Nettle Fibre Processing

Follow along as I prepare fresh stinging nettles for coarse, medium or fine fibres. This method does not require any retting and only needs simple tools. Perfect for cordage making, or use fine fibre for nettle spinning.
I now have a 'buy me a coffee' page which helps fund my ongoing research and the making of these free videos. If you'd like to support me, please visit ko-fi.com/sallypointer Thank you!

[@narafritch3073]

It always amazes me that Ms. Pointer can touch nettle without gloves🫣 I get stung just LOOKING at our nettles. Maybe it’s like G.Gordon Liddy says. The “trick” is not caring about the pain🤣👍

[@benjaminshepherd2988]

Thank you so much for this video! I have been trying my best making nettle fibre from last year's growth, and it came out to be so short that I couldn't spin it anymore than 2 or 3 inches. Thank goodness I found this video because I almost gave up (I didn't know that you could do it while it was still green). I just turned 18 and my ultimate goal is to make a jumper from knitted nettle fibre, even though I have never knitted anything in my life, yet alone a jumper hahaha.

[@SallyPointer]

That's a great goal. There are quite a few methods for getting fibre out of nettles, so if one method doesn't suit you, just keep trying different ones until you find the one that matches your spinning style

[@saravanroosbroeck5414]

What an amazing goal! I'd suggest practicing with other yarn first, because the technique of knitting isn't that hard, but it does take a bit of practice to make nice and even stitches.

[@allcapsoff]

hi! how far are you on the project? im doing something similar although im not much of a knitter, more of a weaver. not sure how far you are on your project but i thought id share some beginning videos on weaving as you can use fiber more effieciently for a flatter cloth end product. cheers! kzbin.info/www/bejne/d2ScgZmkqdOHr9E the channel fibers design and weaving is budget friendly and very good :)

[@mustluvdogs7]

Have you achieved your goal yet??

[@loco4636]

Just subscribed. . . However, I am put out that my laundry is behind, dishes are stacked in the sink, and I have to go to work early in the morn. . . I can't pull myself away!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@eh1702]

After you get the nettle pith out, and you soak the green fibres just a few minutes and scrape them while wet, the green bark comes off with a lot less pressure. You break fewer fibres.

[@joeasher2876]

I've probably watched 6 or 7 videos on nettle cordage and this was the first one where anyone talked about refining it down to just fibres rather than just removing the pith. This seems much better. I found the nettles that have gone to flower start to develop stingy bits on the stem too, and it's a much stronger sting.

[@Opalbird1]

My grandmother used to soak nettles in a tub of hot water for polio patients to reduce muscle injury and promote healing.

[@SallyPointer]

It's an amazing plant, sounds like your grandmother was amazing too x

[@halcyonmom]

I know this comment is several months old but as a nurse and an herbalist I wondered if your grandmother would then apply the nettles directly to the skin, have her patients drink the water or actually bathe in the nettle water?

[@gioulatheodor5502]

We need to have knowledge for servival use its good to make a group for that.

[@Opalbird1]

She soaked the nettles in a tub of hot water, then soaked the patient in the nettle water

[@leemandy2548]

Did she leave the leaves in the bath or take them out before you get in

[@scottsurvival6960]

Another well-made video on cordage making. Honestly the best I've seen.

[@SallyPointer]

Thanks very much! Really appreciate the feedback.

[@DianaAtena]

I am absolutely delighted that you not only show how it's processed, but mention prehistory - which is exactly what I was looking into. Considering the oldest found yet fibers (flax) are dated to 34000 years ago, but the oldest needles are much older, I obviously wondered how those prehistoric people might have made clothes. Fabric and wood decompose, so we're very lucky to find such old evidence:) With more luck, we might find much older evidence:) Thank you for showing such simple processes that were definitely an option for prehistoric people :)

[@fredericapanon207]

This makes the fairy tale of the twelve swan princes make a lot more sense. I always wondered how their sister could knit or weave them shirts from nettles (gathered from around graves!) to break their enchantment. That would have been quite a laborious process for her. I now think that this idea is a folk memory holdover from when nettles were used to make cordage and/or fabric. I expect that once flax got domesticated, it proved to be more efficient at growing and processing for long fibres.

[@justheretolistentothemusic]

This is the very first time in my Life that I found someone who has also read that book? And in a full moon week? Thank you for making this comment - I can't believe it! This must be a sign, I hope I can understand it while sitting with it for a bit. Much love to you.

[@emmalisahorlacher2495]

As someone who not well versed in the way of plant life, I have to say that I have mad respect that she can touch the stinging nettle with her BARE hands!

[@MM-th4zu]

One can used to it. If you know that it is nothing bad for your body, rather good for blood circulation, you will see it quite different.

[@ryoome]

Sally, may I congratulate you on this film; it is both clearly informative and well made. Your demonstration is clear and the information is spot on. Well Done !

[@SallyPointer]

Thank you. I'm very much learning how to make these videos as I go along, but I do love sharing skills with people.

[@ingeleonora-denouden6222]

Today is 'the day before summer solstice' again and I harvested part of the nettles from my 'nettle patch' at the allotment garden. I started processing, but had to watch the video again to remind me what to do in which order ...

[@paintedwings74]

I'm so thrilled to have discovered your channel! I've made nettle fiber before, so this isn't all new, but your detail is so much better than anything I found back when I taught myself, back in 2014-15. I've since discovered the best wild fiber plants native to Wisconsin, USA, where I live; dogbane and "Indian hemp", closely related and both used by the Ho Chunk Nation to make extremely strong cordage. The fibers have similar properties to nettle, and the harvesting is very similar--bast fibers are enclosed in a thing bark layer, and both have to be separated from a woody stalk. The end result is softer than nettle, but the plants aren't quite as swift to harvest, as the plants are distinct rather than growing in stands. But as I said--so similar to nettle in the behavior of the fibers, I'm just loving your details on cleaning and then turning the fibers into useable cord. Thank you!

[@Painfulldarksoul]

So this plant is eddible, can be made into tea, has a mild antibiotic effect AND can be turned into fibers on top? Why isn't it being cultivated?

[@SallyPointer]

Because it quite naturally grows wherever humans live in the odd bits of waste ground given half a chance :) I believe there are some trials into cultivated nettles going on, but they already do amazingly well all by themselves and create an accessible fibre/food source in season for those of us without land, as well as being great for wildlife. It's a fab plant!

[@Painfulldarksoul]

@@SallyPointer That makes sense. Thanks.

[@documentservices]

@@SallyPointerdfv

[@animistde]

@@Painfulldarksoul because they grow so much that nobody would profit off of it.

[@samanthachoi6790]

@@SallyPointer It is a wonderful plant ally, and so loyal! - we always try to get rid of it but it it always back to stay near us

[@stephaniepinkerton1170]

What a beautiful video! I am overrun with nettles here in Ontario, Canada and have been playing with spinning them. I went about it all wrong the first time and now I have more information to help me improve. Thank you so much! I love the simplicity and clarity of your tools and instructions! :)

[@plovet]

Hello Sally. Thank you for your video - which is so easy and motivating to watch. I can only encourage anyone who is interested, to just get out and just try it. Do not worry about technique ... as you learn so much by doing. I went out yesterday and gave it a try for the very first time. When I came home from the forest I had 1meter of thin cordage made from three nettles, and was quite happy. I personally have a real hard time seperating the fiber from the green. So I rewatched your video, and still find it difficult. But the point is ... it does not matter. It is fascinating to try and learn. My yield is so much worse than yours .... but there are so many nettles in the forest that it does not matter!!! I also had many interesting conversations with people who saw me cutting down the nettles ... and wondering what I was doing. Some do not understand ... and others were fascinated. Thank you for your videos and sharing your learning with the rest of us..

[@petraivanisevic1466]

I saw some video where people let the nettles dry first, and then after 10-15 days scrape with that knife. It looks like they get more fibers in that way. It's a lot longer process but I think it's worth it because you get at least 3x more fibers :) Love your channel

[@njordmannen]

This is just what I needed to practice more nettle prosessing. Thanks Sally!!

[@QuantumMechanic_88]

I miss living in Kent and making nettle cordage in a meadow while a jack daw ate my scone and said "I'm a good bloke" . Back in New Mexico and using yucca and hemp . Thank You so much Sally Pointer for an excellent video and all the best .

[@rkaiser7767]

Learnt something new today. Had no idea that one could use nettle fibre like this. Interesting. I love spinning wool, and doing Mosaic pavers. Feel it’s important to keep the old crafts, they should never be forgotten. Stay Safe.

[@SallyPointer]

I completely agree, there is do much still to be gained from old skills.

[@Norfolk250]

The old wringer washing machine I grew up with would come in MIIIIIIIGHTILY handy in the bruising stage!

[@katehenry2718]

Thank you! I've been doing it all wrong! I thought the inner pith core was the fiber but it broke up into small bits DUH. That's NOT the fiber! Now I can try again when the plants come back up in the Spring for tea, and later for gorgeous fiber. I twined a bit of finished fiber into a pretty little fine cord at a historic event and was hooked. Thank you for spreading hope to the new kids. )))

[@docv73]

Great video, broken down quite simply. Thank you. I use cattail, milkweed, and nettle to make cordage for making stoneage tools. Knives, arrows, and associated gear. My favorite use is to do handle wraps on stone/obsidian hand knives.

[@lesdrinkwater490]

Nettle collecting time again for me .I have watched this video again and learnt more and enjoyed it just as much as the first time. You explain things so clearly. Thank you Sally.

[@kirstenpaff8946]

Sometimes you really have to wonder what prehistoric madman thought "I'm gonna eat and make string out of the plant that is painful to touch."

[@williamwhite9481]

That dude or dudette must have been pretty damn hungry to eat this stuff. It does make very strong string though, this is probably one of my favorite plants ever.

[@woollywally9365]

@@williamwhite9481 in the UK i ws told it was brought over by the Romans- who brought it here cos it was soooo cold they used to beat themselves with the nettles- the resulting sting causing a burning and so heating sensation. bonkers eh?!

[@jamtea388]

Nettles also get much less stingy when they dye off in the winter, which is the best time (as far as I can tell from readings) to harvest them.

[@ritajohnson2208]

@@woollywally9365 Yup, that sounds bonkers all right! 😜 'Cause they hadn't heard of fire...

[@dodopson3211]

According to fairy tails the madman who thought to make string out of a stinging plant was a girl who wanted to save her brothers who were turned into swans 👀

[@kod0251]

Thank you so much for this video!! Came across your nettle processing late summer last year when all the nettles were dead after the heatwave, but I’m very excited to experiment with them properly now!! Hoping to be able to knit something eventually, but the course string might also be fun to try out something like bookbinding with? Came across another youtuber that made paper with leaves and grass, so maybe an end project made completely by hand with natural resources is in sight!!

[@annetteboettner3435]

This was lovely! Thank you so very much for taking the time to demonstrate this craft.

[@grassgeese3916]

What an amazing video!!! Thank you for sharing your technique! I hope one day i will find a patch of nettles to try making some rope from the fibers, and I will try what you taught us

[@lizzieatherfold2293]

Thanks for this it makes sense to me and I can’t wait to start my own cordage

[@elizabethwang7408]

This was SO good! Definitely the most detailed I have seen to date. I learned so much and feel confident. Thank you so very much. Clear instruction.

[@Just_Sara]

I found that it was easier for me to get long fibers if crushed the nettle, then peeled the fiber layer and pithy center apart, then scraped the whole strip of fibers with the knife on the board, and split them last. I had a lot better yield this way! I'm not sure if it's due to crummy nettles, though, or me being a serious newbie. :) P.S. Such a lovely video, SO helpful, thank you!

[@SallyPointer]

That sounds a perfectly good method to me. I split first because otherwise the nodes snag the knife for me, but every are has slightly different nettles and a lot will depend on your preferred level of processing

[@RedEyedCoderClub]

Thank you so much for the video! You are awesome!

[@fritzwilhelm8258]

Hey Sally. This is what I've been looking for in the way of finely processing the fibers. The board and scrape bit is well worth pursuing, as that looked very nice. Too many vids are all about the rough cordage and not about producing any thread.

[@SallyPointer]

Glad you found it helpful!

[@elizabethcorven3599]

Thank you for teaching us something very useful and inspiring.

[@edward9674]

Excellent video!

[@taliatelly6877]

Thank you for this wonderful and very informative video!!

[@SerMattzio]

Wonderful little video, great presentation. Came here to see how to prep my bundles after following Ray Mears’ wonderfully relaxing video on the topic. Very helpful, thank you!

[@frederickacharles552]

Fantastic. Thank you.

[@outdoors-university]

Congratulations! Thank you for sharing! Stay safe and have fun!

[@KuukkeliBushcraft]

Very nice clear explanation, thank you.

[@stevenhale2935]

Day after midsummer for me now, good timing for me to start looking into plant fibres! Thanks so much, love your presenting style!

[@elenabaka6163]

This is absolutely amazing thank you so much

[@callasandivy]

Beautifully done and very informative. Thank you for sharing.

[@landomilknhoney]

Here in the OzArks, we have Woody Nettle (there may be some Stinging nettle, but haven't found it yet). Following your lead with this type of nettle (mentioned above), Thanks!

[@Trevody]

Lovely video, clear explanation, thankyou.

[@redpillnibbler4423]

Very good tutorial 👍

[@lizzieatherfold2293]

Thanks for this excellent video , it makes perfect sense to me .

[@z0rrofan9]

Thank you for this. Beautifully done and very informative!

[@jackp492]

Cheers Sally your a star

[@jenniecallomon164]

An excellent video, I am new to this fibre making and I now feel confident enough to go and pick my first batch of nettles... thank you !

[@SallyPointer]

Excellent!

[@anniefonseca3657]

Wow!

[@bobbyesamdahl]

awesome thank you

[@CareelBay]

Wow. This is amazing. Thank you so much for sharing this knowledge. 😍

[@ronsbeerreviewstools4361]

This is a very educational & interesting video, thanks for posting. Thumbs up & I subscribed!

[@jamtea388]

good tip on leaving the green in. I've been trying to process nettles and ended up tearing them. I suspect now that I have been pressing much too hard, so I very much appreciate this.

[@maxsheffield2279]

Wow a very informative video, I've made cordage with nettles but didn't know what the fibres looked like without the bark, I'll try this technique out cos I want to spin some yarn.

[@BushCrafts]

A million Thank You’s for this awesome video! It answered so many of my questions about working with green nettles. Cheers from Bavaria, Germany! -Allyson

[@SallyPointer]

You are very welcome!

[@Veltosian]

Your voice is a treat to listen to and a very informative video. Thanks for making it so easy to see

[@SallyPointer]

Thank you!

[@fionnaitsradag5152]

I think I'll try this. I have lots of nettles.

[@Gunzee]

Off topic, I remember connecting nettle leaves for soup and tea just this summer. As we're walking my mum slapped a huge leaf on my freshly shaved head. 3-4 hours later that area was red and left like pins and needles. She had quite bad knee pain and began rubbing leaves on that area. Made sure I 'treated' other areas for her.

[@eh1702]

If you want to see the world experts in nettle fibre, look up Korean mosi or moshi. There are some terrific youtube videos. I think the Korean & Japanese type of technique, not spinning, is what they were using at Must Farm. The Japanese also do this with a slightly different technique. (They have giant nettles, which I think they may possibly have bred to be stingless.) Typical of Japan & Korea, they designate the people who still pass these skills on as “living national treasures”.

[@SallyPointer]

Must farm is a splicing technique

[@johnkunze5362]

Well done kid😇. It is just what I needed.,jpk

[@beggsnachin]

Blackberry (bramble) bark has similar.fibers inside too. I did a similar process with that, also scraped with a butter knife. I spun some up in my spinning wheel. It will make cordage for sure. It's almost soft enough it might be a textile though. I will experiment more.

[@Witch-Crafts]

Do you moisten the fibres again before you can start spinning them, or do you spin with them when dry?

[@beggsnachin]

@@Witch-Crafts I believe they had to be a little wet. Because they are pretty stiff and strong when they are dry. I beat them up quite a bit before making cordage bc I wanted it softer. Needs more experimenting. There's a patch of black berry that needs cut back soon so I will probably do it then.

[@cranberry420]

Loved this! But just seeing you touch the plant makes my hand feel like it's swelling!

[@alisondark8183]

lovely clear video - i'm 'blessed' with nettles on my allotment and have made thin nettle twine to tie in peas etc. I'm wondering if anyone has processed the stems of Old Man's Beard for twine or cordage? It's so difficult to break when green, I thought it might have been utilised in this way?

[@borealchorusstudio]

Good morning Sally! Love your videos!!! Thank you for sharing this knowledge. I know this video is a few years old, but a question I have is can I use this method with plants harvested later in the season? I'm in Canada and harvesting now, beginning of September. Am I too late, will these plants be too brittle or do I have to do a retting process at this point?

[@SallyPointer]

There's only one way to find out! Try a nettle and see. In the UK the ones in full sun are essentially over now, but in moist shade they are still ok, so be prepared to try different locations when testing before picking a larger batch

[@Jsarson1976]

Interesting 🧐

[@lucymoore7677]

Hi there what a helpful video! I think my nettles are too woody; however will retting help? and is it now too late to harvest nettles? Many thanks indeed.

[@SallyPointer]

This year the nettles in full sun near me are nearly over, but those in the shady damp woods are still good. Best thing is to try a couple and see, it's not been a normal year in many ways!

[@FrauWNiemand]

I will try this some day in summer and try to make socks out of it.

[@AnimeShinigami13]

found my very first nettles yesterday. >.> and since I was invited to harvest them from a back yard and couldn't go back later, I was dumb enough to try and get them without gloves on. my fingers still have the pins and needles sensation. went to bed early last night with two whole naproxen in my system after smothering my hands and forearms in baking soda/water paste and aloe. now, since I don't keep gardening gloves, I'm processing them with ziploc bags on my hands to prevent more sting damage.

[@SallyPointer]

Wow, sounds like you are really sensitive to the stings. I hardly ever wear gloves

[@AnimeShinigami13]

@@SallyPointer figures, my dad's really sensitive to poison ivy. the sensation's nearly gone but my skin's fairly prickly and sensitive. fortunately your method removed the stingers, now I just have to keep the cat from trying to investigate the new smelling plants. i also discovered I could use a cheap laundry roller to try and remove any that stuck in my skin that way. and my friend from ireland on discord had a good laugh at my expense last night, apparently she gets them all the time mowing the lawn. now that i know what they look like I'll be able to pick them out of a hedge again, and this time I'm bringing the ziploc bags I used this morning to cover my hands, just in case. i have an appointment today and the doctor's office is on this lovely wooded grounds that's usually full of flowers and mushrooms. then i've got a whole line of busy roadway and a utility road turnoff to check for signs of usable plants.

[@AnimeShinigami13]

@@SallyPointer ah yes and the rhubarb is as big as i am in the community garden so I'm going to have to double check your video on that too. do you know if rhubarb seeds have a high germination rate?

[@diogenesegarden5152]

Superb, I just made a Turkish spindle for spinning fibres. I have a wonderful nettle patch in the garden which I use for tea and beer making. I know what I will be up to in the summer now👍

[@Witch-Crafts]

At what stage of the brewing process do you add the nettles? Which parts do you add? And is it just for flavour or also other purposes? I have brewed beer in the past and adding nettles seems like an interesting idea.

[@diogenesegarden5152]

@@Witch-Crafts you put the fresh nettle tops in the water at the beginning of the brewing process and let them simmer away to make what is in effect a decoction, then strain off, and add the sugar and heat/stir till dissolved. Allow to cool to body temperature and add the yeast ( I’m sure there was some lemon juice in there somewhere). I’m pretty sure you could find a video just by typing in the search box ‘Stinging nettle beer’ and it will give you all the information. I’ve got to say it’s not the best beer in the world, it’s a bit of an acquired taste, but it’s interesting to try a gallon for fun and maybe play around with the ingredients or try a sparkling version by adding extra sugar after bottling.

[@Witch-Crafts]

@@diogenesegarden5152 there is no grains in it, just nettle, sugar and yeast?

[@diogenesegarden5152]

@@Witch-Crafts no, I think it’s more of a wine than a beer, so you could probably add some raisins or currants for some vinocity, or added depth.

[@Witch-Crafts]

@@diogenesegarden5152 yeah I was thinking sounds more like a herb wine or something, fun experiment though 😁

[@pulseoftheland]

I like the tone of your voice and the English accent is lovely 😊 very clear explanation👌 hope you will make more videos like this. Do you make baskets too?

[@SallyPointer]

Glad you liked it. I'm making new videos most weeks, there will be basketry at some point!

[@Nature.Sketcher]

i love your videos so so much! Hello all;) do you have an advice for me, how to earn the fibres of a wirld rose? i tried it a bit like with brambles but the wood inside sticks to the fibres so i only get short pieces. thankyou so much for your knowledge and inspiration, i absolutely like this naturecrafting***

[@SallyPointer]

It should process the same as bramble. Try it a bit earlier in the season and maybe from a shady area next time, see if that helps.

[@rasitawinner8203]

Hi Sally super interesting content I have liked and subscribed I sent this onto a friend and I was telling her you said in a vidoe Japanese and Nepalese nettles are different (I am in Japan right now will have to go hunt nettles) but it made me wonder if our ancestors took seeds along from places to keep these plants they used growing where they moved after all hunter gathering was how they survived if you had a useful plant why wouldn't you take some along? I guess it just made curious how the same plants ended up in many different countries so far apart when we tend to think of introducing plants as a much later human activity. Any way will keep watching you content thanks for sharing your passion.

[@zellfaze]

You basically described the story of Dandelions. Human hunter gatherers brought them everywhere as they are a very hardy and fast growing foodstuffs

[@katiebeth8825]

This video was great, really makes it approachable! Can this same method be used with flax to skip a retting process?

[@SallyPointer]

You can work flax raw (and dry) but it can produce quite sharp splinters as the outer layer breaks away. It's a lovely golden shade worked without retting though

[@JakeWitmer]

@@SallyPointer ah... so this is where we get the complimentary literary description of "flaxen-haired" for certain shades of blonde hair on women and girls.

Thanks for this. How would I obtain very long fibres with minimal fibre breakage? I intend to use the fibres not for cordage, but for making Melanesian grass skirts . Cheers

[@SallyPointer]

Don't scrape too far, you'll need to leave some of the pectin layer that binds the individual shorter fibres together in place to get really long strands. You might do better though to use the right type of grass, rather than nettle as ultimately it will want to soften and break down to it's natural fibre length which is only a few inches long.

[@lizziegrant6839]

Are these stinging nettles or some other type? I’m so confused! Just pick with bare hands? Love these videos from sally.

[@jakehardiment8613]

Hi Sally, thank you for this excellent video. It inspired me to go out and have a go. I harvested my first nettles which were in flower being careful not to take too many and leave the wildlife hungry. I’m finding that I can’t quite get all of the green off and I’m left with what looks like straw. Very brittle after drying for a day and impossible to scrape or comb without breakage. Is it too early in the season?

[@SallyPointer]

Where are you based? Here in Herefordshire the nettles aren't ready yet, though I've seen a few people posting images of nettles starting to flower. Maybe just stick to a fairly coarse preparation for a few weeks, just peel off the bast and barely scrape it at all, it's still great for string, and save trying to really scrape for a couple of weeks to let the fibre get really strong. Also, try nettles from a few locations, occasionally there will be some patches where growing conditions make them awkward. I generally prefer slightly shady areas to full sun for my nettles for fine fibre for example.

[@jakehardiment8613]

Sally Pointer Thanks for this thorough response. I’m up in Newcastle upon Tyne, so if yours aren’t ready mine certainly won’t be! These were from a shady copse that’s quite poor draining so plenty to choose from. I’ll practice cordage on the rough stuff and perhaps raid the rhubarb patch too!

[@SallyPointer]

@@jakehardiment8613 it won't be long! I'm desperate to get picking too, I've used up all the fibre harvested last year.

[@1aliveandwell]

What parts are the stingy bits? Is it the older leaves, as you seemed to be touching the stem, and flowers and young leaves. In California had been stung bad once and another time in the fall, barely stung, as guess it was mostly dry then. Thanks for showing how to harvest and prep .

[@SallyPointer]

Almost all parts of the nettle can have stinging hairs, the stem and leaves at all stages, but none on flowers and seeds. With practice it's possible to pick and process with almost no stings, but they still get me on a regular basis!

[@1aliveandwell]

@@SallyPointer , thank you, just recalled a son who had said if curl up the leaves so touched the back of leaf was ok. Will see if any Nettles is around now (most things are dry in a summer dormancy).

[@hilkkaannelikaarret3529]

@@1aliveandwell ehdotan nokkosen luottamista ennen käsittelyjä. Tutustu pellavan käsittelyyn. Nokkosen voi käsitellä samalla tavalla kuin pellavan. T. Anneli Kaarret Inarista in Lapland.

[@ArtBeatKathie]

This was amazing, thank you! I want to plant nettles for the medicinal value AND the spinning factor (Stinging Nettle is an amazing antihistamine). Isn't there also a way you can soak the nettle to rot off the green and then process the fiber? I think that is how large amounts were/are processed?

[@SallyPointer]

Retting is the process of gently rotting off the bark and pectin layers. Very useful method, but I mostly stick to scraping because we currently understand prehistoric textiles to be using scraped nettles rather than retted, and that's my current area of study. Have a look at Allan Brown's videos on the 'Nettles for Textiles' page or Facebook group for more info on retting. He's pretty much perfected the method.

[@CareelBay]

Thanks Kathie! I really suffer from allergies but had never thought to use nettles before. Is it used as a tea or another way? How often should it be taken? Do you know if there are any side effects? Thanks in advance.

[@taraligon8201]

@@SallyPointer great information! Wondering if this process could also work for flax (in lieu of retting)?

[@SallyPointer]

@@taraligon8201 yes, you can process flax this way too

[@justheretolistentothemusic]

@@CareelBay You can harvest the female nettle seeds and dry them and eat them just as they are, i put a spoonfull in yoghurt or in muesli. The female Nettle seeds are much larger and closer to the stem, while the male seeds stand a bit oout and are not as full. I cut them with sciccors and leave them to dry, then i rub them into a glas jar and eat them. They contain Vitamins and Minerals as well and are good for an overal health in us females, too.

[@goldfishgirl1146]

What is the best time of year to harvest the nettle? I'd like to give it a go but I'm not sure if the fibers will be ok this time of year. (Mid Autumn)

[@SallyPointer]

Depends where you are in the world and what method you plan to use. For scraping methods, in the UK, I think between midsummer and the autumn equinox is best, for me they are now too woody, but friends in Europe using retting methods are still getting good fibre from their nettles. Try one and see is the best way!

[@ElswaresProps]

When removing the leaves and flowers, is it best to start from the top and run your hands down the plant, or from the bottom and go up the plant? That's the only part of the process I am not fully clear on.

[@SallyPointer]

I more often go top to bottom, but both work

[@ElswaresProps]

@@SallyPointer Wonderful! Thank you for replying so quickly!

[@QueenPommes]

In floristry we always do bottom to top when removing leafes

[@Moostery]

I've heard of people soaking their debarked fibers in water for up to a month to over saturate the plant matter so it separates from the fibers easier. Not sure if that would work with nettle or not so I'll have to try it =)

[@SallyPointer]

Nettle can take a few days retting but not much more than that. I personally don't ret, but others have good results with it.

[@rolandhp]

hi, do you think you can dye the fibres before making the cord, or after? I was thinking elderberries

[@SallyPointer]

Elder is a stain rather than a dye and tends to fade to silver, but whatever you use and however you mordant or prepare, you probably want to wash the fibres to remove remaining bark shreds and lighten it. That's probably best done after cording.

[@rolandhp]

@@SallyPointer many thanks. Made my first nettle cord a couple of days ago. Very happy. BTW my Taiwanese wife thinks you have the clearest English accent she has ever heard.

[@samwebster2208]

Can the really fine fibres in your video be spun and be knit and made into socks etc?

[@SallyPointer]

I've not tried them in socks, but they can certainly be spun very finely. Think of them as analogous to flax in texture and processing methods, and use the same techniques you would use there.

[@Wearldsproake]

Hi Sally, after watching quite a few of your nettle videos (thanks for making them), I've decided to try my hand at making nettle yarn. I now have a nice fluffy, lumpy bundle with lots of flakes still in there, but since I've been rubbing it together, I can't untangle it anymore. Would you still recommend that hand ply you show in some of your vids, or use my improvised drop spindle which I have absolutely no experience with whatsoever? And if I'd choose the drop spindle, how thick (thin) should it be? I've tried to spin a few things now, but I kept breaking the yarn. Cheers from the Netherlands!

[@SallyPointer]

At this stage, try using a comb or dog brush on it. Save the longer parallel fibres for cordage, the shorter carded tow will spin will on a spindle or spinning hook

[@Wearldsproake]

@@SallyPointer Thanks for your quick reply. I've tried spinning it with a DIY drop spindle made of a long pen and a beermat :D. it's a rather thick (and inconsistent) thread now. I only managed to get about 120cm of it from three nettle stalks, though. Do you reckon I simply need more practice to get it thinner?

[@SallyPointer]

@@Wearldsproake practice always helps

[@xanksauri89]

Excuse me if I have missed it, but have you ever done a more complex nettle fiber processing video? I saw you in a video of another channel, you were showing different fibers and you had a basket with nettle ones, processed to the point of being, while short, very clean white fibers. Is processing them to that point very difficult or complicated?

[@SallyPointer]

I've done quite a few nettle videos but most of my own use for them is done using lightly processed fibre. If you use my 'minimum effort ' video though, then once the fibres are fairly clean from the rubbing start on them with a carder, you'll get very spinnable fibre

[@mrMacGoover]

Could you comb the nettle fibers to get rid of the green?

[@SallyPointer]

It's definitely one option, and widely done in current practice. So far I've found combing removes a lot of useful material as well as waste, so one of the questions we need to answer with prehistoric nettle is whether we can get closer to the surviving textiles with, or without combing. I've got all sorts of replica and 'in the style of' ancient combs in my tool kit which are definitely part of the ongoing experiment.

[@jasminereitsma2036]

Hi Sally, can you do this in the winter or are the nettles out of season? Thanks

[@SallyPointer]

In the UK is after the nettles flower until around the first frost's, so broadly summer solstice to autumn equinox. Some areas can use winter retted nettle, but my area is far too wet.

[@JakeWitmer]

@@SallyPointer ...Interesting. I wonder what the primary decomposes are. Pleurotus ostreatus? (Oyster mushroom) ...or just unknown colonies of bacteria... exhaustive studies would be very interesting. I'd also love to see strength comparisons on the ropes, string, yarn and cordage. (Hemp; flax, nettle, cotton, silk moth silk, spider silks; nylon monofilament, UHMDPE ultra high molecular density polyethylene)

[@SallyPointer]

@@JakeWitmer I'm sure I've seen that data in some of the texts on archaeological textiles, if I remember which papers they were I'll flag it up

[@erinobrien3506]

Wouldn't a little fermentation help remove the bark?

[@SallyPointer]

Some people do ret, but I prefer working with unretted nettles. Each to their own 🙂

[@sheralync5854]

how "clean" does the fiber need to be so you can spin? Also, should it be wet spun, like linen?

[@SallyPointer]

You can spin or splice at very low levels of processing, and the fibre will continue to clean up as you work it and use the finished textile. Damp fingertips may help but it doesn't need to be wet

[@lcunningham1776]

Wondering if the nettles stalks could be rolled through a pasta roller, in place of tapping with the pestle?

[@SallyPointer]

You could, but it would be much slower and you wouldn't be able to feel what the nettle is doing as you go. By all means try it though, you may find it's good on your local nettles

[@lcunningham1776]

@@SallyPointer I am enjoying your channel ever so much! Thank you for sharing so generously❣️ I live on a sheep/goat farm have tons of nettles. The flock love them, and I eat and drink tea of them. I haven't tried obtaining the bast fibers, this year is the year.

[@brettknoss486]

Can you Rhett the fiber and clean it after it has cured?

[@SallyPointer]

Retting works well on nettle. I personally prefer working with unretted nettle fibre, but it's well worth trying both and seeing which result you prefer.

[@katehenry2718]

More experimentation: Only the stalks with flowers make fiber. The others just laugh. Bench leg is better than rolling pin. Block of wood is better than kitchen counter. The insides still don't peel off as shown, but scrubbing a broken stalk between hands will break up the insides into chaff...still stuck. Butter knife is better than chipped flint and better than steak knife that looks like chipped flint. Broken chaff still on the stalks mostly comes off if the butter knife is used like a linen scutch. Got a pinch of long fiber out of three stalks and lots of tinder crumbs. I might consider using whole stalks braided as rope since it proves itself a twin to jute rope on mower blades. Will try the leaves for tea and for dye.

[@SallyPointer]

It sounds like you are making progress. If it's still fighting back, try nettles from a different area in case there's something in the growing conditions of your current patch that is making them unusually awkward. Nettles are running late this year but right now mine are peeling and working up beautifully. If that doesn't help, hop over to the Nettles for Textiles Facebook group if you are able to and post some pictures of your current batch, and we'll try to troubleshoot for you.

[@albertrinehart1291]

May sound dumb but are you running the knife along the inside to remove the fibers from the bark or along the outside of the bark?

[@SallyPointer]

Not a daft question at all, both sides, there is more to scrape off on the outside, but the inside needs scraping too. You are removing 'green gunk' from 'white fibres' regardless of which side you work from.

[@albertrinehart1291]

@@SallyPointer Wow thanks for the quick reply I was just starting to work on my nettles following along with your video!:)

[@SallyPointer]

@@albertrinehart1291 let me know how it goes!

[@albertrinehart1291]

@@SallyPointer I will I am working on a cedar bark robe. Tribes in the Northwest Coast of North America used to make them using a combination of bark that has been shredded, bark string as well as nettle string. One last question will the nettles lighten in color as they dry?

[@SallyPointer]

@@albertrinehart1291 that sounds amazing! Yes, it should lighten, and you can also further process it after plying or weaving by washing or generally manipulating it to further loosen bark/epidermis/gunge.

[@katehenry2718]

5 months later, found the fiber but still no fiber longer than 4 inches from a shoulder high stalk.. This same field of plants wraps around mower blades like rope. So how come I get crumbs????

[@14ACREMIKE]

I have been having a go at processing nettle fiber but it keeps breaking at short (6" and less) lengths, is it likely the nettles are affected by this dry spring (June 2023)?

[@SallyPointer]

Where about are you? Here in Herefordshire the fibre is still about a week away from being ready this year.

[@pandapower5902]

ok but-- how did you not get stung from all that touching it?

[@SallyPointer]

I do get stung, but practice limits it, and I don't worry about it too much

[@messcommand7819]

Great video ! Like number 585

[@samanthaperrin6567]

What do you do with the woody pith?

[@SallyPointer]

Compost heap

[@wittygardener]

How does one remove the bark by processing after spinning or weaving?

[@SallyPointer]

If a little bark is left, it tends to wear away gradually as the fabric or cord is used. Allan Brown on the 'Nettles for Textiles' Facebook group demonstrated this last year when he wore bracelets of different grades and preparation methods of nettle fibre, after a summer of wear, all of them weathered and softened to pretty much the same amount. So, prepare with an end grade in mind, but don't worry too much about tiny amounts of left over green, it all works out in the end. You can also boil a finished cloth in wood ash lye or sea water, and 'beetle' it with a mallet to soften it up if necessary.

[@wittygardener]

@@SallyPointer Thanks a lot!