We have to look no further than the ETV employee parking lot for inspiration for making a Bentwood Trellis and Kudzu Vine Basket. There, when he isn't on a television shoot, you will likely find Jimmie Dinkins' truck, laden with vines, full of baskets, and one of his own mounted, bentwood chairs. The truck is a bit of roving accessible art for all of us and a statement of Jimmie's continuing delight and wonder in the creative process.
To see videos and learn more about Jimmie Dinkins and his folk art, click on the links below.
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Jimmie favors the old growth of the kudzu vine. He will plunge into the richness of a kudzu thicket armed with tall boots, pruning shears and a saw. He is well acquainted with dangers such as snakes...
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Remember to wear your work gloves when cleaning up the branches and vines. You can actually use willow for the spokes of your basket, and follow up with another type of vine, such as Virginia Creeper...
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What Jimmie is describing are standard weaving techniques. The first baskets were woven to collect fruits, nuts and grains. By making a basket, you are joining a long history of basket makers.
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By turning up the sides of the basket, you are creating a bowl shape. The higher you build the sides, the deeper the bowl, and more you can put into the bowl. If you don’t work the sides upwards, you...
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In this video, you can see just how tough these kudzu vines can be. If you are using other vining materials to build your basket, you will use the same techniques that Jimmie uses to add vines and...
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Don’t worry about small mistakes in your basket. They will just make your basket unique.
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To prolong the life of your basket and to give the basket a soft sheen, you may want to brush or spray the basket with a coat of wood sealant like you would use on a deck. If you choose to do this, do...