Welcome to The Aboriginal Art of String Making page

I have been making string for tying stone axe handles and making artefacts for 40 years or so...

Using it as a preference to bought string... and worth more too!

My artefacts and art have been collected worldwide.

So I know how to make string from bark or most grasses, strip of tissue paper, towelling...

Once learned it can be done with any fibre. 

This download has all the info needed and plenty of it.

There are 4 files:  

2 Videos and 2 Pdfs with a lot of pictures.

That way you can take your time and replay parts of 

 actual collecting bark and processing it for string making. 

The technique carries through to most bush fibre processing.

All the info in this download is from my personal experience

I was taught a long long time ago by two old ladies from the North.

So I have done it hundreds and hundreds of times. 

Enough times to make it look easy;) 

Which it is.

How to prepare the fibre so it will make professional string. 

All the info in this download is from my own lifes' practice making and using traditional Aboriginal materials to make artefacts or just lovely nice string for crafts people..

A class project to cover many aspects of the curriculum that can be collected from most school yards

(40 years Aboriginal hands on workshops at schools)

String making covers textiles to friction to kinetic energy to woodworking and then some ... 

I use Beach Hibiscus (Cotton tree).

Because it's local and native and very good 

...once it's washed. 

As it dries it takes on different shades and colours...But there are lots of other options.

Palm trees grow everywhere, their leaves and and branches have long fibre strings. 

So do acacias and figs.

Many, many grasses will work fantastically.

 It takes a little practice but the technique is pretty straight forward. 

Just have to get the hang of it and it's easy...

Watch the video as you do it a couple of times.

Everything you need to make string is in the videos and files. 

If you twist a fibre until it's tight and bend it in half, there is nothing that will stop that fibre from twisting together and becoming string.

Any long bark strip or fibre, from the smallest grass to the biggest tree can be used for string making using these skills.

Potential sources of fibre:

Wattle Tree Bark is GREAT and it grows everywhere. 

The inner bark is collected the same way...

Never rots, lasts forever, especially if it's soaked for a few days.

But not soft on your legs rolling it.

Fig tree bark is strong and soft but stretchy.

Once you start experimenting you will be amazed by the potential string making materials all around you.

They just need to be collected, dried, dampened, fibres separated and then used...