It’s been a long growing season (February to November). My 2014 northern Indiana cotton crop is finally in. This year I tried a few different things in hopes of increasing my yield, like well, planting twice as many plants and fertilizing. It didn’t work. I did not get as much as last year . This probably should not be called a crop (false advertisement right?). The huge yield I had last year amounted to less than 4 ounces 🙂 All the same I enjoyed watching it grow. However small the amount it is still useful. Next year I will most likely need to replace the soil on the side of the house where I grow it and plant less. I think poor spacing and depleted soil caused me to get less yield.
I ended up picking the cotton at the end of October, earlier than usual (mid November) because it kept raining and I didn’t want the cotton to rot. I already had a few casualties at this point.
Too much rain. This cotton boll rotted
The cool thing is even if you pick the bolls early while they’re still green, they still open up just fine on their own as they dry. It takes about two weeks but they will open. It’s actually kind of cool to watch.
I like the cool, finger-like leaves that cover the bollsMy little nephew Waymel was glad to help with the bucket
Cotton Bolls picked earlyThis boll is starting to split
I potted two plants and brought them inside curious to see what they will look like next year. Cotton tree maybe?
This is it. I haven’t seeded the cotton yet. Right now I’m enjoying the fluffy, cuteness in a bowl on my mantel.
I have had an fascination with handcrafted textiles since before I can remember. The most influential women in my life have been skilled at sewing and needlecrafts. This includes great grandmother Mattie and grandma Arelia who was ever encouraging and proud of her “sweet pea” as I attempted my first projects at the age of 11.
Starting with braid weaving, then progressing to sewing, then crochet I was on my way. I received a bachelors in Apparel, Textiles and Merchandising from Eastern Michigan University in 2006. Over the years I have picked up knitting, loom weaving, embroidery and finally spinning every type of fiber I can get my hands on.
The process of creating using traditional techniques has brought me much joy and fulfillment over the years and I hope to inspire others to explore our heritage skills through my sharing.
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Traditions in Cloth 