Textile Indie

    Pine Needle Basketry

    Resources

    Pine Needles

    Threads and Wire for Coiling Baskets

    Tools Needed for Pine Needle Basketry

    Fabric Dyes for Dyeing Pine Needles

    Pine Needle Basket Sealing and Finishing

    Beeswax Finishes

    Books on Pine Needle Basketry

    Pine Needle Basketry on Textile Indie’s Youtube Channel

    Tools and materials

    Satisfying pine needle basket project {hyperlapse}

    Gathering and cleaning pine needles for basketry

    Cleaning Pine Needles

    Materials:

    • – Pine Needles
    • – Dish soap
    • – Water tub
    • – Hot water
    • – Towel

    Bring water to a simmer on the stove or use very hot tap water.

    Place pine needles in the water tub with a small dash of soap. Pour hot water over the pine needles and allow them to soak for 15 minutes to soften resins and release the dirt.

    Swish the needles around slightly to knock off any bits of debris that are still stuck to the needles.

    Remove the needles from the water bin and place on a towel.

    Dump the dirty water outside. DO NOT dump down your drain. Resins may have released into the water and once chilled they will harden and can clog your drains.

    Do a rinse by pouring hot water over the needles and rinsing away any soap residue and dirt.

    If you are going to store the needles allow them to completely dry before storing them in a paper bag or a well-ventilated container.

    To use right away soak for a total of an hour before beginning to work with the needles.

    Dyeing pine needles with rit dyes

    Pine needle mini basket tutorial

    Basic Pine Needle Basketry Stitch

    Where to Put Your Needle – Stitch Placement

    Finishing a pine needle basket

    Beeswax finishes

    You can use melted beeswax as a pine needle basket finish. Or combine it with an equal amount of paraffin wax to make it more cost-effective.

    My favorite way to finish a pine needle basket is to use a mixture that is also used for beeswax wraps (see a video on how to make beeswax wraps here)

    For a full tutorial on how to finish a pine needle basket in this way see the video below.

    The recipe includes beeswax, jojoba oil and pine resin.

    You will combine all the ingredients in a glass jar. I like to use something recycled or designated for beeswax so that I don’t have to worry about it getting messy. I put this jar in a pot with two or three inches of water, creating a double-boiler affect. This gets heated slowly on the stove to heat the water which in turn heats the waxes and combines them. Stir thoroughly and make sure the pine resin has fully dissolved as it takes the longest to liquify.

    Once liquid you can apply the mixture to your basket.

    Recipe: