Pine needle basketry

I love the act of harvesting pine needles. You pick up the brown dried needles from the ground. The needles must be at least 6 inches long for basketry. I pick from ponderosa pines around here in the Bay Area which tend to be on the coast. It’s overall a very satisfying and nice experience. Let them dry out for a couple days and then cover a couple handfuls of them with boiling water and leave them for 30-45 mins or until pliable. Pick off the scaly covering that holds the needles together. then keep them in a moist towel for a day or two max to keep pliable.

Unfinished one I’m forming and am planning on making it bigger than the previous one

Pine needles likely have basketry purposes anywhere there are pine trees with long needles. But I have mainly heard about pine needle basketry from the indigenous peoples of California who have amazing basket making skills.

I really enjoy the act of making baskets. It is a constant flow between material and maker, and both have an active role in how the basket ends up looking and ultimately what it holds.

 

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