No-Tool Spinning / Twisting a thread.

Here is a diagram from my friend Miekee who lives in the Netherlands - we got together via the Internet to discuss and swap notes on the fibre crafts of Papua New Guinea.   It shows the process of spinning bast fibres to make string which is then used to loop a large variety of string bags from the very small and tightly looped men's bilum to the ginormous open figure-8 looped ones used for carting produce from the gardens.  
The process uses no tools, in a two step process that twists two threads, then plies them tightly together.   The only modification I would add is to start with one bundle of strands,  add twist somewhere like 1/3 of the way along, then fold in it's centre to allow the ply to start - then when more fibre bundles are added, the joins don't coincide.   Edit:  forgot to say that the rolling (twisting) takes place along the thigh, which should be tensed - is that flexed? - rather than relaxed.  It takes a bit of practice to get the right amount of pressure on the bundles of bast.

Hi Jill. Like your friend I live in the Netherlands too. I'm very interested in plant fibers, making them into cords to use for techniques already known in the Stone Age.

I use a similar technique, which was taught to me as a method for making bow string. You start with two bundles of fibers held together (temporarily or permanently) in one end. This end needs to be attached to something. I like to hold it with my toes, but tying it to something also works.

Holding one bundle in each hand, you twist them both clockwise using your fingers, and then pass one bundle over the other in the counterclockwise direction, switching hands as you do. Repeat and keep going. If more convenient, you can do it the other way around (twisting counterclockwise and passing-over clockwise). Unless you start with extremely long fibers, you'll need to continuously introduce new fibers as you go to keep the bundles at a constant thickness.

I've used this method with several types of fiber: nettle, fireweed stem, cattail root, willow bast, sheeps' wool, split bird-down and my own hair. It works well on most fibers, as long as they aren't too short. Fireweed or willow seed fluff doesn't work well, the thread turns out very weak since the individual fibers are so short. Human hair needs to be twisted tightly, since the thread otherwise slips apart. Any thickness of string can be made, although very thin string requires thin, strong fibers, and I suppose a very thick one might place some strain on the hands.

Hi Inga - my knowledge of plant fibres, apart from flax and cotton, is based on usage in Papua New Guinea and Tropical Northern Australia,  but the methods of obtaining the raw materials has to be similar.  Anthropologist at our museum indicated that a stone axe with a sharp smooth edge was much more efficient than just a chipped off edge . . . the fibres were always harvested sustainably.
In the highlands of PNG, possum fur or feather down is added to the string while it is being twisted;  this adds warmth to the bilums (string bag) which are used as a baby cradle - hung from a post in the dwelling - so the baby is safe and off the floor.  Australian First nations people also incorporated feather down into their string, more for decoration.

Hi Eino - your twisting method is the one I use sometimes to finish woven fabrics, making a twisted fringe and to make drawstring cords.   Technology has caught up with me and I use a door knob anchor point and a twisting gadget, but I started out with the finger method.

Jill Dyer wrote:Hi Inga - my knowledge of plant fibres, apart from flax and cotton, is based on usage in Papua New Guinea and Tropical Northern Australia,  but the methods of obtaining the raw materials has to be similar.  Anthropologist at our museum indicated that a stone axe with a sharp smooth edge was much more efficient than just a chipped off edge . . . the fibres were always harvested sustainably.
In the highlands of PNG, possum fur or feather down is added to the string while it is being twisted;  this adds warmth to the bilums (string bag) which are used as a baby cradle - hung from a post in the dwelling - so the baby is safe and off the floor.  Australian First nations people also incorporated feather down into their string, more for decoration.

Hi Eino - your twisting method is the one I use sometimes to finish woven fabrics, making a twisted fringe and to make drawstring cords.   Technology has caught up with me and I use a door knob anchor point and a twisting gadget, but I started out with the finger method.

Interesting to know about cultures in far away countries using the same (textile) techniques as those that were known here (Western Europe) long ago. I think archaeologists would be wise to co-operate with anthropologists, studying what native peoples still make and use can add to the knowledge of the past (prehistory). The few textile remains found from prehistory don't give a complete image of how people lived back then. I think making a sort-of hammock for the baby using plant fiber twisted together with feather-down is a very good idea!

The method I use now for twisting thread/cords/strings is the finger method. Before 'the era of internet' I only knew about twisting with one end fixed (to a door knob), twisting the other end (by hand) and then doubling the cord. As a child I found it funny to see the cord turn and twist in the last step.

Eino Kenttä wrote:I use a similar technique, which was taught to me as a method for making bow string. You start with two bundles of fibers held together (temporarily or permanently) in one end. This end needs to be attached to something. I like to hold it with my toes, but tying it to something also works.

Holding one bundle in each hand, you twist them both clockwise using your fingers, and then pass one bundle over the other in the counterclockwise direction, switching hands as you do. Repeat and keep going. If more convenient, you can do it the other way around (twisting counterclockwise and passing-over clockwise). Unless you start with extremely long fibers, you'll need to continuously introduce new fibers as you go to keep the bundles at a constant thickness.

I've used this method with several types of fiber: nettle, fireweed stem, cattail root, willow bast, sheeps' wool, split bird-down and my own hair. It works well on most fibers, as long as they aren't too short. Fireweed or willow seed fluff doesn't work well, the thread turns out very weak since the individual fibers are so short. Human hair needs to be twisted tightly, since the thread otherwise slips apart. Any thickness of string can be made, although very thin string requires thin, strong fibers, and I suppose a very thick one might place some strain on the hands.

Since a few years I do my best to find out which plant fibers growing in my region (as native plants) can be used as materials. Not only for making cordage (I use the finger method you describe), but also plants that can be used in strips (or even whole stalks/branches) for weaving mats, baskets, a.a.

Because I wanted to find out this i.m.o. useful knowledge I came in contact with the open-air museum in this region (Hunebedcentrum, Borger). They could give me a little more information, but were also interested in the things I already knew. So now I sometimes demonstrate processing plant fibers there (how maybe this could have been done by Neolithic people), dressed up as a Neolithic woman.

Since a few years I do my best to find out which plant fibers growing in my region (as native plants) can be used as materials.

Here's another fibre to add to the list . . . oak tree fibre,  Perhaps the builders shared the fibre, who knows?
https://phys.org/news/2021-11-unearthed-textiles-stone-age-settlement.html

Also a good place to find textile references:- https://archaeology.org/news/

Jill Dyer wrote:

Since a few years I do my best to find out which plant fibers growing in my region (as native plants) can be used as materials.

Here's another fibre to add to the list . . . oak tree fibre,  Perhaps the builders shared the fibre, who knows?
https://phys.org/news/2021-11-unearthed-textiles-stone-age-settlement.html

Also a good place to find textile references:- https://archaeology.org/news/

Yes, I know about oak tree bast fibre. I even tried some when I was at a Stone Age Gathering. I don't like it, it's coarse and brittle. Linden (or 'lime') bast is much nicer.

It’s interesting that this was mentioned now. I have been spinning nettle thread by hand recently and have been liking the process. There is a little more control over the fineness of the thread, it is smoother too.

My technique is a kind of splicing. I wet my finger and then twist two fibers together. If one of the fibers runs out, I lay another fiber onto the end and twist those together, then twist the whole thread again until the other fiber runs out, and on and on.

I have a picture of some finished thread but also have a video I plan to share which is clumsy but would help to illustrate the technique. It is full of background noise so I hope to replace it with some music. If I forget to do this you may prod me.

Maieshe Ljin wrote:It’s interesting that this was mentioned now. I have been spinning nettle thread by hand recently and have been liking the process. There is a little more control over the fineness of the thread, it is smoother too.

My technique is a kind of splicing. I wet my finger and then twist two fibers together. If one of the fibers runs out, I lay another fiber onto the end and twist those together, then twist the whole thread again until the other fiber runs out, and on and on.

I have a picture of some finished thread but also have a video I plan to share which is clumsy but would help to illustrate the technique. It is full of background noise so I hope to replace it with some music. If I forget to do this you may prod me.

your thread looks great!

Ooh, neat! Did you try to weave with that?

Inge Leonora-den Ouden wrote:
your thread looks great!

Thank you!

Eino Kenttä wrote:Ooh, neat! Did you try to weave with that?

Not yet but I want to, when I have enough—which will be a while! I’m excited to do so though.