A simple but practical design for anyone to try...
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| It is best to make containers from fresh Birch bark. I
collect my bark from trees that have fallen recently that have not yet
dried up. this way you are not destroying a perfectly good healthy tree.
The Birch bark in England is not very thick but is still
good enough to
make some really nice containers from. The Birch bark I am using here is
only about 1mm thick.
Some bark will just be too thin to use. It varies from tree to tree. |
Cut a long even strip of Birch bark so that when it is
rolled up it will be double thickness. This will give extra strength to
your container and the bark will also be less likely to split when sewing
the container together. |
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| Remove any loose material from the outside of the bark.
Pulling your thumb across the surface usually flakes off loose material
neatly. |
Roll the bark up. I have chosen to have the outside of the
bark on the inside of the container. You can see that I have
rolled it up far enough to have the bark double thickness...
Roll it tightly so
there are no gaps between the two layers of bark. |
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| Hold the bark firmly in place and using an Awl (you could
use a sharp nail) make a couple of holes either side of the seam at the
top. You can then push in a couple of thin wooden pegs to hold the bark
temporarily together. The pegs also help to keep the holes open. |
Continue to make a series of holes down the front of the
container. |
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| If the top and bottom of the container are not level then
you can trim them now. |
Time to sew the container up...
I am using Lime bark
fibres but you could use any type of thin cordage material; Spruce roots,
Willow bark etc.
If the end of the binding material is pointed and not frayed then you
may not need a needle to do all the stitching. |
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| Thread the binding material through the first two holes as
shown... |
Sew down the container. I used a cross stitch but it's up
to you what stitching method you use... as long as it holds together
tightly. The holes that you made close up again quickly so sometimes it
is easier to re-open them with the Awl. |
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| I use a home made sewing needle to sew the middle holes.
If you are making a tall thin container it will be hard to stitch the
middle holes. You could use a curved needle to reach down the container in
that situation. Or I guess you could sew the whole container up loosely
and then tighten it up from the bottom. |
End up with both ends on the inside and then tie it off. |
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Cut two disks from seasoned wood. (If the wood is fresh
then it will shrink) I cut the wood
slightly thicker for the piece that will become the lid. |
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| Draw around the container onto the wood and carve them to
size until they fit snugly. |
For the lid I taper the inner edge slightly
for an easier fit. |
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| Tap the base into place. |
Using the Awl make a few holes around the sides of the
base. |
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tap thorns into the holes like
nails; Hawthorns or Blackthorns are a good choice. |
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| Trim thorns flush with surface. |
Make a hole in the lid. |
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Make a small piece of cordage or cut a strip of leather for
the pull loop. |
Push the cordage through the hole and insert a small
wooden peg. |
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| Bang the peg in so that it permanently secures the cordage
in place. (Be careful not to hammer the peg so much that it splits the
wood.) |
Trim it off flush. |
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The assembled pots... |
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