How to Make Nettle String

Pick the nettles while wearing gloves. Choose nettles that are relatively rigid and upright as these are more likely to have intact outer fibers.

Remove the leaves from the nettles. Trim the top and bottom of the nettle off, leaving only the stems. As you gather them, rub the stems with your gloves to remove the small hairs that sting the skin. After doing this, the nettles should be safe to handle without gloves.

Press the rock against the nettle stem and slide it down the nettle to flatten the nettle stem. This is called bruising the nettle because it darkens the flattened area. Don't press so hard that you tear the nettle stem. This process makes the nettle easier to handle and manipulate. You can also flatten the base to prevent damage to the fibers on the stem of the nettle. Flatten the entire stem to help make the separation of fibers easier.

Cut the nettle open with a sharp knife or pry the nettle apart with your fingernail. Bend the nettle around the halfway point. This should separate the nettle into two parts or layers. One part will be a hard stick-like solid piece and the other part will be the outer fibers of the nettle.

Remove the stick from the middle and throw it away. The remaining fiber is the material from which you will make your cord or string.

Twist the nettle fibers tightly to make your string. There are two ways to make the string. One way is by twisting the fibers immediately after separating them from the inner wood. The other way to make the string is by drying the nettle fibers either overnight or for a shorter time beside a camp fire. This can cause the string to be fragile, however. You can combine these methods and dry the fibers before twisting them as this makes a cleaner twine. Once twisted, the twine should be stiff enough that it does not need to be knotted. Even so, knotting can give it extra stability.