My cotton project

Not everyone I run across is aware of my multiple lives, belly dance students and friends don't necessarily know about my work in fibers, and visa versa. But that is part of what this blog is about, my attempt at integrating all the crazy split facets of my life.

So one of my belly dance students who is also attempting to live a low footprint life, mentioned that it was impossible to handspin cotton...she said this to me! of all people! It was her lucky day to be informed that it is indeed very possible to handspin cotton for multiple needs- knitting-weaving-string- and even easy and fun once you learn how it's done!


Well now that the year is almost over I'm telling you that the United Nations named 2009 the year of natural fibers. To me every year is the year of natural fibers. The ability to make objects we need that already exist in nature is a great gift as I'm sure most people realize. Current and future residents (of all species) of our planet stand to benefit from the use of natural fibers. From people who grow and produce commercial products to the home crafter we can lessen our negative impact on environment by using natural fibers. I don't believe we need synthetic fibers and they only add to our dependance on fossil fules. I have a strong belief that we can all enjoy abundant lives through local/slow food and (I just heard this one) slow clothes and more things beyond that. What we really need is less of everything in order to enjoy higher quality lives.


Back to the cotton story! So over the next few months I'm going to attempt to share the process of making clothing out of cotton from plant to finished product.

Here are pictures of the cotton trees in my garden. I planted them a year ago thinking they would just be the usual smallish cotton bushes that I have grown before, but for some reason they decided to become trees, the tallest of which is about 15 feet tall!

Cotton can be grown pretty easily in any temperate climate. Where I live we range from about 5-7 days below freezing to 14-21 days over 90* in a year. So it's pretty mild here, unfortunately we don't get much rain. You just start the little cotton seeds in the ground, I've done it any time of year. You have to protect your young plants if you have chickens or animals that like to eat tender young plants. I've been told it is a poisonous plant but I guess it's not to chickens as far as I can tell since one of my chickens ate my cotton plants a few years back and she is now 9 years old.
There are complete instructions on how to grow cotton in the current Fall 2009 issue of Spin off, for more complete instructions.
Here are pictures of my cotton plants! The pretty yellow flowers become large round seed pods called bolls, I will post pictures of some as soon as they appear trees and then they burst into cotton balls!

If you would like to try growing your own cotton, I'd be thrilled to send you some seeds, just send me a message!



I would like to add this piece written by George Carlin, I plucked it off of a newsletter recently...
A Message by George Carlin:
The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less; we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.
We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little,watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.
We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too
much, love too seldom, and hate too often.
We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things.
We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.
These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete...
Remember; spend some time with your loved ones, because they are notgoing to be around forever.
Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.
Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.
Remember, to say, 'I love you' to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.
Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.
Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the preciousthoughts in your mind.
And always remember:
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.
George Carlin