I'm running out of caulking cotton from the boat, which I use for tying the frame for climbing beans, so I'm considering the alternative of making my own 'string'.

If I can get to spinning it does open up fabric but I have so much organic cotton that it's so unlikely I will consider nettle fabric.

Method 1

Uses this years harvest fully grown so August after the flowers have seeded maybe.

1. Remove the leaves
2. Retting. Soaking the nettle stalks for ten days or unitl the celulose around the fibre breaks down
3. Dry the nettles out in the sun
4. Break the dried-up stalks by hand to separate the fine fibres from the woody pith
5. Spin to make yarn for string

Using this years harvest and wet retting: motherearthnews.com

---

Method 2

Use last years plants and dry retting: nettlecraft.com

---

For more info see nettlesfortextiles.org.uk