Basketmaking Workshop

Last week I attended a basketry demonstration and discussion.

Jesse Larocque, Abenaki basketmaker extraordinaire, showed some of his basket collection.

Lidded basket (ash splints, sweet grass)

Collection of Abenaki baskets

Lids are often a feature of Abenaki baskets

Brown ash log partially pounded

To prepare the ash splints, Jesse uses a mallet to pound the log and break the splints across along the growth rings in the wood.

Splints peeling off pounded brown ash log. The splints break apart along growth ring lines. Jesse can then peel them so that they're even finer - with smooth shiny surfaces on both sides.

Brown ash (foreground) and white ash (background)

The brown ash is a preferred tree for ash baskets. The bark flakes off easily in your hand, like pie crust. Two colors of splints come from brown ash trees, creamy yellow splints, and a slightly reddish splint.

Black Ash

In many sources, black ash and brown ash trees are considered interchangeable. However, to an Abenaki basketmaker, the trees definitely differ. The bark of the black ash is not flaky like the brown ash.

Splints from the black ash are either very white (instead of the creamy color from a brown ash tree) or very dark, almost black.

There are also differences in how the trees look when they first bloom.

Birch bark vessel

Birch bark can be made watertight (think canoes) with the use of pitch on the seams.

Inside of birch bark vessel

I find birch bark fascinating.....This class made me want to make baskets this summer.

Seems like a good front porch project!! (Well, except the pounding of ash logs, which I think I'll leave to the professionals!!)