PRACTICAL BASKETRY

BY

ANNA A. GILL

CONTENTS

ILLUSTRATIONS

PREFACE

Basketry is one of the oldest and most valuable of the crafts. As far back as the time of the Israelites we read of its usefulness in offering sacrifices. Of necessity it was born, and in its infancy was made into simple forms, but very soon its importance to man was so duly felt and appreciated that new forms took shape, and its uses were so extended that the early basket makers vied with one another in producing pleasing work and in discovering new and various kinds of materials to put into it.

Though the Chinese and Japanese have sent us, for long years, marvelous things of beauty, it is to our American Indian that we owe our debt for beauty and artistry of this industry; for industry it is.

It seems quite impossible to me to write on basketry without mentioning the Indian and his connection with it, for we can very safely call him the master artist of basket work. In its history, and a romantic one it is, the Indian figures first and last. The Indian woman was never satisfied with the materials just at hand; she sought for and tried all kinds, in season and out of season, and she chose, unerringly, the best. Her patience was without limit in her experiments in materials, dyes and weaves, with the result that her basketry is the peer of any in the world. Her sample work was nature—and into every line of her basket she wove a meaning symbolical of something in particular.

Serious study of Indian basketry would serve both as an inspiration and stimulation to better work: its intricacy, its poetry and its artistry would be a revelation, and give a fuller understanding of a people so sadly misunderstood.

Basketry was used by the primitive Indians in carrying water. When there was a scarcity, and careful conservation was necessary, the basket was the article used as a conveyance. Some of the California Indians up to this day use their baskets successfully as cooking utensils, while the bassinet, made out of basketry, was, and is still, used by the Indian to hold the papoose.

Basketry is an important factor in the promotion of education. Its wide influence is felt not only in the class room but in homes, settlement work, blind institutions, asylums, in fact in institutions of all kinds. The importance and influence of basketry is being recognized now and the work is being carried on in earnest. Within the past five years it has made a great jump and in most institutions where manual training has been introduced, basket making has attained a prominent place in the training of the child.

Basket work is a valuable aid in the character building of the child, for, through it can be given lessons in patience, perseverance and concentration, while truth and honesty can be effectually impressed on the worker, resulting in the gradual though steady developing of the will power.

Our reorganized school systems show what a specific educational value manual training has, not alone in the manual skill which the child attains, but also in the mental, moral and economic values which it gains.

The desire to construct and create is strong in childhood, and here in basketry will be found an astonishing aid in inspiring such desire and in developing constructive ability. Children, especially boys, find it fascinating and it is a work which appeals to them in all their moods; frequently when they are unable to do any other kind of school work they turn with delight to basketry.

The child who works steadily over a basket, and may have it to weave and reweave many times before completing it satisfactorily, is not only receiving a valuable lesson in patience and thoroughness, and gaining much experience which will be of inestimable value later on in this particular work, but he is being trained into an efficient workman of the future.

Basket making, which handwork the children love best to do, not only develops their judgment, makes keen their observation, makes them discriminating, but it has a stimulating effect upon their minds and awakens in them the desire to put forth their best efforts. Hanging baskets, scrap baskets, trays, etc., mean something more to them than a piece of basket work done merely because of its utility. Instinctively they recognize the true intrinsic value of the work and that they are real workers, but also it is the beauty and the surprises in basketry development that has its strong and attractive appeal for them.

Owing to the simplicity of basketry the work is being generally accepted. The child of seven or eight years may make a simple mat and basket and find it play work, while the older child may make beautiful useful baskets and trays for the home.

Originality in the child has full play and should always be encouraged since the field of work in this ground is abundant; and he should never be discouraged, no matter how loose the weaving may be nor how crude it may look: he will soon be able, through comparison, to discover his mistakes and correct the poor work.

I would suggest that children be permitted to criticise their own and each other’s work.

The celebrating of the holiday seasons can be nicely carried out in the manual training period when the making of birthday gifts, Christmas trays, Easter baskets, sewing baskets, hanging baskets and scrap baskets can be appropriately introduced. Try this suggestion, and watch the happiness of the child who makes gifts for his loved ones.

Sequence in basketry should be followed carefully with beginners, and although it will be impossible to give in detail all the steps included in the subject, the most essential and important will be given, with many suggestions in models for advanced workers.

In conclusion, just a word to the special class teacher of backward, defective, and the backward or defective delinquents. The course presented in this book may be used in the sequence given or adapted just as is necessary to the class of children taught. Most of the models here demonstrated have been successfully taught to children in the backward delinquent class and have been a means of promoting, mentally and morally, the welfare of the child; directing his miscontrolled energy into proper channels, besides making his school life a brighter and happier one.

That this book may be of help to the basket maker and that it may bring much success and happiness to the reader is the wish of the author who has spent many happy hours in preparing it.

CHAPTER I

EQUIPMENT

Materials

The materials used in making these baskets are rattan or reed, raffia, rush, straw, hemp.

Rattan is a palm which grows wild in India, Japan, China and East India Islands. The rattan seed is black and corresponds in size to a pea. It is a notable fact that, while growing, the rattan always faces the sun. The shoot of this seed grows four years; it is then cut close. The plant produces almost three hundred shoots which are cut annually. These slender shoots attain a length of from three to five hundred feet. They climb the highest trees and hang from them in graceful festoons. It is interesting to see how, like the selfish pumpkin vine, they crowd out any other plant that should happen to be in the way. By small fibres which spring from the joints, they fasten themselves to the trees, and they hold so tenaciously and have such grip or strength that it requires several men, sometimes as many as a half dozen, to separate and remove them.

The reed is manufactured from the rattan. It has been manufactured in America for about sixty years. There are a number of such manufacturing plants, among which the Wakefield Rattan Company and the New England Company have made splendid reed. Germany and Belgium give us the best reed, while the least desirable quality comes from China.

The outer surface of the rattan is glazed. It is cut in long narrow strips, and is familiar to everyone under the name “cane.” It is used in caning chairs. From the pith or inside rattan, we get the reed known as oval, flat and round, the latter being most extensively used.

The round reed varies in sizes from No. 00 to No. 17; No. 00 being the finest, is used in making the centers of baskets, in finishing handles, and in making very small baskets and trays. Sizes 1 to 5 are used in making ordinary size baskets and trays, 5 and 6 for scrap baskets, 8 and 10 for handle foundations.

The reed comes only in the natural color, but may be dyed into many beautiful colors either before or after the article is made.

Oval or split reed comes in sizes 5 and 7. This reed makes artistic hanging baskets.

The flat ³⁄₈ inch wide is often used in making foundations for sweet grass baskets, and it also makes durable scrap baskets.

Raffia is the outside covering of the Madagascar palm. It is a light, tough material imported in the natural or straw color, but may be dyed in many beautiful colors. It is sold in bundles or braids of from one to four pounds. Care should be exercised in using this material. It is advisable to keep it in canvas bags or hang it in braids in the class room, as careless handling may cause untidiness or tend to disorder in the class room.

Rush, flat or braided, is imported and sold in the natural and dull green colors. The flat rush is sold by the pound, the braided by bundles or bunches. The braided rush makes a strong scrap basket; it must be soaked before using to prevent cracking. The flat rush is used in making smaller baskets.

Straw is used as a weaver, and can be woven either wet or dry, but it is better to dip it in water a few minutes before using. Round and oval scrap baskets may be made by combining different colors of the straw with the natural color.

Hemp, which is imported from the Philippine Islands, may be used as a foundation for raffia and sweet grass baskets.

Tools

Very few tools are necessary in basketry, although, to the basket maker, who intends doing much work the following articles are essential: pruning shears, awl, plier, galvanized tub and bucket, measuring stick or rule, knife for splicing the reed. Rubber fingers may be used. For the dyer, rubber gloves and large earthen pots are necessary.

CHAPTER II

THE FIRST LESSON

Reed is a brittle material, therefore it must be soaked in water before using. The time required depends on the number of the reed used. No. 00 merely dipped in water can be used successfully. Nos. 1 and 2 can be used after soaking in water ten minutes; Nos. 4 and 5 after fifteen or twenty minutes. Either cold or hot water may be used, the hot water consuming less time to soak the reed than the cold.

No. 4 and No. 2 reeds are commonly used together in ordinary sized baskets. No. 4 for the spokes, which form the foundation upon and around which No. 2, as the weaver, is woven.

The weaving of a round mat or basket is begun in the center and woven out toward the end. It is absolutely necessary that beginners master the fundamental steps, for no basket can be well made that has a poor bottom. In order to avoid this, the mat is practised upon until the art of weaving a good center is accomplished.

The following are the commonest weaves used.

Simple Weaving is the commonest of all and is the continuation of under one spoke and over the next.

Double Weaving, the same as simple weaving only that two weavers are woven together as one.

Pairing.—Two weavers are inserted back of two successive spokes and crossed between, then under weave brought forward each time and made the upper weave. This may be used on an even as well as odd number of spokes.

Double Pairing.—The weave is the same as pairing but two weavers are woven together as one.

Two and One Weave.—Simply a weaver woven in front of two spokes and back of one spoke. This makes a pretty effect in oval reed.

Three and Two Weave.—One weaver woven in front of three spokes and back of two. This weave is used with oval reed and rush, in making scrap baskets.

Triple Twist or Three-Rod Coil, sometimes called the “Wale” Weave.—Three weavers start back of three consecutive spokes. Beginning with the first spoke to the left and weaving to the right bring the left-hand weaver out in front of the next two spokes, back of the next and out in front. The second and third weavers are treated in the same way, always bringing each weaver in front of 2 spokes and back of the next one. This weave is used mostly in beginning the sides of separate bottom baskets where the spokes are inserted, and in the ending of baskets. It is a strong foundation for borders and handles.

Four-Rod Coil or Rope Twist.—Is woven in a similar manner to the three coil weave except that the weavers are brought in front of 3 spokes and back of one.

Five-Rod Coil.—The weavers are brought in front of 4 spokes and back of 1 spoke.

Upsetting.—Simply a strong weave used in turning up a basket. Three rows of a three or four coil weave are usually used in making an upsetting on a scrap basket.

Slewing.—Two or more weavers used as one in single weaving.