11.8 grams--
a week's work.
Or, more truly,
a week's pleasure--
a week's pleasure--
day after day
of long white fibers
making themselves known
a strand at a time--
of long white fibers
making themselves known
a strand at a time--
beautiful bast
in a small clump
of Aphid-infested plants
my neighbor wanted gone.
in a small clump
of Aphid-infested plants
my neighbor wanted gone.
For months --
nay, years--
I've been trying
to learn about local bast fibers--
nay, years--
I've been trying
to learn about local bast fibers--
Nettle, Dogbane, and Milkweed too--
reading the sparse literature--
mostly about working with Nettles
(thank you Allan Brown for your work)--
watching the odd video
(thank you Sally Pointer),
and trying,
with limited/mixed success,
reading the sparse literature--
mostly about working with Nettles
(thank you Allan Brown for your work)--
watching the odd video
(thank you Sally Pointer),
and trying,
with limited/mixed success,
to make friends
with these glorious materials--
one of which,
this week,
for whatever reason,
and rather against the odds,
with these glorious materials--
one of which,
this week,
for whatever reason,
and rather against the odds,
agreed to work with me.
experimental distaff stick (vs baskety thing)--willow whip without bark from last week's post. For more on previous distaff experiments, type 'distaff' into the search bar above.
This is not even supposed
to be the right season--
not least because Milkweed plants
are essential to the entire life cycle
of Monarch Butterflies
(should Monarch be capitalized? Anyone know?)
and to cut down the stalks
before the butterflies have flown
is deeply irresponsible--
which makes me
insanely grateful
to my neighbor
and Aphids.
to be the right season--
not least because Milkweed plants
are essential to the entire life cycle
of Monarch Butterflies
(should Monarch be capitalized? Anyone know?)
and to cut down the stalks
before the butterflies have flown
is deeply irresponsible--
which makes me
insanely grateful
to my neighbor
and Aphids.
Well, truth be told,
I'm grateful, too,
to all the people
who have worked with
these plants for millennia,
as well as to all the plants
that have helped me,
in turn, to practice
and learn.
I'm grateful, too,
to all the people
who have worked with
these plants for millennia,
as well as to all the plants
that have helped me,
in turn, to practice
and learn.
what was left in the combs after the long fibers were drawn through And really,
how not to also be pleased--
in the moment
and in retrospect--
by my former self
for her persistence
and (sometimes painfully)
slow acquisition
of knowledge
skills,
familiarity,
dexterity,
and
dare I say,
patience--
how not to also be pleased--
in the moment
and in retrospect--
by my former self
for her persistence
and (sometimes painfully)
slow acquisition
of knowledge
skills,
familiarity,
dexterity,
and
dare I say,
patience--
all of which have helped
to make me available
for these beauties:
to the obvious long fibers,
to make me available
for these beauties:
to the obvious long fibers,
to the 'leftover' medium length ones
that were ready to be re-combed,
drawn out into a form of top
wound on a wrist (vs stick) distaff
and made into lovely yarn themselves,
that were ready to be re-combed,
drawn out into a form of top
wound on a wrist (vs stick) distaff
and made into lovely yarn themselves,
and to the shortest ones
which were just the right length
for a couple of easy-to-spin
hand carded rolags
and allowed for
absolutely no waste at all --
barring the now composting
scraped off outer green bits
and the drying-for-kindling inner stalks.
which were just the right length
for a couple of easy-to-spin
hand carded rolags
and allowed for
absolutely no waste at all --
barring the now composting
scraped off outer green bits
and the drying-for-kindling inner stalks.
How lucky can a gal get?
(says she to her future self,
lest she forget, sometime,
how wondrous and generous
the world can be).
--and a sartorial post script--
You might well think my just-off-the-needles
Targhee/Debouillet/Cormo etc tank top is all I've worn this week.
And you might be right!
Also the blue pants. I have to say. Oh my word.
They come from MAIWA --first new pants in years and years.
A gift to my legs and butt, from me.
No promotion thing -- they have no idea-- I am just utterly in love.
Be warned -- there will be patched pants and long term mending
(as needed though none yet despite continual wear), in future blogs...
(says she to her future self,
lest she forget, sometime,
how wondrous and generous
the world can be).
--and a sartorial post script--
You might well think my just-off-the-needles
Targhee/Debouillet/Cormo etc tank top is all I've worn this week.
And you might be right!
Also the blue pants. I have to say. Oh my word.
They come from MAIWA --first new pants in years and years.
A gift to my legs and butt, from me.
No promotion thing -- they have no idea-- I am just utterly in love.
Be warned -- there will be patched pants and long term mending
(as needed though none yet despite continual wear), in future blogs...
