). I used to hate nettles. Now I love them.

[@laceandbits]

In the uk we use dock leaves which also usually can be found growing near nettles.

[@PrincessOfPi]

here on the east coast (PA) some plants you can use are plantain or jewelweed! I've also heard dock works but I haven't tried it

[@winterfoxey5074]

Bracken fern works just as well.

[@thomasjuenemann3523]

Fascinating! These things are my nemeses as I tramp the Mississippi River bottoms. Now I know how to get back at them!

[@Can-uj5pv]

I really appreciate how nothing is wasted.

[@madishradish]

OMG! My brain just exploded! Thank you so much! This is the "greenest" video I ever saw :D So much benefits in the process...

[@Nancytoday]

I agree completely! Did you try it yet?

[@madishradish]

No, I'm waiting for the nettle next year, but I will definitely try this! I keep imagining a nettle winter hat! :D

[@MrSIXGUNZ]

no way !!!! that's one of the coolest things I've ever seen!!

[@SteampunkGent]

After initial removal of the pith and before carding, run the fibre through a hackle (aka heckle) a set of nails This will clean the fibre prior to carding into a rolag or roving

[@wotmot223]

One can also use the leaves to make a very nice soup, or a sauce.

[@badgoy1573]

Or tea.

[@goprodog4304]

My friend just asked me if he can make clothes of nettle, I said no way :) You proved me wrong, thank you.

[@katehenry2718]

This video shows carding a mess of fiber to make "wool-spun" yarn. A different technique of carding will produce smooth straight fiber to make "worsted-spun" yarn and fine thread. For smooth worsted of any fiber, lay the strands on the card pretty straight to begin with. Engage only a row of wires from the second card to the tip row of the full card and pull gently. Move progressively up the full card, pulling straight strands with the second card. Transfer all the fiber to the second carder gently one row at a time. Roll the pulled fibers parallel to each other, to keep the flat length of fiber undisturbed. Spin from the pointy end, do not fold the fibers. For fluffy yarn do the same, but roll the fibers off the second card so they are coiled when removed. Spin from the middle of the roll to catch as much air as possible in the twist. Its the difference between a man's formal sleek suit and a sweater. Same fiber, different end product. By scraping all the wires across the whole card, you risk damaging the wires and the cloth that holds them.... and damage breaking a good share of the fibers....all the while making your wrists ache. One row at a time is faster, respectful of the tools and fiber... and your wrists. This will allow you to card all day.

[@sarahhavillamelooliveira5825]

Can you please demonstrate in a video or link?

[@LynxSouth]

Thank you SO much! I have many physical problems with my wrists and fingers so doubted I'd ever be able to card, as I've only ever seen people doing it in a way that clearly used a lot of pressure and strength. Now I have hope.

[@dianebeecher3990]

Also in spring the nettle leaves are great for salad and soup. I freeze them like any other greens to make soup during the rest of the year. Great plant to know and grow. Thank you for the video.

[@niftythriftybits3727]

Wonderful demonstration! Thank you!

[@berthayellowfinch5471]

Thank you so very much for this video. You made the instructions very understandable. I want to try this.

[@gradyok]

I really like your video. It's shown in an easy step-by-step process. It's great!

[@emmsimankova6527]

Thank you for this video, it is so helpful and honestly very educational, and I really like how you find use for everything that doesn't go to the fabric making.

[@snipeweedan]

thank you for this most enjoyable and simple video ...

[@watsonandwolfe]

This is so interesting. We are always looking at sustainable materials. Nettle leaves are great as a replacement for spinach, they are really delicious when picked young.

[@RexGreene]

Very much like separating linen fibers from flax.

[@Rin8Kin]

When i was reading Andersen's tale "The Wild Swans", was wondering if the tale had actual representation in that ages crafting methods.

[@Maebius]

Excellent video, and one of the easiest to "follow" and understand. I harvest stinging nettle for their leaves, makes a VERY nutritious infusion, or even can be cooked like spinach in a soup. (the sting is removed when cooked fully) Drink some Nettle Infusion once a week. Yum!

[@beagleben2950]

Hi Michael, Between yourself and Nettle jen gave me inspiration to put together a video. Harvesting and retting Stinging nettles for fiber Harvesting and retting stinging nettles Further processing of nettle fiber Processing Stinging Nettle fibres

[@cjjenson8212]

You guys are lucky, all I have around me are stinging nettles. I wish I had your kind👍

[@nomdeplume9079]

wow ! So glad I saw this video. Thank you ! You should learn about drop spinners for the fibre (used for wool) it would make the yarn turning easier for you. (That's how I came across your video). I'm going to try this as soon as possible.

[@bellacoquette]

The best of all. Thanks a lot.

[@danielwilliams1400]

I have found so far that the best way to harvest the fiber, is to wait till the stalks die, the fall rains come, and the plant begins to rot. Then you can just peel off the outer layer, let it dry, and much of the rest just flakes off... Similar to how they process flax.

[@transmediapedia3732]

Wonderful! Thank you for sharing this! 🌿

[@loadapish]

a cozy stinging nettle jumper or hat great! haha im jokin man thats a cool video

[@Fiskekakemannen]

Iv'e used the leaves to make pesto, instead of basil. Just went outside, picked some nettle leaves, boiled pasta and made pesto like normal. Tasted fine. Not amazing, but if you forget to buy basil one day...

[@zip0v]

Great video, very informative, no bullshit. I will try this. Already did nettle soup and it was good. The detox effect was incredible.

[@esobelhunter1540]

'Detoxing' is a myth.

[@someperson5506]

Thanks! This will really help with the story I'm writing.

[@theroguemandalorian6184]

I forgot how peaceful that area used to be kinda miss it hope your doing well

[@olusha]

Fascinating. Thank you for sharing this.

[@freaktopianexile2083]

Nettles are fantastic plants! I don't mind getting stung (it gets less intense the more you are "in training", btw), it is said to help with rheumatism, but from personal experience it seems to have eased off my allergy symptoms (would make sense, the "poison" containing histamine, same substance that plays an important role in allergic reactions, and you getting used to it - as a non-native speaker, is it called "de-sensitizing"?). I'm a bit envious of the beautiful nettles I see in the videos made by english-speaking people though, the largest ones I've found in my vicinity are on a small patch on the edge of a forest near a small medieval castle, but they only grow up to about 5 feet. I do have a slight suspicion though they may be descandants of an original fibre nettle variety that could have been planted there a long time ago, as they seem to give a better product than the nettles I find elsewhere. I've done a bit of experimenting myself in the past two years - my strings get to be thinner and less fluffy, but that's the way I deliberately make them when doing the spinning. Interesting fact, by the way, that up to WW I cloth made from nettles were used a lot for medicinal bandages, and I remember having seen a piece of writing from that time calling on peasants to help their countries war efforts by producing nettle cloth. The thing that really intrigues me, however, as I call myself a "paper junkie", and I've long wanted to try if there's a way you can make your own without having to resort to chemicals (and by using natural materials, not old newspapers) and without too much technical effort (say, one or two troughs and a couple of sieves, and of course, some washing string to hang the sheets up to dry). You write in the video you use the woody bits to make paper (oooh, and I love the smell of those!) - I've long been wondering if they're good for anything else than fertilizing my compost heap... have you done this way of paper-making, or do you know how I can get more information on that? Maybe a chance for a video? Looking forward full with hope... ;-)

[@QuantumMechanic_88]

Excellent video and Thank You my friend .

[@felicitywright791]

Wonderful! Really informative. Thanks for sharing. Btw, would putting the dried stems through a mangle make pith removal easier?

[@castleofcostamesa8291]

Wow! Thanks! I learn something new ! So interesting!

[@M15Guys]

Most informative - would this method work for thin bamboo too ?

[@whatthe5607]

Should they be completely deprived of the green colour when you’ve finished drying them? Or is a bit of green still´ fine?

[@shippo4ever101]

Thanks for this!! 👍

[@catherine_is_in_the_MOON]

Thank you so much for this video! Its awesome!!!!!!!!!!

[@MartinDoyle]

Great and informative video - thank you for making it and sharing. I hope to have a go at some point his year!

[@maunster3414]

That's amazing. Thanks.

[@JacobMObrien]

also a point to make when knitting it. bamboo needles work best. if there is any moisture in the nettle it will cling so hard

[@Kyonarai]

I'd recommenced learning to use a drop spindle, as that would make the cordage process much faster.

[@NJ-xp4eb]

could you use the fibre for weaving as well?

[@rickilynnwolfe8357]

Very kool video thanks for sharring God bless 🙏

[@jackp492]

Cheers mate your a gem

[@madelynrwalters]

Is the yarn pretty sturdy and strong by the time it is used to knit? It looks fragile to me.

[@isaraok]

Great video, thanks ! I already processed green nettles (bare hands) do get the fibers but it takes more time. I had tried processing nettles as I successfully did for flax, to get linen. But the nettle fibers did rot before I could separate them from the stalk. I'll try your process next summer !

[@LynxSouth]

There are now videos on here by Sally Pointer, an expert in the UK, who shows a very simple way to process pain-free nettles without retting, which is really a method of controlled rotting. She says nettles don't need it, and often end up rotted because of that.

[@isaraok]

@@LynxSouth Thanks for your suggestion ! Since I posted my message, I improved the process and published a video in 2018, about the primitive method I use. I keep the green parts, as I only use the fibers to make cordages, while Sally Pointer removes it by scraping the fibers, which gives white fibers you can use for textile projecte !

[@LynxSouth]

@@isaraok Ah, I see. I'm glad you got your process worked out.

[@isaraok]

@@LynxSouth So am I, thanks : )

[@TatyanaValdaBelindaHill]

This is so helpful. Thank you! :D

[@roundrobinsonny9792]

Fascinating

[@SeerWalker]

now i just need to find some nettle plants as large as those!

[@mishap00]

I am no expert, but it seems to me that the processes used for hemp or flax would work a bit better than doing all by hand and actually produce a reasonable amount for your labor. They seem to all follow the same basic steps cutting or pulling, retting, breaking, and combing or hackling.

[@ButterflyLullabyLtd]

This video is amazing. Thanks so much. CAN YOU DO THE SAME WITH JAPANESE KNOTWEED? I saw a blog that said you can make paper from Knotweed, and Stinging Nettle. Let me know! Thanks Sharon

[@laceandbits]

Try it and see. If there are fibres in the dry stem you might be able to.

[@marinaivanova8573]

So cool!

[@idahofiberart]

Wonderful video. Thank you so much for posting. What size carders were used? Fine fiber,or larger? Can nettle be dyed?

[@josephinelaski5982]

1. Harvest the nettles. 2. Remove leaves from stalks (use leaves for compost or to make dye). 3. Retting: Tie together bundles of nettles and completely submerge in tub for one day. Replace the water and submerge again for one week. 4. Leave nettles out to dry in the Sun. 5. Split stalks and remove the woody pith (the pith can be used in papermaking). 6. Card the fibers for a minimum of two minutes. 7. Spin. 8. Profit.

[@ihoaxdebunkerator2783]

Very nice! Thank you. I will try it out and see what happens :D

[@whisperingsage]

Dry leaves no oonger have the sting and make awesome tea or livestock feed. I buy dried nettles for pregnancy supplement for the goats. (it doesn't grow natural here)

[@sims4you266]

would you be able to do this with any form of stalks of plants

[@jeangreenfield5993]

Amazing 😀💗💚 now to find some Nettle 'wool' fibre . Any on eBay ?

[@ascentofarose2001]

Fantastic

[@brightphoebesays]

Why card it instead of hackling like flax? Doesn't it work? There must be a better way than this...

[@jezusova]

It is soft?

[@MrP33p3rz]

Nettle leaves are also edible

[@laceandbits]

Not when they're this old.

[@davidmistoffelees8459]

Crunchy crunchy noises :)

[@marcusm359]

How can I make the pitch into paper?

[@Dollapfin]

Leaves are extremely healthy

[@StarlitSeafoam]

I'm a little confused about the wool carders? Wouldn't you get longer fibers by simply combing the fiber, maybe using a plank with spikes in it like in flax processing? Unless you didn't care about fiber length; I've heard longer fibers are easier to spin, though I haven't been at it long enough to speak from experience. :)

[@SteampunkGent]

According to my best beloved you get better results if you card as well as hackle vegetable fibre

[@andypandy-ys3xy]

That was cool

[@dawnmarcy8737]

Been pondering a story i read where the main character has to step on nettles to turn them to thread so she could weave them into shirts. Guess it is possible but quite a bit more time consuming that the author let on.

[@ritajohnson2208]

@LagiNaLangAko23 -> en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Six_Swans As a child i read fairy tales about this and thought how terrible it was for the sister, sworn to silence, to make cloth from nettles! Now I see the thorns can be rendered stingless before the weaving begins. What a relief. But still, gathering all those nettles...

[@ajrwilde14]

Wow no chemicals!

[@justinweaver7543]

I imagine that nettle fiber could be prepared much like flax by using a break, scutching board, and hackles.

[@StarlitSeafoam]

That's what I was thinking; you might get longer fibers, too, like with flax

[@Rascalndear1]

Extremely labor-intensive...

[@laceandbits]

I am sure it could be made less labour intensive if the methods for extracting linen fibres from flax were studied. The amount of linen which is used in the world isn't extracted stem by stem!

[@snipeweedan]

anyone know why it says consent when sharing this video?

[@PhantomQueenOne]

It would be easier of you used tools that are used in linen making. A breaker, scutching sword, and hackle. You don't need a rippling tool as you don't need to remove seed heads. Get a spinning wheel or drop spindle as it goes faster and makes a finer single.

[@estebancorral5151]

would retting go faster if i use warm water. The leaves would make good animal silage.

[@Rosemarieg1991]

Thank you for the great instruction. Working on it right now. Now I do want to make the paper from the woody pith. In the instructions I found they make use of the fibre instead of the pith. Do you know if it will work to make paper with the woody pith as mentioned in the video? This is one of the instructions in paper making with fibre. www.theforagedbookproject.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Making-Paper-by-James-Wood-1.pdf

[@thefabricexchange]

great, very appealing

[@uwiyosjee]

I'd love to try it myself!

[@serenitytrek]

Wow!

[@whatbuttondoipush]

you can use the leaves as an anti-diarrhea tea also

[@LeanSt]

and i was like "why do those annoying ass plants exist?" now i have the answer

[@JacobMObrien]

no! the leaves taste amazing! like sweet spinach! they are delicious don't feed to plants! nuuu!

[@laceandbits]

The leaves are only good to eat from young plants. These plants harvested in the late summer, after they have flowered, are not good to eat but a still good for compost etc. It you want nettles to eat they need to be harvested small which will encourage more young growth, a bit like asparagus. For fibre you need to leave it alone to grow as tall as possible.

[@t-wongg3773]

Now I know how to get clothes in the wild

[@adamakaru2683]

I am sure if you were treat the Nettles, as Flax, you get the same results! don't you think, so?.

[@nigelgrolla2268]

3:19 I thought I heard the sound of the HBO intro opening theme lol

[@dracothedraconian7486]

this is why God gave us shops

[@laceandbits]

Missed that bit in the bible. Unfortunately they don't sell nettle fibre yarn at my local supermarket so home made the only option.

[@brownystark]

upsc yaha se question puchta h

[@JacobMObrien]

Just saying! Has wasting the leaves!...they are delicious and taste like sweet spinach and are insanely healthy to eat....bad form

[@kimbleby]

jake michaels nettle fabric is made from old stalks which are harvested long past flowering when the leaves are no longer suitable for eating. Nettles for consumption are best harvested in spring/early summer and the woody stalks harvested later in the year for processing and spinning 😊

[@delaneydillon1671]

Home boy needs a drop spindle to make that yarn, yikes.

[@hithere3143]

"Home boy"

[@delaneydillon1671]

@@hithere3143 Hi there