Sewing with a thorn

[Boondock]

I carry a sewing kit and duct tape in my bag, and my PSK also has a needle. Still, I wondered how I'd make repairs if I lost or was separated from my gear.

In such a situation, I figure there'd be other priorities of work to accomplish. I would not want to devote considerable time and effort to crafting a sewing needle, but might need to perform a few comfort tasks, like darn a sock or mend a wool sweater or blanket.

There's a thorn tree outside my house, I believe it's a Washington Hawthorn, with decent long, straight and pointy thorns.



I clipped a few and attempted to fashion a needle. This was done with a Swiss Army Knife. I cut and scraped tiny notches on opposite ends of the thorn.



I carry dental floss in my PSK, so that's what I used as thread. Tied the floss around the notch and secured it with a tight square knot.



Tried to mend a USGI wool sock and was able to make crude but effective stitches. Had to go very slow, as the sock fibers sometimes got caught in the notch and threatened to pull off the thread.



Also tested this on a cotton T-shirt and it worked out. Did not work well on heavy material, such as a pair of Wrangler cargo pants, mainly because the thick, so-called eye end of the thorn punched large holes in the fabric.

My conclusion: Improvised needles from natural materials work for simple repairs to clothing or items with loose fibers, probably better if added effort is devoted to creating more functional needle, which might not be feasible in a survival situation.

I also decided I'm going to pack extra needles in my kits.

It was a fun, however, to try some primitive skills and test the difference between theory and reality, so to speak. A lot of bushcraft concepts are easier conceived than performed. Also makes you appreciate the ancients.

FYI, this experiment took about an hour. It also served as a test for posting photos on the forum.

Thanks for viewing.

[ZombieGranny]

Very nice writeup, and a quite cool experiment!
You have me curious now, I don't believe I've ever tried doing that.
Must look around and see if there is anything other than rose thorns I could use.

When I hand sew things like denim, I try to go between the threads. That way the holes close back up after a wash.

[JoeTosco]

Cool to know that it works in a hurry.

[Boondock]

Cool to know that it works in a hurry.

Works in a pinch would be more accurate. I was working very patiently.

[the_alias]

Good thread, thanks for sharing!

pun sorta intended...

[Israel]

Spiffy experiment. I like the use of floss. Is the needle strong enough to work with thicker fabrics or will it break?
I try to keep needles hidden in most of my gear that has an eye that will fit inner paracord strand ( I don't remember the gage).I also have a few travel kits I nicked from hotels when I traveled a lot.

[Boondock]

Spiffy experiment. I like the use of floss. Is the needle strong enough to work with thicker fabrics or will it break?
I try to keep needles hidden in most of my gear that has an eye that will fit inner paracord strand ( I don't remember the gage).I also have a few travel kits I nicked from hotels when I traveled a lot.

Thanks.

The thorn was sharp enough to penetrate heavy duty pants. When dry, they're pretty tough.

The needle in my PSK is a regular sewing needle with a large eye that's big enough for a paracord strand.

I'm not a good sewer, at all, but most household types seem to do the job, provided you don't try to work miracles.

[Jeriah]

In Southern CA through AZ, Mexico, and probably a lot of other places, you can find agave, the big blue plant they make tequila and mescal out of. I've seen it planted ornamentally in Northern CA as well. It's a relative of Yucca, Century Plant, Spanish Bayonet, etc. (some of these are pseudonyms of the same plants). All of their leaves are fibrous and are the main source of fiber in desert areas. Agave and maybe some of the others have an interesting property; each leaf is tipped with a spine, which is joined to some of the fibers that run down the middle of the leaf. So, if you strip away most of the leaf, you're left with just the spine and its tail of fibers: a pre-threaded needle!

I tried this once; the spine is thick at its base, so unless you do some serious trimming, it punches very large holes through the fabric you're sewing. I tried sewing a few stitches on an old T-shirt just for giggles, and each hole was pretty big. Could be good if you just needed to, say, affix two pieces of raw animal skin together. Probably works pretty well on burlap; like you said, stuff with a loose weave.

I think with some practice, esp. in regard to trimming the edges of the spine, results could be improved. But, I don't think it'll ever make a good suture. I actually cut myself a little preparing it, and my sister and I had a good laugh imagining me sewing the tiny cut with a giant thorn, basically giving myself a dozen gnarly puncture wounds and pulling rough rope through them, to sew a tiny cut. (Obviously I didn't actually try this.)

[Boondock]

I tried this once; the spine is thick at its base, so unless you do some serious trimming, it punches very large holes through the fabric you're sewing.

That's exactly what happened when I tried sewing the pants. The holes in the T-shirt, believe it or not, closed up on their own.

Cool tip about the agave; I'll remember that if I'm ever out west again.

[Woods Walker]

Nice to see a SAK in field use. That sewing needle looks good. Thanks for posting.

[Boondock]

Nice to see a SAK in field use. That sewing needle looks good. Thanks for posting.

Thanks. That SAK, I think it's the Tinker model, is my workhorse, bread-and-butter blade.

[TacAir]

I carry a sewing kit and duct tape in my bag, and my PSK also has a needle. Still, I wondered how I'd make repairs if I lost or was separated from my gear.

In such a situation, I figure there'd be other priorities of work to accomplish. I would not want to devote considerable time and effort to crafting a sewing needle, but might need to perform a few comfort tasks, like darn a sock or mend a wool sweater or blanket.

There's a thorn tree outside my house, I believe it's a Washington Hawthorn, with decent long, straight and pointy thorns.



I clipped a few and attempted to fashion a needle. This was done with a Swiss Army Knife. I cut and scraped tiny notches on opposite ends of the thorn.



I carry dental floss in my PSK, so that's what I used as thread. Tied the floss around the notch and secured it with a tight square knot.



Tried to mend a USGI wool sock and was able to make crude but effective stitches. Had to go very slow, as the sock fibers sometimes got caught in the notch and threatened to pull off the thread.



Also tested this on a cotton T-shirt and it worked out. Did not work well on heavy material, such as a pair of Wrangler cargo pants, mainly because the thick, so-called eye end of the thorn punched large holes in the fabric.

My conclusion: Improvised needles from natural materials work for simple repairs to clothing or items with loose fibers, probably better if added effort is devoted to creating more functional needle, which might not be feasible in a survival situation.

I also decided I'm going to pack extra needles in my kits.

It was a fun, however, to try some primitive skills and test the difference between theory and reality, so to speak. A lot of bushcraft concepts are easier conceived than performed. Also makes you appreciate the ancients.

FYI, this experiment took about an hour. It also served as a test for posting photos on the forum.

Thanks for viewing.

Cool

Different stitches for different repairs. Of most use in the field is a blanket stitch.

[Boondock]

Cool
Of most use in the field is a blanket stitch.

Those actually are some really good diagrams. Thanks.

When I usually sew something, I stab the needle and thread into the garment over and over like a maniac and tie a knot once I'm convinced it couldn't possibly come undone. It's pretty comical.

[roOism]

Great write up. I've used the agave sewing method to stitch up a torn seam in my glove, it wasn't pretty but that stitch has held strong for a few years, great stuff.

[Ad'lan]

There's a thorn tree outside my house, I believe it's a Washington Hawthorn, with decent long, straight and pointy thorns.

*Checks Arm*..... Yeah, that's hawthorn.


Great thread, Now I want to give this a try.

[Boondock]

Great thread, Now I want to give this a try.

Thanks. Let me know it turns out.

[wee drop o' bush]

Great thread, thanks for sharing
I have old hawthorn hedges in abundance here & some of the thorns are long enough.