Making of the ball of binder twine

Binder twine is everywhere on a farm, it's practical and economical to re-cycle it. It used to be made of hession, but now made of plastic. A pile had grown in the barn over the winter from the straw bales used for bedding, so from this I made the big ball. 

As I rolled I was reminded of the fairytale ‘Rumplestilskin,’ where the young girl has been left in a room with a big pile of straw and has been asked by the King to spin it into a pile of gold. If she does, she can marry the King. She, of course, is unable to do it, until Rumplestilskin arrives to say he will do it. He does this three times, and after the third time he demands her first born child in return. She agrees but when he comes to collect the child she begs for mercy. He is insistent unless she can guess his name. On the third time, thanks to a scout sent out, she says, 'Rumplestilskin,' much to his rage and fury. She keeps the child and lives happily ever after with the King.