160 COILED BASKETRY IN BRITISH COLUMBIA [eETH. ANN. 41 
most generally in use in their younger days and that, therefore, they 
are easier for them to make. 
The character of coiled basketry depends upon the foundation 
material of the coil, its arrangement, size, and flexibility, and the 
way in which the coils are stitched together. Among the tribes 
here considered, as has been previously mentioned, the foundation 
is a bunch of splints of irregular cross section, varying in size and 
length, which are packed together and tightly sewed with thin, 
fairly uniform sewing splints of the same material. The method of 
sewing has already been touched upon. The foundation is perforated 
by means of a sharp awl, the sewing splint is passed away from the 
worker through the hole with the right hand until the butt end nearly 
disappears, the splint is carried back up over the coil toward the per- 
son manipulating it, down in front and through a second hole which 
the awl has made just to the right of the first one. It covers and 
catches the coil material just to the right of the first stitch, and is 
finally pulled into place, the stitch being 
drawn as taut as is possible, sometimes 
being assisted into ‘‘settling”’ by a sharp 
r tapping with the awl. The repetition of 
Fig. 2.—Sketch of awl 5 : ; 
this process constitutes the technique of 
sewing the coils to each other. If the splint is long, it may be pulled 
through a little way before the worker takes a fresh hold on it nearer 
to the basket. Any interlocking of stitches is purely incidental to 
piercing the coil; fureation of stitches depends upon the closeness of 
sewing. There is no attempt at regular furcation. 
All coiling, unless it is by left-handed persons, is from left to 
right, or clockwise. The awl (fig. 2) is held in the right hand 
between the thumb and forefinger while the rim of the basket is 
grasped with the left thumb and forefinger. The awl is usually 
held between the second and third fingers or else dropped in the 
lap while the splint is being pulled into place. Before inserting 
the sewing strip the women usually pass the whole splint through 
the fingers of the right hand in order to keep it from twisting. 
The end is kept well pointed. When it frays the fringes are split 
off with the awl. While the hole is being made, some individuals 
keep the splint taut by seizing it in the teeth; others hold it with 
the left forefinger and thumb, in the meantime supporting the basket 
with the other fingers. In making bottoms the awl is inserted at 
right angles to the plane of the work which is held almost vertically 
in front of the person, but in constructing flaring sides it is driven 
very slightly upward and to the left, the coil being pushed out a 
little at each stitch. In constricting the coils it is thrust a little 
downward and to the right, the bunch of splints being pulled very 
taut in the same direction with the fingers of the left hand. With 
practice these movements become quite automatic. 
