. . . we gather Long Leaf Pine Needles
from under pine trees in Palestine Texas.
Next we select a base which is either a mesquite wood base that we make
from wood we harvest locally, a slice of a black walnut, or a basket gourd which we grow and prepare.
As we coil the pine needles around the base, we stitch the coils together with waxed linen thread.
Pine Needles
Walnut Shell Slices
Start Coiling
Linen makes a strong thread that gets stronger with use instead of weaker, and the wax helps keep the stitches tight.
Every few stitches we add more pine needles
to the end of the coil which makes the basket one continuous coil
from the base to the rim.
We like to use slices of black walnuts as accents in the sides of the basket.
When the baskets are finished we coat them with shellac
which makes them last a long time and
gives them a glossy finish!
How Long? (hours to coil an average pine needle basket)
Needle Bundles
Cost of Needles
Would You Like To Take A Basket Class?
