How to Dry Pine Needles

Use dried pine needles for crafts like a pine needle basket.

With their smell and year-round presence, pine trees remind us of nature, winter and pine cones. You can use the waxy needles of the pine tree for homemade tea, potpourri and mulch. Or use the pine needles for craft projects, such as a coiled basket or festive wreath. For some of these projects, you need to dry the needles first. This is a simple task that only takes a few days.

Things You'll Need

• Large bowl
• Soap
• Towel or cloth

Instructions

1. Wash your pine needles in soapy, warm water to get off any sap or other residue. Wash them in a large bowl as to not get sap down your sink.

2. Push any remaining heads of the needles off. The heads are located at the ends of the needles. Take several in your hand and slide your thumb toward the heads until they slide off.

3. Dry the needles in the sun on a large towel or other cloth if you're going for a bleached look. If you want the needles to retain their color, dry them in the shade on a large cloth. This process may take a while, so check the needles every day until they're as dry as the dead needles that have fallen from the tree.

4. Soak pine needles in warm water for about 30 minutes if you're going to use them for crafting. This helps them regain some flexibility.

References

• Basket Makers: Pine Needle Basketry
• Know It All: A Natural State: Pinecone How-To: Basket How To: Let's Get Started

Resources

• Native American Basketry: Coil Basketry