Birch bark is one of the most interesting natural materials available to a lover of needlework. Properly harvested and processed, it is not only beautiful but also flexible, durable, waterproof and has low thermal conductivity. This material was used to make shoes, household items, and was used in construction. You can make containers for food from birch bark, the contents of which will remain fresh for a long time.
Birch bark is called the outer part of the birch bark, which is located above the bast. It consists of many thin but durable layers that are almost not subject to decay. Closer to the surface, the birch bark is painted white. The layers located near the bast are yellowish-brown in color. It is the inner part of the birch bark that is used for the manufacture of dishes, jewelry and household items.
The most suitable for work is the smooth bark of a fluffy birch, cold-resistant tree with an even, straight trunk. This species can be recognized by the dense cannon covering the leaves and annual shoots. Birch bark suitable for work is removed from trees 20 to 40 years old. This is done during sap flow. When this period is over, the top layer of the bark will be very difficult to separate from the bast.
The birch bark is removed from the tree in layers, ribbons or whole cylinders, which are called chippings. The raw materials obtained by the first method are straight rectangles, the length of which is limited by the size of the trunk. Such birch bark is used to make whole boxes. Ribbons, which are removed from the trunk in a spiral, are suitable for weaving. Sealed vessels for bulk materials and liquids are made from scabbards similar to birch bark tubes.
Before starting work, the material is cleaned of moss, dust and upper light layers. Layered birch bark is used to mark the details of the future product. Holes are made along the lines of the seams, and the birch bark itself is steamed in water. After such processing, the material will become plastic and easily bend in the right places without cracking.
Birch bark ribbons are used to make wicker items. This work uses straight and oblique weaving. In the first case, the stripes are located parallel to the base of the product, and in the second, at an acute angle to it. The straight weaving technique is suitable for making strict shapes. As a rule, such things are done on blocks - bars that repeat the outlines of the future box. Oblique weaving is a much more flexible technique for producing rounded pieces. In this way, you can make a cup holder, a basket, braid a glass jar, in which cool juice or compote will not overheat in summer.
