Yarn from Wild Nettles: A Practical Guide - Paperback

by Birte Ford (Author)

Birte Ford began experimenting with nettles in the 1990s when she moved to Scotland. In her quest to find the simplest way to get spinnable fibres from nettles, she has experimented with dew and water retting, the two traditional methods for retting flax and hemp. While both these methods work well for nettles, Birte found a simpler method for a cold northern European climate, which she termed root retting. This book is about her work with wild nettles and her results.

Author Biography

After qualifying from the school of Interior Architecture in Copenhagen, Danish born Surface Designer, Birte B. Ford, studied at the Ruskin School of Fine Art in Oxford. Working with Roger Warner in Burford, she followed her interest in textiles and antiques. In 1963 she married a Scot and settled in Britain. In 1978 she became captivated by textiles through her work as a demonstrator and workshop tutor in weaving and textile printing at Quarry Bank Mill in Styal, Cheshire. During the 1980s and early 1990s, Birte worked as a freelance surface designer, working mainly in gouache selling in Britain and USA.