In one of Lauran Ingall's books, http://frodo.marshall.edu/~irby1/laura/frames.html she describes one winter when the family ran out of fire wood and were burning straw that they twisted together.
Would that be permitted on YT or would the straw be muktzeh [ie straw set aside as animal feed, or straw from a mattress]? And could one twist the straw together?

[Obviously I'm not speaking of a pikuach nefesh situation such as the one the Ingalls were in].

Laura Ingalls Wilder.

Is twisting the straw together different than braiding? Also, are we allowed to burn straw on Shabbos??

I believe so, yes. That's why an eitzah for garbage bags, for instance, is to twist it closed, rather than to tie it closed.


I'm talking about putting straw into a fireplace or oven on YT itself, which I'm pretty sure is an issur d'orayta on Shabbat.

Why was I taught that twisting a twist tie on Shabbos is assur, and instead one should turn it?

right, like in a spiral. but I was talking about the edges of a garbage bag. maybe twisting is the wrong word, but some sort of gathering together.

I'm trying to picture it....