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| It is best to make containers from fresh Birch bark. I
collect my bark from trees that have fallen recently that have not yet
dried up. this way you are not destroying a perfectly good healthy tree. The Birch bark in England is not very thick but is still thick enough to make some really nice containers from. The Birch bark I am using here is only about 1mm thick. Some bark will just be too thin to use. It varies from tree to tree. |
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| Cut a long even strip of Birch bark so that when it is rolled up it will be double thickness. This will give extra strength to your container and the bark will also be less likely to split when sewing the container together. |
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| Remove any loose material from the outside of the bark. Pulling your thumb across the surface usually flakes off loose material neatly. |
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| Roll the bark up. I have chosen to have the outside of the bark on the inside of the container. You can see that I have rolled it up far enough to have the bark double thickness... Roll it up tightly so there are no gaps between the two layers of bark. |
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| Hold the bark firmly in place and using an Awl (you could use a sharp nail) make a couple of holes either side of the seam at the top. You can then push in a couple of thin wooden pegs to hold the bark temporarily together. The pegs also help to keep the holes open. |
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| Continue to make a series of holes down the front of the container. |
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| If the top and bottom of the container are not level then you can trim them now. |
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| Time to sew the container up... I am using Lime bark fibres but you could use any type of thin cordage material, Spruce roots, Willow bark etc. If the end of the binding material is pointed and not frayed then you may not need a needle to do all the stitching. |
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| Thread the binding material through the first two holes as shown... |
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| Sew down the container. I used a cross stitch but its up
to you what stitching method you use... as long as it holds together
tightly. The holes that you made close up again quickly so sometimes it is easier to re-open them with the Awl. |
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| I use a home made sewing needle to sew the middle holes.
If you are making a tall thin container it will be hard to stitch the
middle holes. You could use a curved needle to reach down the container in
that situation. Or I guess you could sew the whole container up loosely
and then tighten it up from the bottom.
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| End up with both ends on the inside and then tie it off. |
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| Cut two disks from seasoned wood. (If the wood is fresh
then it will shrink) I cut the wood slightly thicker for the piece that will make the lid. |
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| Draw around the container onto the wood and carve them to size until they have a snug fit. |
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| For the lid I taper the inner edge slightly so that it can be put on easier. |
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| Tap the base into place. |
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| Using the Awl make a few holes around the sides of the base. |
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| Bang Thorns into the holes like nails. |
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| Trim thorns flush with surface. |
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| Make a hole in the lid. |
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| Make a small piece of cordage. |
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| Push the cordage through the hole and insert a small wooden peg. |
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| Bang the peg in so that it permanently secures the cordage in place. |
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| Trim it off flush. |
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| Put the lid on and there you go...
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