Cotton Fabric From My Garden

I have a small home garden and generally only grow ten to fifteen cotton plants per year. I begin gathering the bolls in late July. I begin by removing the seeds from each boll and getting the cotton ready to card. The seeds are easily removed by hand, but it is a slow and repetitive process.

Weaving with the starched treads is odd. The weave looks far to open and uneven, but you have to keep reminding yourself that the threads will open up after the starch has been washed out. Making the fabric softer and the weave will tighten up considerably.

Hand spun and woven indigo dyed strip woven fabric inspired by fabrics from West Africa.

For years now I have been obsessed with hand spun cotton. I love the weight, texture and feel of the uneven threads. I have been growing cotton in my garden for over ten years now and I have woven several bolts of fabric using my home grown cotton.

The cotton is carded and formed into small slivers which keep the cotton fibers in the same direction and make it easier to spin strong thread. After spinning the thread is boiled to remove the cottons natural wax. At this time the threads can be dyed. Before weaving the threads need to be starched to make them strong enough for being warped on the loom. Starching makes the threads crinkly and very crisp.

My Japanese spinning wheel is excellent for spinning fine cotton thread.

Starched threads

Finished hand spun and woven indigo dyed kimono width fabric.