Pine Needle Basket

 Coiled Basketry has been found worldwide in a variety of indigineous cultures including Uganda, England, Australia, and many regions in the United States.  They form a very tight container and can include delightful colors and patterns.  Along the western states, these baskets have been made from the long Ponderosa Pine needles.  Trees will naturally shed a great number of these needles each fall and they can be collected from the ground.  

I collected these needles at our SCA Principality's Fall Coronet in Chiloquin, OR.  The first step is to make sure most of the needles are fully intact and mold-free, and it's best for them to be completely dried before beginning.  Once that is assured, soak the needles in warm water for at least an hour or until they are a little more pliable.  As the basket gets wider, this is less necessary, but it keeps the long needles from snapping.  

The materials you'll need for this are:

~Lots of pine needles (I used a large, double handful for this tiny basket)

~Thread of choice - waxed or sinew is preferred, I used embroidery floss

~Needle

~hollow threader - large feather shaft, tightly rolled piece of paper, portion of drinking straw or pen exterior.  The interior circumference of this will determine your fiber bundle size.

    When the needle bundles fall from the trees, they have a papery covering over the tree-end.  This should be removed from each set of needles before working.  Stuff the tube with needles so they are all going the same direction, lining up the tree-end on one side.  The tube should be snug, but not so tight that the needles can't continue to slide through.  With all the tree-end (connected) needles, start tightly wrapping with your thread, tucking the short end under the wrapping.  Continue this for about an inch before folding the wrapped area over as pictured above.  Thread needle on long end and past through wrapped areas several times to secure.  Continue wrapping and stitching until secure.  

    As you work, add more pine needles going the same direction into the center of the tube bundle any time it loosens up.  When you run out of thread, try to tie a new strand on in a way that the knot will be covered as you continue to work.

  

  After the center of your coil is tightly secure, continue wrap needles around and secure with stitches by going around the new and back under the last coil round.  It will look most consistent if you put each additional row's stitches coming through the stitch of the previous row, splitting it.  Eventually you will need to add extra stitches in between.

    Continue until the base of your basket is the desired size. 

At this point, you will need to pull the needle bundle on top of the previous row as you stitch along in order to begin shaping the sides.  Continue in this direction until the desired height is achieved.  Continue stitching around until all needle ends are tacked down.

  

    Enjoy your coiled basket!  I found this to be very strong and sturdy.  It could hold very tiny things without them falling through, perhaps even liquid if it was made well.

From Sheep to Scroll

 Antoine’s Knighting Scroll

By Muirenn inghean Uí Cléirigh

Wordsmith: Eoghan Ua Cléirigh

“Antoine Tue Avec Des Mots  Warrior poet, soldier firm.  With mind keen and strength of arm have you shown your measure. With this you have not become a Peer, but shown what you have always been. With this knowledge do we, King Nicolai Rabenis Von Tachov and Queen Ana de la Sara, wish to honor you and by the authority granted us by right of arms grant you letters patent naming you a Knight of the society. Set by our hand and seal this 25th day of May, AS 60.”

Materials

-homemade parchment from Soay sheep

-homemade parchment size

-Pigments: lapis, brazil wood, Verona green, Pazzouli earth, lime white, and bone black ground up with gum arabic.  Modern ink and silver.

Process (photos below):

The story of this scroll begins about 5 years ago when I raised Soay sheep.  They are a small, heritage breed, originally from the islands off the coast of Scotland.  Once butchered, I salted and dried the hide, knowing I wanted to make parchment someday.  Through the winter, I studied and discussed the process with David Bianco as well as reading up on the bits of period writings on the process by Theopholis and Cennini.  I soaked off the salt and began the liming process, soaking for many weeks in a hydrated lime and water solution until the remaining wool follicles could be rubbed off without much effort.  Then there was much scraping on a pole donated by John Wayland, a longer soak, then scraping again.  Ideally, I would have used a lunella blade for this, but a large, dull knife with slight curve sufficed.  Before stretching, I built a frame with reclaimed lumber and pegs I cut and tapered. I punctured small holes about 3” apart and an inch from the edge and  threaded cotton cord.  Between each hole, I pulled a bit of the cord over a corresponding hole drilled in the frame and pushed it through with a peg, tensioning it and holding it firmly in place. Once it was anchored around I tensioned a second time.  With the hide was taut, I scraped it one last time to get a majority of the moisture out, the gave it a final dusting with the lime.  This dried over the winter, though our kittens were persistent in pulling the pegs out and batting them to hidden places.  Also during this time I brewed up a parchment size with some of the trimmed pieces from the edges.  With this I added a little whiting to create a gesso and lightly applied in a crosshatch pattern as prescribed by Cennini.  On March 26th, I cut it from the frame and trimmed the edges  Through this process I kept thinking how wonderful it would be if our friend, Antoine, would receive his knighting offer, and this could be used for his scroll.

Then on April 26th, the long awaited offer came and soon after I was honored and elated to be asked to make the scroll!    After researching manuscripts that the Normans might have been familiar with, I chose the “Sacramentaire de Robert de Jumiéges” (11th C.) from France to be inspired by, particularly folio 159v. I testing 22 different combinations of period pigments, I chose to lightly mull lapis lazuli with brazil wood, a little vinegar and my gum arabic-honey mixture to create the signature purple through out.  I created the bone black by charcoalizing bones in the camp fire before grinding and mulling.  Although I didn’t have any pigments from France, the Pozzuoli red and Verona green are from Italy where the Normans conquered.  Finally, the white was made with a period lime solutions, and the ink and silver are modern.  

Symbolism in this award includes many fleur-de-lis’ and the colors purple, silver, and black throughout.  In the four corners are symbols from influential people.  The top left is a bear holding a red rose and war stick from Antoine’s Mom (her quote at the end), the husky of honor from Elizabeth Chandler in the top right, in the lower left is the Daos badge, and in the lower right, the stag of Antoine’s knight, Sir Sverre Tjorkillson.  

From Antoine’s Mom:

The Grizzly bear standing and the war club.  Put the club in the bears fist, and you have the symbol for Anton.  If you put a lions mane around his heart that would go even further.   Also put a red rose in the other fist.  My son has the courage and power of the Grizzly who by the way, once mated are devoted for life and should anyone or anything hurt that mate, they are tracked down and destroyed. The grizzly has long been the alpha predator that has inspired many stories and songs. The War Club, in both Cherokee and Lakota tradition is not just a weapon but a symbol of leadership and strength, the decoration is always indicative of the man or woman who wields it and their family history and affiliations like their spirit animal and such. My spirit guide is the red tailed Hawk, my Mother’s was the Elk. The lions mane gives the gift of the lions heart that he wears with pride to those who are under his protection. The Red Rose is 2 things.  It is the symbol of the Cherokee Nation and for the true and abiding love he gives to those he encounters who earn his trust.  These are the things that would most describe my son in picture form.