dixieangler
Registered: 06/11/09
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Reply with quote | #1 |
John,
I was looking at page 267(in PWL&SS) and the steps of Warps, Wefts, and Woofs involved in the twining basket made from Cattail but I was wondering how the bottom of the basket was tied in? Also, are the Cattail leaves green, dead, or somewhere in between for the basket? Or should I be asking Geri? LOL Thanks.
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prariewolf
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Reply with quote | #2 |
the bottom is started at the midpoint of the warps. the weft is a corded strip of cattail that is folded at about it's one third length - wrapped around one warp - twined and continued on in a twining fashion around the rest of the warps. Then the warps are formed upward and the weft is spiraled up. Notice the addition of warps to shape and reinforce. The cattails are collected fresh then dried for storage. When needed they are soaked in water until pliable. If collected fresh and you want to use them sooner you can let them wilt in the shade until they are pliable. If used fresh picked they will be brittle and crack. Hope this helps! Geri
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dixieangler
Registered: 06/11/09
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Reply with quote | #3 |
Thanks, Geri. Okay. Wilted and pliable. So I gather that the center point of the warps at which the weft is started in the photos is the bottom? The two ends of the wefts are then continued in an upward spiral (rounded shape) around this initial weft point with continued splicing in?
WHEW! I think I might just do some of those slough grass coiled baskets and Willow basket weaves. They look a lot easier. LOL
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prariewolf
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Reply with quote | #4 |
Actually it's not near as hard as you picture. Check out some cattails and just play around. You got nothing to lose and you'll get a feel for it. Make a mat or something at first. I think that you be pleasantly surprised at how easy it comes together. We purposely didn't illustrate this as a pattern because it is so easy and trying to follow a pattern as such would only complicate the project. Once you get the hang of warps and wefts you can make about anything. Getting the cattails to cooperate is easy too - the directions are in the caption for the bag we made and also Geri repeated them. We used cattails because they're easy to find and prepare. Don't give up on them so easily.
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dixieangler
Registered: 06/11/09
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Reply with quote | #5 |
Hi John,
No I won't give up on Cattail for baskets and I will keep playing around with them. I read the directions several times in the book and with Geri's help I think I have a good idea now of how to proceed. When a warp is added (as in the photo) for reinforcement, it looks like the added warp is incorporated in with the other warps rather than wrapped further like the one around the perimeter. I gather that this is for expanding the basket to larger sizes if needed as well as reinforcement? Thanks.
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prariewolf
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dixieangler
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Reply with quote | #7 |
I tried using some Willow shoots with the basket weave as shown in the book but I had problems with the shoots splitting while weaving. Do you soak the shoots in water for a while first before using them or some other method for them to be pliable? The shoots I used were cut green and still bendable but not bendable enough I guess. Thanks.
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prariewolf
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Reply with quote | #8 |
Sorry to be so long in replying but things awfully busy around here. The container that you're trying to replicate from the book was made with cattail - which is much more pliable than most basket materials. Making that first bend at the bottom would be difficult for most “woody” materials. Notice that the bend is probably 135° (+-). That's a lot to ask for most woody plants but the cattail properly prepared makes it easily.Soaking of the shoots would/will often help. I also sometimes split a piece (and have seen it done often in fine basketry).
j
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dixieangler
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Reply with quote | #9 |
Quote: Originally Posted by prariewolf
The container that you're trying to replicate from the book was made with cattail - which is much more pliable than most basket materials. Making that first bend at the bottom would be difficult for most “woody” materials.
Ah, that explains it then. LOL Thanks.
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dixieangler
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Reply with quote | #10 |
Quote: Originally Posted by prariewolf
The container that you're trying to replicate from the book was made with cattail - which is much more pliable than most basket materials. Making that first bend at the bottom would be difficult for most “woody” materials.
 Can't believe I never thought of this before. Young green Saw Palmetto stems should be bendy enough for basketry when in lack of cattail. At least for a start on the bottom of the basket. Will give these a try. If it works out, I will post pics.
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dixieangler
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Reply with quote | #11 |
Even long and thin green Saw Palmetto stems did not work. They broke while trying the basket weave. Guess I need to find a place that has a lot of Cattails.
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Robert M. |
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