AFTER AIR TO BREATHE, WATER TO DRINK AND FOOD TO EAT, HUMANS NEED CLOTHING AND SHELTER.
THERE WILL BE NO STORES OPEN FOR BUSINESS AFTER ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE.
CLOTHING WEARS OUT, AND IN WINTER ESPECIALLY, THAT CAN BE FATAL IF WE CAN'T KEEP WARM ENOUGH TO SURVIVE.
NO ONE WILL CARE WHAT "BRAND NAMES" ARE ON LABELS WHEN CIVILIZATION HAS BEEN CAST BACKWARD 100 OR 200 YEARS BY A GLOBAL DISASTER.
ONCE ALL SUPPLIES OF CLOTHING HAVE BEEN LOOTED, YOU WILL HAVE TO LEARN TO MAKE YOUR OWN AND DAMNED FEW SUPPLIES WILL BE AVAILABLE TO DO SO.
UNLESS YOU ARE ONE OF THE BLESSED FEW WHO HAVE AN OLD TREADLE STYLE SEWING MACHINE THAT DOESN'T NEED ELECTRICITY, JUST FOOT POWER, YOU WILL HAVE TO LEARN TO "SEW BY HAND".
SINCE MOST PEOPLE WILL NOT HAVE STOCKPILES OF EITHER SEWING NEEDLES, AWLS, OR THREADS, YOU WILL HAVE TO LEARN TO DO WHAT OUR ANCESTORS DID TO STAY CLOTHED.
YOU MAY HAVE TO LEARN TO WEAVE, KNIT, CROCHET, MAKE PATCHWORK COVERLETS, SO BEGIN NOW LEARNING THE BASICS OF THESE SKILLS.
IN PREPARING FOR HARSH WINTERS, YOU WILL EVENTUALLY HAVE TO CONSIDER ANIMAL SKINS FOR WARMTH AND FOR THEIR LONGEVITY.
IT'S HARD TO WEAR-OUT A SHIRT OR PAIR OF PANTS OR COAT MADE OF ANIMAL SKINS.
SORRY FOR ALL WHO HATE USING ANIMALS LIKE THIS....I DO, TOO, BUT WE MUST.
I WAS GIFTED AN ELK HIDE "ROBE" BY A MAN I CALL 'BROTHER', AND IN SUB-ZERO WEATHER WITH OUR ELECTRIC LINES DOWN AND FROZEN TO THE GROUND, I WAS TOASTY WARM BENEATH IT.
SELF-PRESERVATION IS THE FIRST LAW OF NATURE.
WE WILL EITHER DO WHAT MUST BE DONE TO SURVIVE OR WE WILL CHOOSE TO PERISH.
CONSIDER THIS STATEMENT TO SEE THAT BEING REALISTIC CAN BE A BIT "SAD".
"The selection of animal skins in a survival situation will most often be limited to what you manage to trap or hunt. However, if there is an abundance of wildlife, select the hides of larger animals with heavier coats and large fat content. Do not use the skins of infected or diseased animals if at all possible. Since they live in the wild, animals are carriers of pests such as ticks, lice, and fleas. Because of these pests, use water to thoroughly clean any skin obtained from any animal. If water is not available, at least shake out the skin thoroughly. As with rawhide, lay out the skin, and remove all fat and meat. Dry the skin completely. Use the hind quarter joint areas to make shoes and mittens or socks. Wear the hide with the fur to the inside for its insulating factor."
HOW YOU GET FROM POINT "A" (KILLING THE ANIMAL) TO POINT "B" (USING ITS HIDE FOR WARMTH/CLOTHING) IS A HELL OF A LOT OF WORK.
SURVIVAL IS NOT EASY MOST DAYS!
THERE ARE MANY OTHER SOURCES OF MATERIALS FOR MAKING CLOTHES, MAYBE SOME YOU HAVEN'T CONSIDERED.
PLANT FIBERS
Several plants are sources of good insulation from cold.
CATTAIL is a common and prolific marshland plant found along lakes, ponds, and the backwaters of rivers. The fuzz on the tops of the stalks forms dead air spaces and makes a good down-like insulation when placed between two pieces of material.
BARKCLOTH
A type of cloth made from the inner bark of various trees.
This requires serious and careful shredding of the bark and softening methods (pounding, actually), but it works for insulation as well as being something we can accomplish if we have nothing else to cover us.
To me, the paper mulberry is easiest of all barks to utilize, but finding these outside states like Florida and California may prove impossible.
COTTON, FLAX AND HEMP
While there probably won't be many if any big farms planting hundreds of acres of cotton anymore for a long time after all hell breaks loose, some will remain in fields all across America.
If you are blessed to live near these fields, gather all you can, seeds included.
it does not take a rocket scientist to figure out how to make cotton "thread", though it probably won't look like what we used to buy at the fabric shop.
FLAX was used thousands of years ago by some very great civilizations, as was HEMP.
Flax is used to make linen.
The leaves of flax has long tough fibers that lend themselves well to spinning and weaving.
Adding flax material to any spun yarn strengthens the yarn.
A HUGE PLUS FOR FLAX!
The residual leaf pulp can be fermented to make alcohol for fuel, a fast brown dye is produced from the flowers, a strip of leaf can be used as an emergency garden tie and the whole leaf is used in basketry.
HEMP
The fiber, obtained from the stems in early to late autumn, is very strong, does not shrink and retains its strength in water. It is used mainly for sails, twine and garden nets.
Hemp fiber is resistant to stretching, which allows clothes made from cloth woven with hemp fibers to retain their shape and size.
Hemp, unfortunately, typically grows in warmer climates.
STINGING NETTLE
Hard to handle but this plant is a wonder source for everything from medicinals to fibers for making clothes.
HOPS
Yes, hops!
Its stem fibers yield material suitable for processing into wearable clothing.
SOME IRIS SPECIES
These 3 in particular that grow in the Pacific region were used by Native Tribes
(I. douglasiana, I. macrosiphon and I. purdyi)
Their leaf fibers produce a beautifully strong and pliable rope.
COMMON MILKWEED
MILKWEED IS PHENOMENAL!
Virtually all parts of these plants are edible when cooked though there are reports that large quantities can cause stomach upsets. The young shoots, gathered in April-May, can be used as an asparagus substitute whilst the younger parts of old shoots can be cooked like spinach.
Young flower buds have a delicious pea-like flavour as do the very young seed pods (before the seed floss is produced).
The flowers are used as a flavouring and a thickener in soups and were also harvested in the early morning when dew was still on them and then boiled down to make a sugary syrup.
In hot weather the flowers often produce so much nectar that it forms crystalline lumps. This can either be sucked or picked off the flowers and is a real delicacy.
A. tuberosa is the most likely to do this.
A. tuberosa, as the name suggests, also produces a tuberous root and this is edible when cooked, with a nutty flavor.
USE IN MAKING CLOTHING
All these edible qualities, though, are just one aspect of the plants uses, they have much more to offer.
All the species produce a tough fiber in their stems.
This can be used to make cloth, twine, etc and was traditionally harvested from the dead stems in autumn and winter, a fairly simple process.
Dry summers produce the strongest fibers.
Mature seed pods contain quite large quantities of floss.
This is a white silky material with a number of applications.
It can be used as a kapok substitute for stuffing soft toys etc, and being very water repellent, it has been used in life preservers where its buoyancy can keep a person afloat for days.
Although difficult to spin on its own, it can be mixed with other fibres to make cloth and it has also been used for making candle wicks.
LATEX FROM MILKWEEDS!
The plants also contains a latex which can be extracted and made into a good quality rubber. This latex is largely found in the leaves, is produced mainly in hot weather when grown on drier soils and is destroyed by frost.
Concentrations vary and are considered to be too low for commercial exploitation. The latex has also been used as a chewing gum and regular applications are said to be a cure for warts.
NOT AN EASY TASK
Obtaining the fibers from several of the above,named plants is usually a fairly straightforward though smelly and labor intensive process.
The basic principle is to encourage the softer parts of the plant to rot so that only the stronger fibers remain.
This is usually done by either immersing the plants in water or tying them up in bundles outdoors for the dew and rain to work on them.
Once the softer parts start to rot the fibers are separated and cleaned and are then ready for use.
NOW THAT WE SEE HOW MANY THINGS CAN BE USED TO MAKE CLOTHING, WE HAVE TO LEARN HOW!
REMEMBER THAT OLD, TORN, RAGGED CLOTHES CAN BE TURNED INTO "YARNS", MADE INTO PATCHWORK ITEMS, AND CAREFULLY TAKEN APART TO OBTAIN THREADS.
ANOTHER THING WE MAY HAVE TO GET USED TO IS MAKING SEWING TOOLS FROM BONE AND WHATEVER ELSE LENDS ITSELF TO THE TASK.
AGAIN, VIDEOS, FOR NOW, ABOUND ON YOUTUBE AND MANY "SURVIVALIST" SITES THAT DEMONSTRATE THE PROCESSES OF MAKING CLOTHES FROM ANIMAL HIDES AND PLANTS.
WATCH AS MANY AS YOU CAN NOW.
ALSO WATCH ANY DEMONSTRATIONS OF SPINNING, WEAVING, KNITTING, CROCHETING THAT YOU CAN FIND...NOW, WHILE YOU CAN.
PERHAPS FRIENDS OR MEMBERS OF YOUR FAMILY ARE SKILLED IN THESE AREAS.
ASK!
LEARN!
[NOTE: COMMUNICATION AFTER ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE IS THE LEAST TALKED ABOUT TOPIC,EVEN ON SO-CALLED "SURVIVAL FORUMS".
PEOPLE ASSUME WE WILL BE ABLE TO USE SOME FORM OF PRESENT-DAY TECHNOLOGY.
MAYBE FOR THE SHORT-RUN, BUT WHEN BATTERIES AND PARTS WEAR OUT, TARGET AND ALL THE OTHER STORES WILL BE CLOSED!
NEXT IN THIS SERIES IS COMMUNICATION AND TRANSPORTATION.
PLEASE READ THAT. FEW UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE UP AGAINST IF A DISASTER GOES ON AND ON AND ON.]
AS FOR INSTRUCTABLES YOU MAY BE ABLE TO PRINT OUT, FOR NOW, SEE THESE SITES:
~ http://www.manataka.org/page27.html
DEER HIDE TANNING
~ IT IS WHAT IT SAYS, "STONE AGE LIVING"! http://www.ancientcraft.co.uk/Archaeology/stone-age/stoneage_living.html
~ A VERY RUDIMENTARY IDEA OF HOW TO MAKE DEER HIDE CLOTHING.
http://www.ehow.com/how_7775952_make-clothing-out-deer-hide.html
FOR SIMPLE WEAVING TECHNIQUES:
~ http://www.marlamallett.com/loom.htm
~ http://gingerbreadsnowflakes.com/node/59
~ http://wellingtonboot.hubpages.com/hub/how-to-weave-fabric-loom-weaving-craft-tutorials
BOOKS
~ THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO SKINNING AND TANNING: A Complete Guide to Working with Pelts, Fur, and Leather
by Monte Burch
Here is the complete guide to a skill that may be mysterious to some, written by Monte Burch, an authority who practices many of the ancient traditions of tanning and hiding.
Introduces the tools of a tanner, and even gives complete plans for making many of these implements. Instructions are given for making fleshing beams, stretchers for pelts, fleshing knives, and many others. He also covers tanning formulas and materials, both traditional and modern.
BY FAR THE SIMPLEST AND BEST, IN MY OPINION.
~ Start Spinning by Maggie Casey
AGAIN, THE BEST.
I KNOW THIS IS A VERY SHORT AND INCOMPLETE LIST OF THINGS WE WILL NEED TO LEARN AND APPLY IN ORDER TO BE CLOTHED AFTER ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE, BUT, FOR NOW, LET'S STICK TO BASICS, GET THE BASICS DOWN-PAT, MAKE SURE WE CAN ACCOMPLISH THOSE.
OTHER USEFUL SITES ARE LISTED BELOW.
ON TO SHELTERS!
SURVIVAL SHELTERS
EVENTUALLY, WE MUST HOPE, HUMANITY WILL RECOVER ENOUGH TO BUILD MORE-OR-LESS PERMANENT HOMES AGAIN, BUT FOR HOWEVER LONG WE DON'T KNOW, IT MAY BE NECESSARY TO MOVE FREQUENTLY, EVEN HIDE IN ORDER TO SURVIVE.
WE ALSO DON'T KNOW IF WE'LL NEED COLD WEATHER OR WARM WEATHER SHELTERS, BUT DO UNDERSTAND THAT A SIMPLE TENT IS NOT GOING TO BE GOOD FOR MUCH BUT MAYBE STAYING A LITTLE DRY.
IN STORM AND SNOW, WE WILL WANT STURDIER SHELTERS.
I HAVE ALWAYS MADE IT NEAR THE TOP OF MY LIST, WHEN MOVING INTO A NEW AREA TO LOCATE CAVES SUITABLE FOR EMERGENCY SHELTER.
THE LIKELIHOOD THAT OTHERS WILL ALSO BE SEEKING SUCH QUICK AND AVAILABLE PLACES TO SHELTER IN ARE GREAT, BUT I STILL LIKE TO KNOW WHERE THEY ARE AND KNOW WHAT LOCAL WILDLIFE I MAY FIND IN THEM, ASIDE FROM THE COMMON ONES LIKE SNAKES, MICE, RATS.
THERE ARE VERY, VERY FEW "BOMB SHELTERS" REMAINING IN AMERICA.
THE ONES WHICH DO REMAIN WILL ALSO BE FILLED BEYOND MAXIMUM IN THE EVENT OF NUCLEAR, CHEMICAL, OR BIOLOGICAL STRIKES AGAINST THE U.S.
UNDERGROUND MAY BE THE BEST PLACE TO BE, NO MATTER WHAT, BUT FEW OF US HAVE CONSIDERED THIS, SO FEW OF US WILL HAVE UNDERGROUND "RABBIT HOLES" TO DIVE INTO.
BARRING THAT, NOW WHAT?
"EXPERTS" SAY IT'S BEST TO "SHELTER IN PLACE" AS LONG AS WE CAN, IF AT ALL POSSIBLE.
IF YOU LIKE THAT IDEA, THEN THERE ARE WAYS TO BUILD, INSIDE YOUR HOME, MAKESHIFT "FALLOUT SHELTERS" THAT MAY, JUST MAY, KEEP YOU AND YOURS FROM SUFFERING THE WORST CONTAMINATION FROM NUCLEAR FALLOUT.
THESE WILL NOT, HOWEVER, SAFEGUARD YOU FROM CHEMICAL OR BIOLOGICAL ATTACKS.
THE IDEA IS TO PUT AS MUCH MATERIAL AS YOU CAN BETWEEN YOU AND FALLOUT.
SAND BAGS, CONCRETE SLABS, LEAD, ROCKS, FURNITURE, WOODEN SLABS,ANYTHING BEATS NOTHING, AND GET AS LOW DOWN INSIDE YOUR HOME AS YOU CAN.
MAKE SURE YOU HAVE GOOD VENTILATION.
AN EXTENSIVE HISTORY AND REVIEW OF OLD CIVIL DEFENSE MEASURES IN AMERICA CAN BE FOUND HERE:
http://conelrad.com/books/flyleaf.php?id=391_0_1_0_M
A PDF OF CIVIL DEFENCE INSTRUCTIONS.
~ http://www.homelandcivildefense.org/nwss/nwss.pdf
BY ALL MEANS, DOWNLOAD AND PRINT THIS IF YOU CAN, OR FIND A HARD COPY ANYWHERE YOU CAN.
~ GO HERE AND START CLICKING ON THE LINKS!
PRINT WHAT YOU CAN, REMEMBER WHAT YOU CAN.
http://webpal.org/SAFE/aaaarktwo/
THIS ONE MAP THERE CAN BE A LIFESAVER!
http://webpal.org/SAFE/index.htm
ALSO HAVE A LOOK AT THIS 'PAPER':
http://www.webpal.org/reconstruction.pdf
THAT SHOULD SUFFICE ON THE FALLOUT THEME.
THOSE WHO SURVIVE SUCH A THING CAN SURVIVE ANYTHING!
SIMPLEST SURVIVAL SHELTERS
FROM OUTDOOR LIFE, Survival Shelters: 15 Best Designs and How to Build Them
~ http://www.outdoorlife.com/photos/gallery/hunting/2013/05/survival-shelters-15-best-designs-wilderness-shelters
PLEASE NOTE: SOME, WELL, SEVERAL, OF THESE AT OUTDOOR LIFE ARE LUDICROUS, BUT I CHOSE TO LINK THIS BECAUSE IT GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF THE MOST BASIC DESIGNS ONE CAN THROW UP IN A BIG HURRY, AND WHICH BEATS HELL OUT OF NOTHING.
FIELD AND STREAM OFFERS A BIT BETTER:
~ Seven Primitive Survival Shelters That Could Save Your Life
http://www.fieldandstream.com/photos/gallery/survival/shelter/2006/10/seven-primitive-survival-shelters-could-save-your-life/?image=0BOOKS
~PRIMITIVE CONSTRUCTION
Shelters, Shacks, and Shanties
ONE OF THE BEST AND FREE TO READ OR DOWNLOAD AND PRINT FROM PROJECT GUTENBERG!
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/28255/28255-h/28255-h.htm
PROJECT GUTENBERG IS A RICH, RICH SOURCE FOR OUT-OF-PRINT, MAGNIFICENT BOOKS ON ALMOST ANY TOPIC YOU CAN THINK OF!
FROM COOKBOOKS FROM THE 1600s TO "RECIPES" FOR HOMEMADE MEDICINALS TO HISTORY AND HOW-TOs, SEE PROJECT GUTENBERG!
THERE ARE MANY BOOKS ON HOW TO RAISE FARM ANIMALS, TRAP, FARM, ETC.
HONESTLY, THE BRADFORD ANGIER BOOKS I ALREADY LINKED YOU TO AND THE ABOVE ARE ALL YOU NEED TO BEGIN TO SEE THE BASICS ON SHELTERS.
EVERYTHING DEPENDS ON WHAT RESOURCES AND TOOLS YOU HAVE AVAILABLE IN EACH OF YOUR AREAS.
USE COMMON SENSE, ACCEPT MINOR SETBACKS, LEARN BY EACH SMALL FAILURE AND NEVER GIVE UP!
PLEASE NOTE: OTHER TOPICS WILL BE ADDRESSED IN DAYS AHEAD, HOPEFULLY CONCLUDING BY END OF THE WEEK THIS WEEK.
RIGHT NOW, THE TEA ROOM IS EXPERIENCING "IFFY" ELECTRIC POWER AS WE ARE UNDER TORNADO WATCH, SO THIS WILL HAVE TO BE THE LAST POSTED TONIGHT.
OTHER USEFUL SITES:
~ PRIMITIVE WAYS
http://www.primitiveways.com/
~ USING NATURAL FIBERS
http://www.naturalfibres2009.org/en/fibres/
~ THIS LINK GOES TO THEIR BOOKS LIST, BUT CLICK ON OTHER INFORMATION LINKS ON THIS SITE.
THERE'S A LOT OF INFO THERE.
http://www.woolery.com/Store/pc/Spinning-c82.htm
~ A FINE INFORMATIVE VIDEO FROM INDIANA.EDU ON SPINNING AND WEAVING.
http://webapp1.dlib.indiana.edu/vss/view.do?videoId=VAC2694
~ PIONEER SPINNING AND WEAVING
http://www.museumsofwv.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=36
~ A WONDERFUL GENTLEMAN, AND INVALUABLE INFORMATION ON SURVIVING A NUCLEAR STRIKE.
http://www.webpal.org/
~ LINKS TO VIDEOS PRESENTED BY ARK TWO
http://www.webpal.org/YouTubeList.htm
~ BUILD A WIGWAM
NATIVETECH...ALWAYS REMEMBER THIS SITE!
http://www.nativetech.org/scenes/buildingwigwam.html
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