It wasn't easy, though, and everyone was glad to have help from their neighbor!
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
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Life in action
Cody's blog.
taking it a day at a time
My niece Chloe's blog. Click on her picture.
Happy Trails, Buzz
Our favorite black dog - we loved him well.
Frost
"To be whole. To be complete. Wildness reminds us what it means to be human, what we are connected to rather than what we are separate from." Terry Tempest Williams
5 comments:
I always enjoy the basketry when you share it.
I have worked with a little bear grass, but this looks different to me. What do you know about it?
Did you trim the edges? The bear grass I have has very sharp edges and will cut your fingers. When I have used it I have resorted to running a knife up and down the edges to smooth them a bit.
Thanks, Carol! I don't know how to reply to your comments other than leaving a comment of my own - I hope you find it!
I don't know much about beargrass - Jan Smith taught the class, and said she had bought most of what she has, although she has harvested some in the past. She uses a green kitchen scrubbie and pulls the grass stalk through it to remove the sharp edges. Sometimes they use a knife to remove some of the spine, too, if it is very thick. It has such a beautiful sheen! Good luck with your weaving!
I was surprised to see the color as I thought what was harvested was the center stalks that are mostly white in color.
I am going to have to give this a try. I had not thought of a kitchen scrubby but I can see how that would work. I know i only harvest with leather gloves on. I have been cut before when harvesting and it isn't nice!
Are the pieces trimmed at all to make them consistent in width from one end of the stalk to the other? When you harvest it is tapered, just like any leaf larger at one end than the other.(I am assuming this is the same bear grass)
I knew i would have to check back here to get your message-Thank you for responding.
Hi, Carol,
It is probably the same beargrass - yes, it's tapered, and the color is obtained by dyeing. (any basketry dye, or RIT) The stalks are not trimmed - it doesn't show in my photo very well, but the beads are tapered, too. When you begin the bead, you start with the butt end and work toward the tip, so it gets narrower as you go.
Oh, I just went back and looked at my photo - that bead isn't dyed - it is actually pretty white, it's natural color - the photo makes it look yellowish, I guess!
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