Mother Earth News_December_2016_2017

50 MOTHER EARTH NEWS December 2016/January 2017

CORDAGECORDAGECORDAGECORDAGECORDAGECORDAGE

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Natural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural ThreadNatural Thread

Extract fibers from plants to make

your own strong, sustainable string.

M

aking cordage is a fundamental survival skill

that should not be overlooked. Such natural

rope or string can be used as many things, in-

cluding snares and fishing lines, lashing in shelter con-

struction, and thread for repairing or creating clothing. It

can be made out of various materials, including the fibers

of various wildflowers, the inner fibers of yucca or agave,

the inner bark of some trees, and the sinew of large game

animals. Of the variety of assembly techniques, one of the

most common is the reverse wrap, which is the focus of

this article.

Select a Species

It’s great to start making natural cord with common local

species from your area. Some of the most common species

that are useful for making cordage include:

• Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica): fibers inside stalk


• Milkweed (Asclepias spp.): fibers inside stalk


• Dogbane (Apocynum cannabinum): fibers inside stalk


• Yucca (Yucca spp.): fibers inside leaves


• Agave (Agave spp.): fibers inside leaves


• Basswood (Tilia spp.): inner bark


• Western red cedar (Thuja plicata): inner bark
  Look for these — especially the first three — in your area,
  and practice with them.
  To harvest for the best cordage, collect the plants at the
  end of the growing season. For instance, if you choose to
  make cordage out of stinging nettle, collect them at the
  end of the summer when they’re going to seed. Strip off the
  seeds and drop them so the nettle stand will keep growing
  thickly in the future. Allowing a plant to regenerate is a
  good ethical practice with any wild plant you harvest.
  Cut the stems close to the ground and tie them into a
  bundle. Dry the bundle by hanging it up in a cool, dry
  place. You can use the leaves as a tea or as mulch.

By Filip Tkaczyk, Alderleaf Wilderness College

WWW.YARNYARN.CO.UK; PAGE 51: TOP: ISTOCK/WIRBNBRINF; ALDERLEAF WILDERNESS COLLEGE (3)

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