Construction Work for Rural and Elementary Schools Part 8

Place together, at right angles, two groups of four spokes of No. 4 reed. To the under group add the six-inch spoke of No. 4 reed (Figure 1). Hold the spokes firmly in the left hand. Take the No. 2 weaver and insert it under the thumb. Wind the weaver diagonally over the crossing point in both directions (Figure 2). Then wind the weaver over and under alternate groups of spokes, three times around. Hold both spokes and weaver firmly in place with the left hand. Separate into single spokes now and continue weaving until your mat is four inches in diameter. Fasten the end of the weaver by tucking it down beside a rib. The projecting ribs are trimmed to an even length and pointed.

Take any given spoke, as No. 1, bend it to the left in front of No. 2 and insert it on the right side of No. 3. No. 2 is now taken and carried to the left over No. 3 and inserted to the right of No. 4.

Proceed thus until all the spokes are inserted, when the mat is finished. The scallops should form a semicircle.

[Ill.u.s.tration: REED MAT]

For a larger mat, take ten spokes, sixteen inches long, of No. 4 reed, and one spoke nine inches long of the same. Use No. 1 reed for the weaver and proceed as in making the smaller mat.

To add a new weaver, place the end about two spokes back of where the former weaver ended and parallel with it.

4 Hamper Basket

_Problem_--To construct a simple reed basket.

_Material_--No. 4 reed: eight spokes 16 inches long; one spoke 9 inches long. Weavers of No. 1 reed.

Begin the basket exactly as the mat was begun. Weave until the bottom is three inches, or three and a half inches in diameter. Then bend the spokes at right angles with the base, drawing the weaver tight so as to hold the spokes in position and keep them separated at an equal distance. Continue weaving until the basket is three inches high, or until about one and a half inches of spokes is left for the border.

Finish the edge by turning down the spokes as in the edge of the mat, or bend them down flat with the edge of the basket. Take any spoke, as No. 1, bring from right to left over No. 2, then No. 2 over No. 3, and so on until the ends of all the spokes are turned to the inside of the basket. Keep both basket and weaver well dampened while weaving. After the basket is finished press it into shape while still damp. When it is thoroughly dry trim off the ends of the spokes which appear too long on the inside of the basket, leaving them just long enough to be held in place by the curved spoke under which each pa.s.ses. This makes a beautiful hamper basket.

[Ill.u.s.tration: HAMPER BASKET]

A handle may be added to this little basket, but it is not advisable to encourage a child to add a handle until he has made his third basket or has shown in some way proficiency in what has been taught so far.

_To add a handle._ Take a length of reed, of the same number as the spokes, for the handle bow. For a small-sized basket take ten inches.

Insert one end down through the weaving beside one of the spokes. Bend the bow into the shape you wish for the handle and insert the other end of the bow beside a spoke on the opposite side of the basket, being careful that the two s.p.a.ces between the two ends of the handle are equal. The handle should be about as high above the border as the border is above the bottom of the basket. The width of the handle should be a little less than the width of the basket at the top.

You are now ready to cover the handle. Take a long weaver; push one end of it through the wale under the second row. Hold the end in place and wrap the weaver about the handle bow, keeping the s.p.a.ces about equal, and drawing taut enough to be graceful, until it reaches the opposite side. Then draw the weaver through the wale and under the second row and up on that side; next wind about the handle bow again, back to the starting-point. Push the weaver through the wale, under the second row and out again, and once more wind across the handle bow. Repeat this operation from side to side until the handle bow is covered. Keep each row of winder close to the preceding one and parallel to it. When the bow is covered, tuck the end of the weaver through the wale and under the second row and clip the end, leaving it just long enough to stay in place. The handle bow needs to be damp enough to be flexible, but unless the winding weaver is well soaked it will crack and make trouble.

5 Basket Tray

_Problem_--To construct a reed basket or tray, having an even number of spokes, and using same number reed for both spokes and weaver.

_Material_--Sixteen spokes, each 11 inches long, of No. 3 or No. 4 reed. Weaver of reed of same number as spokes.

Separate the spokes into groups of four. Place set No. 1 on and at right angles to set No. 2. Sets 3 and 4 are laid diagonally across sets 1 and 2.

[Ill.u.s.tration: HOW TO BEGIN THE BASKET TRAY]

Hold the spokes firmly, attach the weaver and go in and out four times round, over and under the same set of spokes each time. At the end of the fourth round, pa.s.s the weaver over two sets of spokes and weave four rows. Next separate the spokes into sets of two and weave one row; now each time that the weaver comes to starting-point in the circle, pa.s.s it over two sets of spokes instead of one, and then weave the next round. When you have been around seven times using double spokes, bend the spokes up for sides and weave two more rows over double spokes.

Then separate into single spokes and weave six rows, remembering each time to pa.s.s the weaver at the end of a new round over two spokes instead of one, so as to have them properly alternated. Trim the ends of the spokes to an equal length and start the border by bending any given spoke to the right and inside the tray, holding it in place.

Continue with each succeeding one until all the spokes have been bent into position. These spokes being bent so closely and consecutively over each other, form a coil resembling the handle of a basket. The points of the spokes are pushed under the coil, through from the inside to the outside of the basket. Keep a vessel of water at hand and wet the material constantly as you weave. When the tray is finished, press it into shape and set aside to dry. When it is well dried, clip off the projecting ends.

[Ill.u.s.tration: REED BASKET TRAY]

6 Basket with Handle

_Problem_--To construct a basket using an uneven number of spokes, spokes and weaver the same number reed; and to add a handle.

_Material_--No. 3 reed: eight stakes, each 20 inches long; one stake 11 inches long. Weavers of No. 3 reed.

Make two groups of four each of the twenty-inch stakes. Place one set at right angles across the other, and beside the under set insert the eleven-inch spoke. Hold the spokes firmly between the thumb and the forefinger of the left hand, and with the weaver in the right hand place the starting end under the edge of the upper set; bring it around and over set No. 1, under No. 2, over No. 3, under No. 4, and repeat this operation four times. Now separate the spokes into groups of eight twos and one single, and weave four rounds. Next cut seventeen eleven-inch stakes and push one in beside each stake already used.

Divide them into seventeen pairs. Weave round and round until you have a base three and one-half inches in diameter. Being sure that the weaver is damp and pliable, with fingers, or "pliers," bend up the stakes close to the weaving, at right angles with the base, and continue weaving until the basket is four inches deep. Then trim the stakes, if necessary, to uniform length and bend them over to form the border. Take any stake, as No. 1, and work from right to left. Bend down No. 1, pa.s.s under No. 2 and over No. 3. Then take No. 2, pa.s.s under No. 3 and over No. 4. Continue until every pair of stakes has been turned down and worked into the border. All ends must come inside the basket; after it is dry, trim them off. You will find that in working with the wet reed your basket may seem not to have the proper shape. Soak it well and you will be able to mould as you wish it. Add a handle.

[Ill.u.s.tration: REED BASKET WITH HANDLE]

This basket is made almost exactly like the little hamper basket previously described, except that in this one, we use double stakes, while in that one, single stakes were used; the sides of this one are vertical, those of that one slightly curved.

In pa.s.sing from the reed basket, the next step would be the raffia and then the combination of reed and raffia, which is worked out in all forms of Indian basketry. The most common st.i.tch is known as the "lazy squaw," and is made by winding the raffia round the reed one, two, or three times, as s.p.a.ce is desired; and then the needle is taken through the row below to make the st.i.tch. Each st.i.tch is a repet.i.tion of the one before and the mat, tray or basket grows with the effort. There are innumerable opportunities for design in Indian basketry, and it is here that the work of an artist may be realized and recognized.

RAFFIA CONSTRUCTION

We may correlate and combine raffia with reed in construction. The two materials may be worked together to great advantage and interest to the child. For instance, when a napkin ring has been made of reed let the child next construct one of raffia, and then compare the finished article as to the material vised, the beauty, the flexibility, the durability, and the nativity of each.

As in the case of reed, so with raffia before constructing with it, pa.s.s a piece to each child and give the life history of the plant.

Madagascar may be a name only to the small child, but the very vagueness of his knowledge concerning it may cause him to realize the distance of the island from us and appreciate that this simple material with which he is working has traveled thousands of miles to bring him a story and an occupation.

Raffia, a native of the South Sea Islands and of Madagascar, is the inner bark of the raphia palm, pulled off, torn into narrow strips, dried in the sun, and bound into bunches, which are plaited together and stored ready for use or shipping.

We receive the raffia in its natural state, but many colors may easily be had by dyeing. In _Practical Basket Making_, by George Wharton James, some valuable suggestions on dyeing are given; but the small quant.i.ty of raffia a teacher will need may be dyed with very little trouble with the "Easy Dyes" manufactured by the American Color Company. Follow directions and the results will be most satisfactory.

Be very careful to have the dyes strong enough, as raffia absorbs an enormous amount of coloring. All raffia should be washed before dyeing; it should be well dried before being put into the dye pot, since it takes the color better when dry.

If you have pupils old enough, or a cla.s.s on which you can rely, nothing will delight them more than to do their own dyeing. A fourth-grade cla.s.s in one of the Baltimore schools has successfully dyed all the raffia, cord, cotton, and textiles used in their cla.s.sroom. The child dearly loves color; the possibility of having different shades to work with will arouse an intense interest in procuring these colors. It will be unusual if the pupils do not handle with care the materials and the dye pot.

In adapting a commodity to circ.u.mstances in this way, the broader knowledge of how the colors in clothing are obtained will develop and there will be created in the child a new idea of life and of man's work.

The natural color of the raffia is much improved by washing; therefore, before using it loosen it and soak it in clean water so that all dust and dirt may be removed and the strips or strings straightened out; then hang it in the air until thoroughly dry.

Before offering any models of the combined reed and raffia, we shall give a few of raffia alone, as we did of the reed.

7 Plaited Rope

_Problem_--To teach different ways in which the plaited rope of raffia may be applied.

_Material_--Raffia.

Begin the use of raffia by teaching the child the three-strand plait, adding a new thread from time to time, until a long rope is made. Next teach how to coil this rope into a mat, a purse, a basket, or a hat.

In plaiting, keep the raffia damp and use strands of equal size.

Dampness adds gloss and smoothness to the finished article.

[Ill.u.s.tration: THREE-STRAND PLAIT]

In the construction of articles of plaited raffia an opportunity opens up to bring the child's inventive ingenuity into play. Get him to think of something he might make, and to construct it roughly of paper. With his model as a guide for shape and size, he can easily reproduce it in raffia. The first pattern may be crude, but each repet.i.tion will produce a better one, and interest will lend enchantment, until both pattern and reproduction will be most creditable.