Spin from the seed - leftovers

With growing cotton, it is easy to separate out those lovely fluffy good bolls from the lesser, immature bolls. But what do you do with the bad bolls? I am too frugal just to pitch them. And the fiber is especially soft. They can’t be ginned – or, at least, I can’t gin them as the seeds will crush and make a real mess. Also, I don’t know exactly what color they are sometimes. They appear white, but they may be green or brown underneath.

What I did today was spin a bin of them from the seed, or more correctly, off the seed. Saves ginning and carding. Now my yarn on the bobbin is not my number 1 best spun stuff. Oh, but wouldn’t it make great fluffy washcloths? I wouldn’t wear it for socks, as it is probably tender and wouldn’t hold up. It might make a great tank top though.

What would you do with it? Think it isn’t worth spinning at all? Let me hear from you.


Pan of seed cotton, with individual seeds separated, but not particularly fluffed.

Pan of seeds left at the end of spinning.


Spinning directly off the seed.


Spun cotton singles.