Stitching With Birch Root

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With so many young birches thriving in the new plantation there's no shortage of roots to use for stitching.

The little box is made with a band of ash and a lid of birch ply.  It's stitched with birch root and has a stout birch root handle.

The stitching technique has perplexed me for years - ever since I found a lovely Scandinavian butter box in an antique shop.  

It's very deceptive, as it looks like a series of loops using double root strips, but after studying it for hours I realised it was a single root that's pierced with an awl at every overlapping point. Apparently there is a fairly common embroidery stitch called a split back-stitch which seems to be identical.

It's such a simple and satisfying technique and the birch root is incredibly strong and pliable.  I've found that the best roots lie just beneath the surface and after they are stripped of bark and split in two they can be dried then soaked back to life when needed. 

Incidentally, that beautiful 'sloyd' knife I'm using was made for me by a student of mine, Chris Wright; an amazingly gifted craftsman and sculptor who seems to be able to turn his hand to anything.  It's such a joy to use.  Thanks Chris.

























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