Turning dandelion and lavender plant fibers into yarn involves several steps to extract, process, and spin the fibers. Here's an overview of the process:
- Harvesting: Dandelion and Lavender plants are harvested when they are mature. Dandelion roots are usually used for other purposes, such as supplements. Lavender blooms are reserved for oils, fragments, flavorings, and supplements.
- Cleaning: The harvested plants are cleaned to remove dirt, debris, and any unwanted parts of the plant.
- Extraction: The fibers are extracted from the dandelion and lavender stems. This can be done using mechanical or chemical methods. Mechanical extraction involves crushing or scraping the stems to release the fibers.
- Retting: Retting is a process used to separate the fibers from the stem. It can be done by soaking the stems in water or by allowing them to rot slightly. This process breaks down the pectin that holds the fibers together.
- Drying: Once the fibers are separated, they are dried to remove excess moisture.
- Carding: The dried fibers are then carded to align them in a parallel orientation. This helps to make the
fibers more uniform and easier to spin.
- Spinning: The carded fibers are spun into yarn using a spinning wheel or spinning machine. The amount
of twist applied during spinning determines the strength and texture of the yarn.
- Finishing: The spun yarn may undergo additional processes, such as washing,
to remove any remaining impurities or chemicals. It may also be dyed or treated to improve its properties.
- Dyeing: Plant fibers are dyed using fiber reactive dyes.