How to Prepare Buckbrush Runners for Weaving

Mother Nature provides some of the most beautiful materials for baskets. Buckbrush - or Indian currant - is a small shrub that grows on sandy or gravelly slopes and spreads by runners along the ground. After its outer bark is removed, the inside is a wonderful, golden color.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Gather buckbrush runners.

2. Coil runners in loose coils and discard badly damaged runners. Coil longer pieces together and short ones together to be used on different parts of a basket.

3. Boil water in a large pan. We suggest a #2 washtub on a camp stove outside to avoid a mess in your kitchen.

4. Place coils in boiling water, and boil for about 30 minutes or until the outside bark slips off easily.

5. Remove coils from hot water with a pair of barbecue tongs. Wear gloves to prevent burns.

6. Let coils cool until you can handle them safely.

7. Use a plastic scrubber to remove loose bark. In places where bark is hard to remove, use a knife and scrape gently.

8. Hang stripped runners to dry to prevent molding.

9. Coil and store until needed.

Tips & Warnings

• Stored runners can be soaked in warm water to make them more pliable and can also be dyed.
• Working outside and doing large amounts of runners will prevent a mess in your house and save you time.
• Two or three weavers can go together, prepare large batches, and divide up the runners. Working in a group is fun, and you can share your ideas with other basket makers.
• You can gather runners just about any time of year. Spring will have lots of new growth for smaller runners, but you might want to wait until it is cold in your area so you don't have to worry about snakes.