Threads 71 - How to make a coiled root basket

This Threads is coming a little early, because I am enclosing the poster for a set of workshops, which we will be holding in the ‘basketry experience’ shed in the garden, starting July 8. Please look at the website for more details and to register.

How to make a coiled root basket

Neck Piece 2” across, (left), Little basket, 2”x3” (right)

These two small pieces were made in Sweden during a 5-day workshop in early summer.

We learned how to use the roots which we collected from local birch trees.

The roots were close to the surface and we followed them for up to 6 or 7 feet before they became too thin and broke.

Arriving home we immediately put them to soak in a bowl of water. We spent the afternoon using a knife to remove the outer skin and little hairy roots. Then we used a sharp knife to cut across the root and taking each half divided the root into two pieces. See the picture on the poster below.

These two halves were then sometimes divided into smaller pieces. Some were kept to be the core of the basket.

To start the base

The start is the tricky part. Take the core, and shave the end into a long fine point. Curl it back on itself leaving an eye. This will be the centre of the base. Take the end of the wrapping piece and shave that into a finer end. Fold back the end, then wrap it towards the eye to secure it.

Start wrapping around the eye until you get back to the joint. Now, you wrap the core twice then back into the center. Second round wrap twice around the core, and then wrap down into the row below.

Joining

When you are joining the core, shave the two ends, and gradually work them into the new piece. 

For joining the wrapping piece, overlap the old piece, then work on the new piece.

To end the piece gradually thin the core till it is very fine.

For very small work, a needle can be used to take the  root under

If you have never coiled a basket, it would be much easier to experiment with a piece of rope and some yarn to get the feel of coiling a shape. 

This technique is hundreds of years old. Used by the indigenous people to make even waterproof baskets with rushes and grasses. The Victorian ladies in Florida invented pine needle baskets and used raffia for the wrapping material.