Fiber Arts
Basketry: Diagonal Plaited Birch Bark Basket
Make a birch basket historically used to bake bread.
Members$246.00 (any noted materials fee included) |
Guests$300.00 (any noted materials fee included) |
Tuition Assistance and Other Policies
Meeting Times
- Sat, 9/14/2024 9:30 AM - 4:00 PM
- Sun, 9/15/2024 9:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Sat, 9/14/2024 - Sun, 9/15/2024
About
This basket comes from a long tradition of weaving birch strips to create useful and handy vessels. After generous oiling, this basket was used historically to bake loaves of bread when other vessels were not available.
You'll first learn to "read" sheets of birch, and how to cut them into strips for weaving. You'll then weave a double-walled, diagonal plaited basket using pre-prepared strips of Alaskan birch. Pinwheel embellishments can be added using contrasting colored birch. An emphasis will be placed on shaping and obtaining a tight weave, separating the layers of bark to create the best thickness for weaving, working your materials to obtain a tight weave, and the secrets to softening stiff bark. This is all part of the “wisdom of birch” presented in class.
Details
- Skill level: Intermediate
- Basket measures 5 inches by 5 inches by 5 inches
Materials
Prerequisites
Class Policies
- Ages 14 and up are welcome.
- Bring a sack lunch each day. A refrigerator and microwave are available in the lower level Commons area.
BARN Policies
- View BARN's Cancellation and Refund Policy.
- Tuition Assistance is available. Fill out the application before registering.
- BARN is committed to accessibility. We try to make accommodations when requested; the earlier you contact us, the more likely we can help. Please email accessibility@bainbridgebarn.org to find out more or request an accommodation.
- Sensory Statement: Makerspaces like BARN can be noisy and cluttered, smell strongly, and have bright or flickering lights.
Instructors or Guides
Karen Magnuson
Basketry
Karen teaches ethnobotany programs with the Washington Department of Ecology. She leads online and in-person classes sharing more than 40 years' experience teaching the identification and traditions surrounding wild edible and medicinal plants. Karen leads basketry classes throughout the county and as well as other earth-centered programs through Earthwalk Northwest, a wilderness school she co-founded and directs.
Follow Us