September, 1908 



AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 



347 



eluded in the half-turn. The 

 work is commenced by mak- 

 ing a little coil in the center, 

 and if reeds are to be used, 

 three feet are left uncoiled. 



Reeds, though much used 

 by basket makers, are harder 

 to work with, and stiff to 

 weave, besides requiring at 

 least ten minutes' soaking be- 

 fore using in order to render 

 them sufficiently pliable to 

 handle. Raffia is far su- 

 perior, making a firmer bas- 

 ket, and possessing few draw- 

 backs, one of the most se- 

 rious being the need of con- 

 stant joining which the length 

 of the strips of raffia renders 

 imperative. To the raffia 

 weaver who is well used to 

 the task there is nothing 

 more simple, and the work 

 seems to require no skill ; but 

 to the learner who knows 

 nothing about it, the case is 

 altered, and there are many 

 things to which she must give 

 earnest heed if she wishes to 

 become an expert weaver. 



One of the hardest things 

 to be constantly watched is 

 to get pieces of exact width, 

 and yet it is one of the most 

 necessary to really good re- 

 sults. Then when a pattern 

 is to be woven into the basket 



or mat it must be kept in mind, and the pieces which are 

 needed to carry it out remembered, lest the pattern fail to 

 materialize as desired. The shaping of the basket or piece 

 of work is a thing which experience and a keen eye alone can 

 teach. If beads are to be included in the pattern they are 

 strung upon a strong cord, gray carpet thread being now in 

 common use. One is securely fastened into the weave, while 

 the other is wrapped several times around the back to hinder 



Baskets in Various Stages 



A CI 



ass in 



tangling, the beads slipped 

 up to it, and the last stitch 

 taken so they may intersect 

 the stitches. Generally they 

 are placed upon contrasting 

 or dark colors so that they 

 will show to more effect. 



Raffia work has never been 

 confined to baskets alone, and 

 more than other materials 

 which may be used in such 

 work it lends itself to a wide 

 variety of articles and uses 

 which are impossible with 

 reeds or splits. Some of the 

 ladies in various localities 

 which are interested in the 

 work have woven hats which 

 are fine enough to be worn 

 upon ordinary occasions, 

 while others have made table 

 mats, belts, chains, and in 

 some cases necklaces or 

 chains of raffia combined 

 with beads. Feathers, shells 

 and other primitive decora- 

 tions which lend themselves 

 admirably to such decoration 

 are used with the raffia, and 

 the former were never col- 

 ored by the Indians, who took 

 them from birds of brilliant 

 plumage. 



Truly the savage mother 

 who crooned strange lullabys 

 to her babe as he swung in 

 his linden cradle among the 

 bows, rocked by the wind, would have been filled with aston- 

 ishment could she have foreseen the articles which the modern 

 mother of to-day is making from the basket weaves which 

 have come down to her from the squaws, and she would have 

 been more than puzzled at their various uses. 



In the normal schools raffia is useful not alone for its real 

 value as an accomplishment, but for the artistic training 

 which it gives the children and its practical utility. 



Raffia 



The Finished Sofa Pillow 



A Raffia Fan 



