Since olden times wool and fibrous vegetable substances were used as materials for making textile. Wool. In order to become suitable for weaving process fleece has to live long life.

Shearing is the most expensive part of preparation of wool thread. In our villages there are still in use lamellar spring scissors as many years ago. And there is a reason for it. This method is not so fast, but it doesn't demand any modern special equipment. There is no need for working in the electrified pen as in case with shearing by clipper. Sheep hear not the buzzing of clipper during the shearing but gentle voice of the owner. The process doesn't cause any stress for the animal.

After that it is necessary to card the wool. Nowadays it is possible to use card or hackling machine. Usually people buy one hackling machine for the group, as it is still expensive. In culture of North-West Europe and Scandinavia people also use cow wool for weaving. Flax. History tells that people used flax even in 9 century B.C. Flax, as a culture plant is grown in the regions with long summer light day and cool climate.

There are many ceremonies and rituals in ethnography of the Slavs that are connected with developing of flax. Ripe flax must be pulled out, drown, thrashed, spread or retted, braked, swingled and carded. Simple processed need uncomplicated equipment, but much time, patience, knowledge and skill. It is easy to spoil fiber at any stage of the process. In that case you have to wait for the new harvest till next year. Nettle. A well-known fairy tale written by Andersen tells about mystic way of getting fiber from nettle. Actually with the exception that place of picking nettle was cemetery, there was nothing special for the young girl in that task. Even in the end of 19th century in Ryazan province girls got threads from nettle fiber. They weaved simple patters and sewed clothes for dolls. Some nations who didn't have suitable conditions for growing flax used nettle for making textile. An exiting collection of clothing made of nettle and fish skin was presented at an exhibition in the State museum of Ethnography in St.Petersburg. Samples were made by small nation lived on the island at the Far East. Next step of wool and vegetable fabric processing is spinning.