The Story
Himalayan nettle has a long history of being used as a fibre. Nettle in general as a spinning fibre is perhaps most known by the fairy tale, The Six Swans, and while it wasn't Himalayan nettle specifically, nettle was used across Europe likely dating back to the Bronze Age (although I've not found any academic sources on this, and too few sites state their sources or have broken links). Nettle is also a much more environmentally sustainable alternative to cotton: it requires less water, less pesticides, and it's more durable.
The Spin
The sample is 25g but I have to admit that I didn't even manage to spin half of that. I have chronic pain, and sometimes I have to not do things I love doing. I love spinning, but my joints do not. In order to get this post published on time, I had to stop long before I really wanted to; I know I could just delay the post, but I'd keep delaying it. World of Wool describe this as "an eco-friendly, naturally growing nettle fibre with antistatic, hypoallergenic, antimicrobial and antibacterial properties" which is amazing. They also source it as part of the Fair Salary scheme to make sure local farmers are paid fairly. Personally, I didn't find it to be antistatic: it was the opposite of that. I don't know whether it's because my hands were warm (more pain means more heat in my joints), I just know that I struggled with it sticking to me. That said, I feel like this would be a wonderful fibre to blend with wool for a bit of extra strength and softness. This does have a softness to it, despite what the name/source might suggest.
The Statistics
This was an interesting one. It seemed to have two staple lengths, not dissimilar to double coated sheep, with shorter lengths of around three inches being mixed with lengths of up to eleven inches. With such a small amount of singles spun, I can't tell my exact WPI. I've not plied this, I do intend to finish it when I can, but currently my body is complaining too much.
The Slides
While I did have a few struggles with this, I can imagine it would be an alternative to mohair. That halo is beautiful, it has a tiny fluffy texture while still remaining soft. Blending this with wool would create an unusual but fascinating blend; I'd love to spin this with some Rambouillet blended with it, or even something less soft like Shetland or Cheviot. This would make a fantastic sock blend.
The Sources
https://nwyarns.com/blogs/northwest-yarns/know-your-fiber-himalayan-nettle
https://www.textilesphere.com/2020/08/himalayan-nettle-fiber-properties-extraction-applications.html
https://yarnandknitting.com/know-your-fibre-nettle/
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