How to make DIY rope from plants

Hey, remember our article on the best plants for making rope? In this article, we’ve covered the species you can craft into ropes. Now we will teach you exactly How? ‘Or’ What to do it. DIY rope is essential for self-sufficiency and a great skill to have overall.

Read on for a step-by-step guide to turning plants like milkweed, cattails, palms, honeysuckle, and willow into super useful and versatile ropes.

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Is it difficult to make a DIY rope?

No, it is not difficult in itself, but it is is long. If you have the option of buying your rope instead, you can go that route. That said, there is something about making your own string that is extremely satisfying.

It also ensures that nothing on your land will ever be lost.

If you’re serious about being as self-sufficient as possible, then learning to do this stuff is really great for your personal repertoire.

Step 1: Gather your plant material

As we touched on in our article on cordage plants, there are many different species that can be made into cordage. Cattails and milkweed are two of my favorites, but you can use anything that grows in abundance near you.

Gather about three times more than you think you need. The best time to pick plants for this purpose is in the fall or early spring, as the stem colors are easier to identify. Old, gray, crumbly stems will not produce usable fibers.

On the other hand, the greener and newer stems will be difficult to transform into fiber.

This is our Goldilocks moment, because the one-year-old stems and long leaves (like cattails) are perfect.

Take a sturdy knife with you when harvesting. If you collect stalks/stems, try to cut them just above ground level, rather than pulling out the rhizomes. The same goes for picking cattails or yucca leaves. Cut as close to the stem as possible to keep the fiber lengths intact.

Step 2: Hit them

Plant matter is made up of two major components: starch and fiber. We want to soak our plants in water long enough for the starches to break down so we can remove the fibers easily.

Spread your plant matter out in front of you and grab a large, solid rock. (This is the best part of DIY string making).

Strike the stems along their entire length to break through the tough outer bark. If you don’t, the water you soak them in won’t be able to seep through to the center. Just channel all of your life frustrations into the task at hand and walk away.

Step 3: soak them

Now is the time to put those stems (or leaves) in the water. Where you choose to do this will depend on the types of waterways you have. Some people like to use bogs or ponds for their retted fibers. Others like slow-moving streams or streams.

If you don’t have any nearby, you can default to your tub or buckets. Just note that you won’t be able to take a bath for a week or two and then you’ll have to thoroughly clean that tub. If you have the option of soaking your fibers outdoors, definitely go that route.

A technique we used when there was no body of water nearby is a “wet pit”.

Basically, we dug a shallow hole in the ground and lined it with tarps. Then we placed the plant material inside, added water, and then covered with more tarps. This was a rather janky solution but ended up working quite well.

Soak your plants for 8-21 days, checking progress daily. You’ll know the fibers are ready to harvest when they separate easily from the stalks.

When you underwrap, they cling tightly and will be hard to pull apart. On the other hand, if you leave them in the water for too long, the fibers will start to break down. I’ve found that for most species, 12-14 days seems like the magical middle ground.

That said, some plant materials are harder and need longer to soak. For example, see this image as an example of Caesar’s weed (Lobed urena) and what its fibers looked like during its retting process.

Step 4: Release the fibers

Once the starchy plant matter has broken down, the fibers are relatively easy to remove. Rinse them well under running water before separating them. This will help remove excess slime from their rotting surroundings and prevent you from getting stinky fingers while you work.

Gently separate the fibers or use a large comb to separate them. Unsurprisingly, the heavy-duty metal combs I use to process animal fibers also work well for DIY rope plant fibers.

Step 5: Rinse again and hang to dry

Once the fibers are all separated, give them another good rinse. Seriously, sticky goo can cling on pretty tightly, so rub it between your fingers under running water to get it off.

Now you will need to hang it to dry for several days. I use my attic for this purpose because it’s dry, gets a good cross breeze, and won’t be disturbed by people or animals. Some people prefer to dry their fibers outdoors. This can work, provided there is no rain forecast.

Aim for a branch, broomstick, or secure clothesline. Then, drape your wet fibers over it so that their weight is distributed fairly evenly. If you’re worried about them flying off, secure them to the line with twist ties.

Make sure your fibers are almost completely dry when you work them. If you try to twist and bend wet fibers, they will loosen and come loose on you later. That said, completely dry fibers can be harder to work with.

The best technique I’ve come across so far is to work with well-dried fibers but dip my fingertips in water as I twist them. That way, there’s no lingering moisture inside, but the tiny drops of moisture make them easier to handle.

Step 6: Get Twisty

Now that your fibers are ready, it’s time to twist them into rope.

If you’ve ever made knotted friendship bracelets, you’ll probably remember that you had to secure one end somewhere while you were working. The same goes for making DIY rope. Get a scrap cord and braid it about an inch long with two of your strands of retted fibers.

Make a good knot in it, then secure it somewhere. I like to use a tree if I’m working outdoors, or one of my stair railings if I’m doing it indoors.

Then take your two strands and put them together. This part is a bit finicky and will take some practice to get it right.

The best technique to ensure that your rope will be strong and won’t fray is to do a “reverse twist”. This involves twisting one of the strands in the opposite direction to which you are rolling. Watch the video linked below for a simple visual guide:

As you can imagine, you will need to keep adding more plant material as you go. The best way to do this is to make sure you add one piece of fiber at a time. If you try to add two at the same time, you will create a weak point in your DIY rope.

Schedule your additions so that they overlap at alternating increments. If you have trouble imagining that, check out the illustration here. As you can see, the new fibers are spliced ​​at the strongest point (middle) of the previous one.

Step 7: Use as is or fold/braid into a heavier cord.

What happens next will depend entirely on how you plan to use your string. For example, thinner ropes are great for tying tomatoes, but they won’t help you pull a canoe.

If you use it for heavier tasks, then you will have to assemble several cords. You will do this in the opposite direction to how they are twisted, to make a thick, coiled rope. This will prevent fraying and create a strong, durable material that you can reuse for a while.

Alternatively, if you don’t feel confident in your ply skills, you can braid/plait the cordage instead. It can even be done gradually to create super thick strings. For example, let’s say you braid three of your cords together. This will create a slightly thicker cord. But what if you repeat this several times and then braid those cords together? And then repeated again?

You can keep braiding or bending as many ropes together as you want to get the thickness of rope you need.

Practical Ways to Use Your DIY Rope

I can tell you some of the ways we used our own rope around the property, but this is by no means an exhaustive list.

So far we have used it for:

  • Hold structures together while they are being built
  • Leading a goat off our porch and back to its owner (I can’t make this up)
  • Mark off various areas so that animals cannot roam in them
  • Secure ladders while working around the house
  • Provide extra support for heavy-fruited plants (gourds, melons, etc.)
  • Tie the fish traps to the trees on the shore

There are obviously countless other uses, but these are just the ones I’ve come across so far. As you can see, DIY rope making is really a great skill to have.

Whether you’re doing it as part of a homeschooling program or just to expand your own self-help repertoire, it’s definitely worth a try. And hey, if it turns out you don’t like it, there’s probably a hardware store down the street for some pre-made jute rope instead.

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