Showing posts with label cotton. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cotton. Show all posts

Monday, December 29, 2008

Spinning Cotton



Spinning the cotton on the drop spindle is giving me lumpy yarn. I've just started (last night), so I suspect my technique will become refined with practice. The yarn is strong though, and soft. I like the variation in color and shade that I see within the twist.

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Cotton Roving


This is green cotton lint that I've cleaned of seeds and other unwanted plant debris, and then gently formed into roving - or long skinny sections ready to spin. I did not card this cotton, but that can be done, I simply worked the lint into the roving. I'm going to spin the cotton with a drop spindle. I think this will not make very much cotton yarn, but I will plant more seeds next year and so on until I have enough cotton yarn with which to make something useful.

I've been practicing knitting (with purchased wool) and crocheting (with purchased cotton yarn). I made a scarf out of blue wool, and a dish cloth out of ecru cotton. I'm working on a larger piece with ecru & cream-colored cotton, that is supposed to be a wrap or something.

Monday, November 3, 2008

Cotton Plant

A cotton boll before it bursts open with the lint.
The cotton lint from my plants has a natural green color. In Permaculture we hope to provide for as many of our needs as possible, fiber being one of them. Cotton is a thirsty plant, which requires rich soil and sunshine in a long growing season.