About Pine Needle Baskets and How to Use Them in Your Home Decor

Article by: Lesley Dietschy

Have you ever had the pleasure of strolling through a forest covered with fragrant pine needles? Can you imagine those pine needles being crafted , Kitchen Lighting Can Be Both Useful and Attractive into a basket, tray, or sculpture? In this article, you will discover the brief history of pine needle baskets and how to , Prepare Roses for Long-Lasting Display use these beautiful , The Many Benefits of Loft Bunk Beds and fragrant works of art in your home , Bed In A Bag - A Fantastic Solution To Your Interior Decorating Needs decor.

Pine needle basketry has most likely existed for as long as pine trees , Tuscan Style Decorating - Three Essential and people have shared the earth. , Antler Chandeliers Historical references do not indicate when pine needles were first used in baskets. However, due to the availability of pine needles in their area, Seminole Indians of South Florida are noted to be the first pine needle basket makers. The Seminole Indians used a bone or shell needle to sew bundles of pine needles together with fern roots, , Prepare Roses for Long-Lasting Display sisal, or swamp grass. , The Logic Behind An Adjustable Bed Some of the baskets were used for feed baskets, to carry water, , Home Furnishing - Creating You Ideal Living Space and for winnowing seeds. , Bringing the Inside Out

Modern pine needle basketry is noted to have begun during the Civil War times (1861-1865) when Mrs. M.J. McAfee of Southern Georgia used pine needles that she bound together with cotton thread to replace a worn hat for her father. She claimed to be the originator of pine needle basketry as we know it today.

In the present day, pine needle baskets are most often created using the coiling technique, which is one of the oldest and most universal methods of basket making. The basket is created by coiling and stitching one continuous bundle of pine needles around and on top of the row below. The foundation of the basket is formed with a bundle of pine needles bound together with various fibers such as raffia, split roots, , Accentuate Your Home With Floorings birch paper, yucca, sinew, embroidery thread, yarn or waxed linen thread. Decorative stitches and wrapping techniques are often used to make the basket strong as well as add an attractive element. The most common stitches used are the straight wheat stitch, spiral wheat stitch, fern stitch, popcorn stitch, diamond stitch, the Indian wrap, and numerous knot stitches.

The pine needles come from a variety of different pine trees, , Fall Decorating in Just Minutes such as Jeffrey Pine, Long Needle Pine, Monterey Pine, Ponderosa Pine, Bill Pine, and Gray Pine. The pine needles are gathered from the newly fallen top layer on the forest floor , 7 Key Tips on how to Create the Illusion of Space in Small Rooms or picked from a fallen tree , Rustic Decor Is Not Just For Cabins! or limb and chosen based on their flexibility and length. Once the pine needles have been collected, they are carefully washed, cured, and then stored until use.

The natural , Incorporating Plant Stands and Indoor Planters in Your Home Decor colors of the pine needles can be used or the needles themselves can be dyed. Embellishments such as colored threads, buttons, beads, nut slices, and cones are often used to enhance the pine needle basket or project.

Pine needle baskets make attractive statements in home , The Color Blue: What Does It Mean To You? decor. The following is a small list of ideas on how to , Feng Shui Inspiration: 10 Easy Things to do to Truly Inspire You use pine needle baskets to decorate , Home Furnishing - Creating You Ideal Living Space your home:

"Â¢ Display one or a grouping on a bookshelf to create an eye catching display.

"Â¢ Use them like you would any basket to create an appealing arrangement of silk greenery to accent a special little table or chest.

"Â¢ Mount a grouping of two or more baskets on a wall , Home Decorating – Leading the Simple Life for interesting wall decor. , Home Furnishing - Creating You Ideal Living Space

"Â¢ Place dried flowers , Feng Shui Inspiration: 10 Easy Things to do to Truly Inspire You in an urn shaped pine needle basket and place , Venetian Blinds it on a nightstand for a charming look next to your bed. , Chairs - A Fresh Look

"Â¢ Use a rounded taller version as desk organizers for your pens and pencils and a shorter version for holding your clips, rubber bands, etc.

"Â¢ Place faux fruit , Kitchen Island Design Ideas - The Look, Size, And Features in a pine needle basket tray for an attractive center piece on your dining room , The German Grandfather Clock Tradition or kitchen , How to do Wonders with a Ceiling Fan table.

As you can see, the possibilities are endless on how to , Prepare Roses for Long-Lasting Display use pine needle baskets in your home , The Color Blue: What Does It Mean To You? decor. Today, professional basket makers and hobbyists all over the world are creating these beautiful , Feng Shui for a Small Apartment pine needle baskets. Many pine needle baskets can be found in art galleries, art and craft , Comparing Bunk Beds – Making Sure You Get Value For Money fairs, home , Accentuate Your With Floorings decorating shops, and on the internet. , Shared Bedrooms - How To Make It Work

Pine needle basketry is considered to be a lost art that is being revived by today's crafters and artists. With an interesting background and an exciting future, pine needle basketry and projects are sure to be around for many years to come.

Lesley Dietschy is a freelance writer and the creator/editor of The Home , Feng Shui Tips for Offices Decor Exchange and the Home , The Many Benefits of Loft Bunk Beds & Garden , Venetian Blinds Exchange. The Home , The Color Blue: What Does It Mean To You? Decor Exchange is a popular home , Kids' Wallpaper Borders Ideas and garden , Incorporating Plant Stands and Indoor Planters in Your Home Decor website featuring resources, articles, decorating , Help with Picking a Discount Ceiling Fan pictures, free projects, and a shopping marketplace. The Home , 7 Key Tips on how to Create the Illusion of Space in Small Rooms & Garden , Antler Chandeliers Exchange website is a link exchange program and directory dedicated to the home , How to do Wonders with a Ceiling Fan and garden , Shared Bedrooms - How To Make It Work industry, as well as offering free website content and promotional ideas. Please visit both websites for all of your home, , Kitchen Lighting Can Be Both Useful and Attractive garden, , Kitchen Lighting Can Be Both Useful and Attractive and website needs.

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