Author: IAWWadmin

Clove Hitch Knot:
This knot is used to tie the wheat for plaiting (weaving). We use cotton button thread or carpet thread.

Hold the straw horizontal. Lay the short end of your thread (about 3 inches) over the front of the straws and hold it with your thumb. Take the long end around the straw and back to the front on the left side of the short end. Now take the long end around the straw again on the right side of the short end. As you make this move, stick out your finger to catch the thread. This will form a loop connecting your two loops you just made. Pass the long end through this loop and pull the two ends of the thread to snug the knot. Do not pull so snuggly that you cut through the straw, but tight enough to hold the straw securely.

Surgeon’s Friction Knot:
Since we will trim the ends of the thread close to the knot, we like to secure the knot with the surgeon’s friction knot. With the right thread, make two wraps over the left thread and pull it tight around the bundle of wheat. Now take the left thread and make one wrap over the right thread and pull tight. Now trim the threads close to the knot.

Review how to do the surgeons knot and clove hitch knot under “important knots to know”.

 

1 – Soak your straws for 15 minutes in water. Select 7 straws. Place a #22 floral wire down the center of one of the straws, all the way to the head. Tie the 7 straws together using the clove hitch and surgeon’s friction knots just below the heads. Tie snuggly and do not cut the straws. Trim the thread near the knot.

Hold the straws so that the heads are hanging down. Arrange the straws so that the wired straw is in the center and 3 straws are stacked off to the right and 3 straws are stacked off to the left at 90 degrees to the center straw. Hold the bundle near the knot.

 

2 – Take the BOTTOM RIGHT straw and bring it diagonally across the FRONT of the center straw (to the left to where the center straw and left straws meet). Roll it around the center straw and back to the top of the right stack (360°).

 

 

 

 

3 – Now take the BOTTOM LEFT straw diagonally BEHIND the center straw. Roll it around the center straw and back to the top of the left stack (360°).

The RIGHT side always starts by going across the FRONT of the center wired straw and around (360°). The LEFT side always starts by going BEHIND the center wired straw and around (360°). Continue repeating this sequence until you have made 5-6 inches of plait.

 

 

 

4 – Next, gather all of the straws straight up and tie closely to the plait using the clove hitch and surgeon’s knots. Roll the plait on a table (like you do when you make a clay snake). This will help make your plait smoother. Trim the thread and trim the ends of the straw in a pleasing shape about ¾ inches past the knot. DO NOT trim the wheat heads.

 

 

 

5 – Bend the end of the plait into a candy cane shape. Then tie a ribbon bow to cover the knot above the heads.

 

 

 

 

 

6 – You may also want to tie a loop with fishing line to the top of the candy cane as a way to hang it.

 

 

 

 

The significance of the Candy Cane:
Did you ever wonder why candy canes are used to decorate the Christmas tree?

A candy cane looks like a shepherd’s crook. We remember how the shepherds came to the manger to see little Jesus that first Christmas night. The shepherds brought their sheep along too and they used their crooks because they loved their sheep and didn’t want them to run away. The small candy canes we hand on our Christmas tree remind us of the shepherds. The colors red and white are special. White helps us remember that Jesus had no sin. Red makes us think about Jesus dying on the cross for us because He loves us. The smell of peppermint reminds us of the spices which the Wise Men brought to Baby Jesus.

 

Arrow Plait Heart:

 

Make 2 equal lengths of arrow plait. The Plaits should be damp as you work with them. Cross the heads of the 2 plaits and use the Clove Hitch Knot and Surgeons Knot to tie them together at the beginning knots. Tie the 2 straight ends of the plaits together at the ending knots.

 

 

 

 

 

Bend the straight ends down towards the heads to form a heart shape.

 

 

 

 

Adjust the size of the heart and tie the straight straws behind the heads at the

knot by the heads.

 

 

 

 

Trim the ends of the straws in a pleasing manner. They may trim them shorter than the heads or you may want to leave them showing behind the heads. After adjusting the heart lay a towel over the heads until the straw dries. This will keep the awns straight and looking nice. Decorate the heart with straw decorations, dried flowers, silk flowers and ribbon.

 

 

 

 

Arrow Plait Ornaments:

 

Make a length of arrow Plait. Tie the two ends together to form a circle. You may wish to keep the heads on or trim them off. Picture at right shows a bracelet that can be made.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 You may also wish to trim the straight ends off or leave them on as part of the decoration. Adjust the shape and lay a towel over the heads until the straw is dry.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Decorate the ornament with small dried or silk flowers and ribbon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Add a thread to hang the ornament. The arrow plait has a wire in it.  Because of the wire, you can easily shape the plait into different shapes.

Tied Straw Work:

 

Another method of wheat work is called Tied Straw Work. This method is very simple as you are only tying straws together.

 

Review the directions for making a Clove Hitch Knot and Surgeons Knot listed in Important Knots to Know. For this project you are going to learn to make the clove hitch knot in hand.

 

Begin by learning how to make the knot by tying it around a pencil. Observe how the thread is arranged. To tie the knot in hand lay one end of thread over your finger. Bring the long end around your finger on the left side of the short end. Make another loop with the long end and twist it in your finger so that the end of the thread is to the inside of the loop. Place this loop to the right of your first loop. You should have two loops with the two ends of the thread in the middle facing in opposite directions. Compare your knot to the diagram in the original directions and to this photo. It is easy to slip this knot over the ends of the straws and pull snug to tie the star.

 

 

Five Pointed Tied Star:

Materials Needed:

• 5 straws matching thickness no heads about 6 inches long
• Scissors
• Wheat colored Carpet Thread
• Pins
• Pinning Board
• Soaking Tray and water
• Copy of Star Pattern

 

 

 

Click on picture of pattern at right to link to full size pattern.

Check your printed version.  Not all printers and browsers are accurate.

It should be one and five-eights inches center to outer point.

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1. Soak 5 straws about 6 inches long of matching thickness, no heads.

2. Pin your Star Pattern to the pinning board.

 

 

 

 

 

3. Tie the 5 straws together on plane in the middle.  Loosely tie a Clove Hitch Knot around the middle of 5 straws laying flat on the table.  Have a friend hold their finger over the straws and thread to keep the straws flat on the table as you pull the knot snug.
3b. The straws will bend in the middle as the knot tightens and still be laying flat. They will form a radiating circle. This is called tying on the plane.

 

 

 

4. Pin the center of your straws to the center of the pattern on the pinning board.

5. Place a pin at each of the 5 inner points.  Place 2 straws, one on either side of the pin. Use a Clove Hitch Knot to tie the 2 straws together at the pin.  Secure each knot by tying a Surgeon’s Knot.  Trim the thread.

 

 

 

 

6. Now place a pin at each of the 5 outer points. Take 1 straw from an inner point on either side of the outer points and bring them together and cross them at the outer pin.  Tie them together at the pin using the Clove Hitch and Surgeon’s Knot.

 

 

 

 

 

7. Trim the ends of the straws into a point.  Tie a thread loop to one point to hang your star.

Tied Straw Work:

 

Another method of wheat work is called Tied Straw Work. This method is very simple as you are only tying straws together.

 

Review the directions for making a Clove Hitch Knot and Surgeons Knot listed in Important Knots to Know.  For this project you are going to learn to make the clove hitch knot in hand.

 

Begin by learning how to make the knot by tying it around a pencil. Observe how the thread is arranged. To tie the knot in hand lay one end of thread over your finger. Bring the long end around your finger on the left side of the short end. Make another loop with the long end and twist it in your finger so that the end of the thread is to the inside of the loop. Place this loop to the right of your first loop. You should have two loops with the two ends of the thread in the middle facing in opposite directions. Compare your knot to the diagram in the original directions and to this photo. It is easy to slip this knot over the ends of the straws and pull snug to tie the star.

 

 Eight Pointed Tied Star:

Materials Needed:

12 straws, matching thickness, no heads, about 6 inches long;

Scissors,

Wheat colored Carpet Thread,

Pins, Pinning Board, Soaking Tray and water,

Copy of Star Pattern.

 

 

Click on picture of pattern at right to link to full size pattern.

Check your printed version.  Not all printers and browsers are accurate.

It should be one and five-eights inches center to outer point.

 

 

 

1. Soak 12 straws about 6 inches long of matching thickness, no heads.

 

2. Pin your Star Pattern to the pinning board.

 

3. Tie the 12 straws together on plane in the middle. Loosely tie a Clove Hitch Knot around the middle of 12 straws laying flat on the table. Have a friend hold their finger over the straws and thread to keep the straws flat on the table as you pull the knot snug.

 

 

 

 

 

3b. The straws will bend in the middle as the knot tightens and still be laying flat. They will form a radiating circle. This is called tying on the plane.

 

4. Pin the center of your straws to the center of the pattern on the pinning board.

 

5. Place a pin at each of the 8 inner points. Arrange yours straws with 1 straw on either side of each pin and a straw in between along each of the long lines. There should be 3 straws between each pin.

Using the Clove Hitch Knot and Surgeon’s Knot tie the 2 straws

(1 on either side of the pin) together at the pin.

 

 

 

 

6. Place a pin at each of the 8 outer points. Take 1 straw from each of the inner points on either side of the outer point and bring them together and cross them at the outer pin.

 

 

 

 

 

7. Tie them together along with the single straw along the long line at the outer point. Be consistent in how you cross the 3 straws when you tie them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8. Trim the ends of the straws in a pleasing manner. Tie a loop of thread to one point to hang your star.