Abaca fiber

Hemp, real industrial grade hemp, won't get you high. But it can get you some nice fiber to play with.

Hemp is one of the strongest fibers around. Like its cousin, flax, hemp is a “bast” fiber, which means that the fiber-producing part of the plant is made up of strands that run its length, and surround the woody core of the stem.

Water retted flax fiber

Hemp fabric is hip and happening. You’ve probably only been hearing about it recently, but hemp fiber has been around FOREVER Photo by Qusv Yang on Unsplash #hemp #sustainablefashion

Raw hemp fiber being separated from the stalk

For the vast majority of reasonable humans found anywhere on the planet, jeans are the greatest invention in the medium of apparel in the history of human civilization. They look good. They feel go…

About a year ago, Anne (otherwise known as bunnyspinner on Ravelry and Twitter) contacted me about writing an article on bast fibers for ...