Weaving baskets is an exciting activity. From the vines make baskets, decorative panels and even furniture . But, if materials for any other craft can be found in stores, then you have to take care of the raw materials for this handicraft equipment yourself. So, the topic of this useful article is the preparation of vines for weaving baskets!
The basic rules of harvesting willow
The best time for harvesting the vine is traditionally considered to be the beginning of autumn. At this time the sap flow in the willow shoots begins to slow down, and the September vine is cleaned very easily. But some prefer to spend harvesting work in winter, when the green leaves do not interfere with finding rods of different diameters.
There are a lot of species of willow vines, besides they differ depending on the region. Most often used for lozo-swallowing are broom, willow, and others. And the best for harvesting are thickets of willow, which can be found along the banks of rivers, lakes and marshes. Going on such a walk, do not forget to take with you a sharp penknife and a rope in order to bind the collected material.
So, the collection of vines for weaving baskets includes the preparation of such types:
- The thickest vine used for weaving basket handles;
- The average thickness - for vertical racks of the frame;
- the thinnest - for weaving the main part of the basket.
Try to choose the longest and straightest rods. They should not have branches, only small lateral shoots are allowed, which easily break off. Pay attention to the taper: it is desirable that the thickness of the vine along the entire length was approximately the same.
After collecting enough vine, tie it into a bundle, and when you get home, immediately untie or at least loosen the rope. Clean the vine from the bark is required as soon as possible until it has had time to dry.
Prepare for future use a little more vines than you plan to spend on weaving. Firstly, it is not known how the specific type of willow shoots you harvest will behave in the work. And secondly, the vine sometimes breaks, so when weaving baskets must be a stock of each kind of twigs.