Basket Weaving Basics
Weaving thin strips of wood into an attractive and useful item is a great hobby - it might be the oldest of woodworking traditions. Start with a standing tree and with only a few simple tools and a bit of patience you'll soon be making baskets.
In this woodworking video, you'll learn:
- How to select and harvest an appropriate tree
- The process for stripping the bark from the log
- Simple steps to prepare the strips for weaving
- The weaving techniques to create a beautiful and useful basket - those same techniques can be used to make a variety of different shapes
- And much more!
Using the skills you learn here, you'll be ready to create your own functional pieces of art.
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About the Host:
April Stone Dahl is a member of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippawa/OJibwe. She began weaving black ash baskets after being impressed with the durability of a basket made by her husband. She sought out other native basket weavers in the area but found she was one of only a handful in all of the northern Chippewa/Ojibwe in Wisconsin. Starting with hand gathering and preparing the raw materials, April weaves baskets that are meant for use. Besides teaching from her studio, April teaches ash basketry in the Bad River reserve, neighboring reserves and at different venues throughout northern Wisconsin and Michigan.