Weaving with reeds

On the end of a cotton warp I decided to try using reeds for my weft.  It is used in baskets as are many other natural fibres, but I thought it would be fun to see what it would do woven on a loom.

My sons and I went out and picked a large bundle, pulling them so they were as long as possible.   I let them dry for a day or os and then wove them in alternating the tip and root ends, one reed per pick.  The width of the warp was just about the length  of a reed.    This reed is very round and I beat as closely as possible.   I liked the result, but it was a small sample piece and I didn’t know what I would do with it.  It sat around for years, dried to lovely golden colours and still had a fresh green aroma.   I eventually found a piece of coarse linen and lined the square and made a paint brush holder with it.