Pine Needle Basketry: From Forest Floor to Finished Project, by Judy Mallow, takes the reader through all of the steps and techniques needed to learn how to make pine needle baskets.
Introduction: A synopsis of what to expect from the book.
Chapter One: Materials and Tools - A half-dozen pages giving an overview of the basic necessities for making pine needle baskets. This avocation has minimal requirements for materials and tools. Even better, the expenses are also minimal.
Chapter Two: Making Your First Basket - A ten page 'step-by-step' to beginning, and completing, a first basket. It consists of 30 clearly explained steps; and includes numerous diagrams and several pictures showing the progression of the work.
Chapter Three: Pine Needle Transformations - Twelve pages that discuss Dyed Pine Needles; Pine Needles with Caps; Asymmetrical Shapes; Lids and Handles - which includes Flat Lids, Pinecone Handles, In-Coil Handles, Double Handles, Add-On Handles, Sit-In Dome Lids, and Fitted Dome Lids; Meandering and Twisted Coils; and Footers.
Chapter Four: Centers, Stitches, and Embellishments - Thirteen pages that cover - 1. Centers - including Solid Pine Needle Centers; Nut-Slice Centers; Wood, Leather, Pottery, and Gourd Centers. 2. Teneriffe is illustrated with text and diagrams. 3. Several stitches are presented - including Split Stitch, V Stitch, Wheat Stitch, and Fern Stitch. 4. The addition of embellishments - specifically, Nut Slices.
Chapter Five: The Projects - This chapter is the lengthiest, with thirty-four pages devoted to the presentation of forty-three projects. There is no 'instruction' for these projects. The author, Judy Mallow, has taken the approach of referencing the appropriate 'learning sections' of the book as guide to learning how to proceed with each project. For example, the project 'Large Gourd Sewing Basket' shows an excellent picture of the finished work; and then references the elements required as well as the relevant page number(s). For this project, she references 'Nylon upholstery thread (page 10)', 'Bushel Gourd Center (pages 38-39)', 'Plain stitch (pages 18-19)', 'Backstich on rims of basket and lid (page 22)', 'Fitted dome lid (pages 32-33)', and 'Add-on handle (coil) wrapped with leather (page 31)'. Each project is presented in this same manner; a proven technique, which may account for why, despite first being published in 2001, this book remains in hardcover print. Pine Needle Basketry: From Forest Floor to Finished Project is a consistent top selling book for Turtle Feathers.
Chapter Six: A Gallery - Twenty-two pages are given to a gallery. Each page features an excellent photograph, and specifies the dimensions of the piece, the title, year created, as well as the artist. Twelve were created by Judy Mallow, seven by Lee Sipe, and three by Ethel Clifford.
Chapter Seven: Eight pages. History - Acknowledgements - Pine Species and Needles - Metric Conversion Charts - Bibliography - A Note About Suppliers - Index.
112 pages. Hardcover.
ISBN-13: 978-1-887374-14-9
ISBN-10: 1-887374-14-0
