Today while out for a walk, I collected a variety of natural materials suitable for use in making a simple basket.
I used willow wands twisted together to make the frame of the basket and Reed Mace/Bulrush leaves (see picture below) woven to form the basket.
This weekend I ran a basket making course with guest instructor Jo Hammond. We used various sizes of Willow withys to make the baskets. The willow had been harvested last winter, stored dry and then soaked in water for a few days prior to the course.
Here is Jo teaching students how to start making a basket
and here are some of the baskets made on the course.
This is Birch Polypore or Razor Strop fungus which as you might guess, grows on Birch trees.
It is called razor Strop fungus because historically slices of the fungus were cut and used to strop razors and knives when sharpening them.
A thin layer on the underside of the fungus can be removed and used as a self-adhesive plaster.
Today I have been working with Reindeer leather, making pouches like the ones you can see below.
I bought the leather from one of the stall holders here at Jokkmokk in Swedish Lapland in February this year. The market is an annual event that has been taking place for over 400 years and traditional it was where the Saami people would gather to trade their goods.
You can also make some really nice Birch bark containers as well. Here are a couple I have made recently.
This picture also features a Birch cup I made and a bone sewing kit I made for stitching the bark containers.
Birch bark is an amazing material to work with. Unfortunately the quality of bark in the UK is not good so I collect mine from either Canada or Lapland. I have used it to make some really nice baskets and knife sheaths. If you do not have Birch bark available, strips of cereal packets make a really good substitute.
I’ve just completed my Kuksa. I estimate it has taken about 6 hours to make it. I made it out of a piece of Cherry and in the picture below, the kuksa is standing on the other half of the log that I carved it from and the tools I used.
Traditionally they are carved out of a Birch bur, but using half a split log producing just as good a result.
Using a piece of Cherry I was given last weekend, I am making a kuksa (a traditional wooden cup used in Scandinavia.
I’m using instructions produced by my friend Jon Ridgeon on his website http://www.bushcraft.ridgeonnet.com/Kuksa%20tutorial.htm
I even had a couple of Common Darter dragonflies coming to inspect my work.
I will post picture once my kuksa is completed.
Once a month I join a group of friends at a local wood to practise our green wood working skills.
Here I am using a pole-lathe to turn a green piece of Yew into bearing blocks for bow-drill sets.
This is a spoon carved by one of my friends. Notice the intricate pattern on the handle that he has carved using the tip of his knife.
