Most plants need to be dried and then moistened and wrapped in a towel overnight. Some plants are better to use while fresh and green when they are most flexible. Every plant is different to work with. For instance, honeysuckle must be boiled and then allowed sit for a day or two.
How do you dry leaves for weaving?
Drying them in the back of a car where the sun will warm them also works well. If you happen to have a barn, another good way to dry them is to gather them in bunches with a tightly wound rubber band, and hang them. I dry about 1/2″-3/4″ diameter bunches. The leaves and stems will shrink considerably while drying.
How do you prepare weaving vines?
The good news for those who are able to wait, you can harvest the vines now, roll them into loose coils, and store them until you are ready to use. Simply soak them in water to make them more pliable, or even better, boil them for about half an hour before weaving.
How do you harvest reeds for weaving?
Cut dried reeds to the desired size for your basket-weaving project. Fill the basin with warm (not hot) water. Place one or two reeds at a time into the water; soak for five to 10 minutes until the reeds are pliable but not soggy. Remove the reed(s) from the water and pat dry with paper towels.
What plants can be used for weaving?
Reed, oak, hickory splits, cedar, willows, cattail, sweetgrass, and ash are common basket weaving materials. Coiled baskets are made with rushes and grasses. A bunch is stitched in a spi‐ ral oval or round shape. Plaiting uses those materials that are ribbon like and wide, like yucca or palms.
How do you weave plant leaves?
Place a few blades of grass in a parallel horizontal position. Weave a vertical pattern, with a new blade of grass, under and over the horizontal pieces. Weave the second row, with a new blade of grass, over and under the horizontal pieces. Keep the weaving tight up against the previous row for a strong weave.
Can you weave with bamboo leaves?
Examine the roots to make sure they are growing well. You want a mass of fine roots that travel outward from the bamboo. If the roots are tight and tangled, do not use them for weaving. Choose three or four stalks that are shorter than 4 inches each.
What materials do you need to weave a basket?
There are many types of natural fibers that can be used to weave a basket, like various kinds of tree bark. For example, grasses, bamboo, vines, oak, willow, reeds, and honeysuckle are all commonly used materials for weaving.
How do you dry cattails for weaving?
Place the cattails in a long, shallow box or crate. Keep the cut ends together, placing each plant so the tops are all pointing in the same direction. Tie the cattails in bunches with twine or string, then hang them by the ends to let them air-dry for one to two days.
How long soak flat reed?
Soak the Round Reed and Flat Oval Reed for 5 to 10 minutes in warm water. If reed becomes dry while you are weaving, re-soak or spray until pliable. Do not over soak your reed; it will become mushy. Do not wet the wooden base.
What trees can you weave?
In addition to ash and oak, woods from maple, sassafras, spruce, aspen, and pine are commonly used. (In Sweden, pine is the preferred basketmaking material.) Apart from wood, a great many forest products can be used to weave.
What wood is best for weaving?
Hazel, willow, sweet chestnut, plum, forsythia or any supple, long, straight, slender saplings make good weavers. Newly cut, green wood is best and easiest. Willow is an exception as it can be soaked to become more supple. Use thin, long branches -or- larger saplings that are cut down the center (cleft) as ‘weavers’.