How to Prepare Honeysuckle Vine for Weaving

Honeysuckle produces a light-gold to light-brown vine once the outer bark is removed. The woody vine climbs or trails along the ground.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Use honeysuckle as an accent when weaving a melon or egg basket and as a material to lash a basket together.

2. Gather vines. Honeysuckle vines are thin, and it will take a large amount to make a basket.

3. Coil vines in loose coils and discard badly damaged vines. Coil longer runners together and short ones together to be used on different parts of the basket.

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

5. Place coils in boiling water and boil for 10 to 30 minutes or until the outside bark peels away easily.

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

7. Cool coils until you can easily handle them.

8. Remove outer bark with a plastic scrubber. You can use a knife to gently scrape stubborn bark.

9. Hang stripped vine up to dry and to prevent molding.

10. Coil and store until needed.

Tips & Warnings

• Stored honeysuckle vine can be soaked in warm water to make it pliable and ready to use.
• Honeysuckle can be gather at any time of the year.

on 6/30/2006 You don't have to boil the vine. Put it outside to dry for 6 months. This works great! Then, just soak them in water for 3 days.