Being a bit of a “nanna” I really enjoying my handicrafts. I can knit, sew, crochet and I've even done some good knot-tying in my time. I reckon I’m up for some billum making.

I asked Susan and she agreed to show Laura and myself how it’s done. The lack of available wool meant we had to start from scratch, making a natural string billum. That is okay with me. In fact, it is what I want – all natural and authentic-like.

Into the bush we go, Susan with her bush knife in hand, passing through one of the first eco-forestry set up areas. We see the trees marked for felling; they display arrows showing which direction they must fall. Upon finding a tulip tree the right size and diameter, Susan begins hacking into the bark and peels off (or more correctly yanks off) a chunk. It seems like hard work; she says “Come on” a lot whilst yanking.

A big chunk of bark comes off and I think, “Oh wow … that’s great … there’s heaps there. Once we make that into bits of string, I'll have a billum.”

I am momentarily carried away with thoughts of making them as Christmas presents for my family and friends. It’s back to reality as Susan explains it is only the fine white lining of the bark that is used.

More padding and chatting through the bush, Susan hacking off bits of bark as we go. She assures us the trees will recover. After hacking of the bark there is a separation process. I ask Susan if I can do it. “Sure,” she says, preparing a section for separation with her bush knife and teeth.

It seems easy enough, to just pull the section with the white stuff back, but my goodness it was hard!

Next there is the smashing process. Again Susan wields the bush knife and fashions two smashing sticks for Laura and me. We fold and beat all the juicy goodness out of those hunks of bark against a log with our smashing sticks.

Then we must juice those hunks of bark. Holding a strip of bark between ankle and bush knife we pull the bark up. The big bush knife is very close to my ankles. Now I am glad the knife is kind of blunt. (The juicing is done to remove irritants that might affect our skin when twisting the fibres on our legs).

Juicing completed with no cuts to my feet, we wash the strips of bark in lake water and hang them on the clothesline to dry in the sun.

Not sure what is next. Some kind of fibre separation, yarn making and twisting process before any of that knot tying I am so good at is started.

It’s quite a process and my new little, “I made it myself” summer fashion accessory is still a long way off. I’m still keen though, and no more will I try to haggle down the billum price at the markets. What ever they want for all that work is fine with me!