Jimmie Dinkins explains the first steps in the process of making a kudzu basket.
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Jimmie is a self-taught craftsman, who initially picked up the art of fashioning vines and branches into wreaths and baskets while caring for an ailing parent. He honed his art and moved into the...
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Jimmie’s upbringing fostered creativity and resourcefulness. His joy in his family history is palpable. In his world, nothing is wasted. Every simple thing is treasured for the value of its inherent...
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Your wood trellis will last a long time in the garden, but you can expect that it will weather a bit. You may have to add additional nails over time to further strengthen the structure of the trellis...
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Rustic furniture has been around for a very long time, often languishing in attics and barns in rural areas. Some fine examples of rustic furniture were a legacy of the Civilian Conservation Corps...
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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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Jimmie Dinkins begins work on the side pieces. Wear sturdy work gloves when you are cleaning and flexing the branches. When using sharp tools such as pruning shears, exercise caution. Adult...
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f you don’t have access to an old picnic table like Jimmie is using in the video, make sure that you protect the surface of your work area with a large piece of scrap lumber or an old cutting board...
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Nancy begins a coiled basket with a handful of kudzu shreds, (see Kudzu, Video 5). Raffia, a fibrous thread like material, is wrapped around the kudzu shreds, starting the coil. The base of the basket...
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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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The coiled basket takes shape as Nancy builds up its sides. In this video, Nancy shows how one controls the overall shape and size of the basket as successive rows of the coil are built up.