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.

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.