Plaits
The making of of objects from corn is a natural, unique and traditional craft. It is suitable for all ages and abilities and needs only a pile of straw, some cotton and a pair of scissors to begin.
The simplest objects are composed of three strand plaits ie the regularly used technique for plaiting hair .
Plaiting
There are literally hundreds of plaiting patterns available, made with 2-11 straws, producing flat, round and zigzag shapes.
In rural Britain, straw plaiting was a cottage industry which saw its heyday in eighteenth and nineteenth century . It was mainly practiced by women and children.The plaits were sold to make hats. Learn more with a talk/workshop
Spiral Plaiting
Many 'Harvest Trophies' are constructed from beautiful spiral plaits
These are designs which may have been produced for centuries and are passed from generation to generation. The designs were collected in the early part of the twentieth century and named according to the areas in which they were found. These objects are frequently miscalled 'corn dollies'
Straw Marquetry
Straw marquetry is a technique that uses straw rather than wood veneers. The straw is soaked, split and then flattened.
The very best pieces of marquetry were created by the Napolionic prisoners of war. They had few materials exept for the straw in their cells and lots of time so their work is unique.
Look out for my products at craft events
Straw Splints
Straw splits are mostly used to make passementries - small, elaborate decorations frequently used in the Swiss hat making industry.They are also used to make these beautiful straw stars (stohsterne).
The materials and instructions are hard to obtain in this country. I have run several successful workshops in straw star making. They are always enjoyed and the products can be used for pictures and mobiles as well as seasonal tree decorations.
Himmeli
These 'Scandinavian objects' are very popular at the moment and you see them in shops made from various materials and being assigned to many uses from lamp shades to plant holders. They were originally made from straw and used as mobiles.
More can be discovered about them in the 'traditions' section of this site. They lend themselves to workshops as complex looking structures are made from simple shapes joined together.
Learn through history and folklore, create and enjoy straw work.
A brief selection of straw shapes and meanings or beliefs