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Posted By: Jackie Straw bowl - 08/06/02 02:02 AM
I read John Grisham's "A Painted House" when I went on vacation (and was quite disappointed in it, incidentally.)
When the little boy and his father gather eggs, they put the eggs into a "straw bowl". I've never heard of such a thing. Does anyone know what he was talking about?

Posted By: Buffalo Shrdlu Re: Straw bowl - 08/06/02 02:07 AM
uh, a bowl made of straw?



like a wicker basket, perhaps?

Posted By: Alex Williams Re: Straw bowl - 08/06/02 10:43 AM
I agree with "wicker basket." Hi Jackie.

Posted By: Capital Kiwi Re: Straw bowl - 08/06/02 11:56 AM
From (failing) memory, straw baskets were made from a whisk of straw knotted like a reef knot. Used to carry anything small but solid on New Zealand farms way back when. I'd imagine it was something similar here.

Posted By: Jackie Re: Straw bowl - 08/06/02 12:03 PM
Hi, Sweet Alex. <grin> Well, I don't mind taking your-all's word for it, but. Was it just a substitute name, I wonder? You really can't weave straw that I know of, though I suppose you could always hand-cut some so it would be full length. If it was really a bowl, and really made of straw, how would it hold its shape? Hmm--maybe hand-cut a whole lot, maybe make "strands" of a dozen or so stalks bound together, and then weave the strands?


EDIT
Ok, CK, thank you. What is a reef knot, please?
Posted By: wwh Re: Straw bowl - 08/06/02 12:19 PM
I vote for a bowl lined with straw.

Posted By: Faldage Re: The thangs you can google - 08/06/02 12:35 PM
http://naturestreasures.homestead.com/Grass_and_Weed_Baskets.html

Posted By: wwh Re: straw bowl - 08/06/02 12:47 PM
In their spare time, straw bosses weave straw bowls. Not.

Posted By: Faldage Re: straw bowl - 08/06/02 01:03 PM
straw bosses weave straw bowls.

There you go again, Dr. Bill, setting up a straw man.

Posted By: Buffalo Shrdlu reef knot - 08/06/02 01:09 PM
better known as a Square knot, at least to us hip folk:

http://www.tinarooeec.qld.edu.au/Kids/reef.html

this is also a great site:

http://www.realknots.com/knots/reefk.htm

knot that I would know...

Posted By: TEd Remington Re: Straw bowl - 08/06/02 01:10 PM
Actually straw bowls aren't straw at all, they are made out of willow twigs, or withe, which is retted (soaked) until it is pliable enough to weave into baskets. This is not to be confused with rattan, used to make wicker furniture, etc., which is never soaked, since, of course there is no rets for the wicker.

Posted By: Capital Kiwi Re: Straw bowl - 08/06/02 06:38 PM
>>Ok, CK, thank you. What is a reef knot, please?

Left over right and under.
Right over left and under.

Simple!

Posted By: of troy Re: Straw bowl - 08/06/02 06:55 PM
Left over right
Right over left


is how i learned it, but it was a square knot or sailors knot (i first learned it to tie a tie on a sailors type shirt.) never heard it called a reef knot.

as opposed to
Left over right and then
Left over right

which is "granny knot" a very weak knot, good for nothing..




Posted By: Faldage Re: Square knot - 08/06/02 07:08 PM
on a sailors type shirt

The neckerchief worn with the dress uniform of a petty officer or seaman is tied in a square knot. When properly done it looks almost as though it were a cylindrical slide. Some sailors on liberty will wear a slide rather than tying the neckerchief.

Posted By: Wordwind Re: Straw Weaves - 08/06/02 08:26 PM
Jackie,

You're bound to be able to weave straw, for else why we would have heard so often of "straw hats"?

People around here usually collected eggs in, well, egg baskets!

Bwock regards,
WordWeave

Posted By: RhubarbCommando Re: Straw Weaves - 08/07/02 12:10 PM
Strictly speaking, dub-dub, straw for hats is plaited, although plaiting is so similar to weaving that I wouldn't usually pick that particular nit. (If for no other reason than for fear of trespassing on Faldage's territory!)

I have seen what Might be described as a "straw bowl", Jackie, made out of strips of plaited straw, would round and round and sewn together ( in a similar manner to a coiled pot) Some restaurants over here use them for bread or rolls, offered whilst you are waiting for your meal to be served.

Posted By: wwh Re: Straw Weaves - 08/07/02 12:37 PM
Dear RC : Plaiting is also called braiding, as in long hair. Strands cross at fortyfive degrees
Weaving strands cross at ninety degrees.Forgive the quibble.

Posted By: RhubarbCommando Re: Straw Weaves - 08/07/02 12:53 PM
Forgive the quibble.

Certainly, Bill - all the more so as you really back up what I said - that plaiting is SIMILAR TO WEAVING - not the same: the angle, as you rightly point out, is less than the 90 degrees comon to most sorts of weaving ( exception being the weaving of cane for chair bottoms). However, I would have siad that the angle in plaiting was nearer to 60 degrees than 45?

Posted By: wwh Re: Straw Weaves - 08/07/02 01:08 PM
Dear RC: my eyesight these days has made it impossible for me to use protractor.
I was just remembering the many times I braided my wife's long hair for her.

Posted By: RhubarbCommando Re: Straw Weaves - 08/07/02 01:29 PM
Dear Bill: my muscular fasciculations make it impossible for me to hold a protractor these days! I'm remembering days of plaiting ribbons, ropes and even grass!

Posted By: Wordwind Re: Straw Weaves - 08/07/02 11:02 PM
These nits you two are picking are very fine nits to be picking. Imagine a word board discussion thread getting down to the nitty-gritty nit picking of 45 v. 60 degrees in describing the perfect plait. Where else but on AWAD, A Weave a Day...or not.

Posted By: TEd Remington Re: Straw Weaves - 08/07/02 11:45 PM
Whoof. That's a sure sign of a warped mind. And I assume your use of the word thread was a pun. If not, it was looming on the horizon of your mind.

Posted By: Wordwind Re: Straw Weaves - 08/07/02 11:53 PM
If not, it was looming on the horizon of your mind.


Looming apparently on the horizontal and vertical of someone's braid...no, that's brain...no, weave...mebbe brain weaves.. or brain waves...or someone's braid waves...or braid weaves...yes, that must be it: "Looming apprently on the horizontal and vertical of someone's braid weaves, perfect 60 and 90 degrees, respectively."

Posted By: wofahulicodoc let's draw straws ! - 08/08/02 12:27 PM
Now that we've completely forgotten where this thread started, let's take a straw bowl of the membership and find out how many think it should be 45 degrees, how many want 60 degrees, and how many vote for 90 degrees?

Posted By: AnnaStrophic Re: let's draw straws ! - 08/08/02 12:48 PM
Are you giving us the third degree?

Posted By: Faldage Re: let's draw straws ! - 08/08/02 12:59 PM
how many think it should be 45 degrees, how many want 60 degrees, and how many vote for 90 degrees?

I think it depends entirely on how tightly you weave the braids. Or braid the weaves, if that is your wont. Is this a straw bowl?

Posted By: wwh Re: let's draw straws ! - 08/08/02 01:01 PM
Who can predict the name of the football team destined to win in the StrawBowl?

Posted By: FishonaBike Re: let's draw straws ! - 08/08/02 01:09 PM
Are you giving us the third degree?

We can always expect acute comment from you, Auntie.



Posted By: of troy Re: let's draw straws ! - 08/08/02 01:14 PM
i vote 90° for weaving..
and 45° for braiding (plaiting)

if you take a piece of paper, (half the long way-5.25 X11) and cut 3 strips, you start braiding by turning the outside edge at a 45° angle) and then continue that as you plait them, when you come to the edge, and need to fold back the paper to make bring it back... low and behold, the internal angle is 90°.. so the braiding is being done and 45°, and a double turn (180°) gives you a 90° internal angle..

( Start with a 45°bend, weave under and over, come to edge, fold back (180°) and the internal angle is 90°--) and yet, until i did it with paper, i was sure it was 60°! ) Mind you hair and thread and straw are softer, and might not be perfect turns.. but closer to 45° than to 60°!

Posted By: wofahulicodoc braiding angle versus weaving - 08/08/02 02:41 PM
I think there is the possibility we're all saying the same thing, and very vehemently at that.

Are we talking about the angle between the plaiting/weaving material and the main work direction, or between the individual strands, the warp and the woof (or weft, if you prefer)? I'm inclined to think the former, but we should all be talking about the same angle when we agree or disagree...

(Cloth can be woven with warp and woof at right angles, and then cut "on the bias" so the threads make a 45-degree angle to the length of the work...neckties, for example)

Posted By: Faldage Re: braiding angle versus weaving - 08/08/02 02:49 PM
all saying the same thing, and very vehemently at that.

With braids it still depends on how tight the braid is.

And weaving, although normally done at right angles, could be done otherwise, particularly if it's hand weaving and not loom.

Posted By: AnnaStrophic Re: braiding angle versus weaving - 08/08/02 03:48 PM
all saying the same thing, and very vehemently at that.

Yep. The warped are woofing.

;-) mein ephew!

Posted By: wofahulicodoc a new angle on the subject - 08/08/02 04:43 PM
Interestingly, if you take a not-quite-so-narrow strip of paper, say one inch wide, and you tie it into an overhand knot, and then you gently tighten the knot and flatten it, you wind up with a pentagon - all the internal angles are 108 degrees, and the unfolded strip of paper will be full of folds in multiples of 36 degrees instead of the fold-created multiples of 45s and 60s that we're more used to.

Edit: Just to be explicit - here's a site with a picture of an overhand knot:
http://www.swcp.com/csar/knots/knots1.shtml
Posted By: RhubarbCommando Re: a new angle on the subject - 08/08/02 07:34 PM
How can we be sure you're not just spinning us a yarn, wofa?

Posted By: wofahulicodoc Re: a new angle on the subject - 08/08/02 07:47 PM
Do I detect the shadow of a doubt looming on the horizon? You know I wouldn't pull the wool over your eyes. I guess you just don't cotton to my explanation...
:-)

Posted By: of troy Re: a new angle on the subject - 08/08/02 07:51 PM
i am biased towards believing weaving creates 90°.

Posted By: goat Re: a new angle on the subject - 08/08/02 09:37 PM
>>if you take a not-quite-so-narrow strip of paper, say one inch wide, and you tie it into an overhand knot, and then you gently tighten the knot and flatten it, you wind up with a pentagon

Doubters can refer to http://www.jimloy.com/geometry/pentagon.htm (see the fourth illustration), illustrating the regular pentagon. I'll spare you the geometric proof elsewhere on the web.

PS: Thanks to wofahulicohoc for telling me how to url-ize this.
Posted By: RhubarbCommando Re: a new angle on the subject - 08/09/02 07:57 AM
I guess you just don't cotton to my explanation...

Of course I do, wofa - I just don't think it's the reel one. Mind you, with so many conflicting ideas shuttling around on this thread, you must forgive me if I'm bobbin' around between them.
And, helen, do you find that your bias is binding?

Posted By: wofahulicodoc Re: a new angle on the subject - 08/09/02 01:09 PM
Say what you will; I think you're just needling us.

Posted By: RhubarbCommando Re: a new angle on the subject - 08/09/02 01:33 PM
A hem!

(as AnnaS might say!)

Posted By: Faldage Re: a new angle on the subject - 08/09/02 01:38 PM
A hem!

Now *that one I like.

Posted By: RhubarbCommando Re: a new angle on the subject - 08/09/02 01:41 PM
A hem!

Now *that one I like.


Is that because it finshes things off?

Posted By: FishonaBike Re: a new angle on the subject - 08/09/02 01:44 PM
A hem!
(as AnnaS might say!)


- or "hem hem"
as Molesworth mite sa

(http://www.lrb.co.uk/v22/n04/jone2204.htm)

Posted By: RhubarbCommando Re: a new angle on the subject - 08/09/02 01:47 PM
Well - - that seams to have caused some interest!

Posted By: dxb Re: a new angle on the subject - 08/09/02 03:08 PM
Is there anything here worth selvedging? I think its all come unravelled.

Posted By: of troy Re: a new angle on the subject - 08/09/02 03:55 PM
well there is some sort of a pattern, after a fashion, but it's pret a portent to follow the haute trends, or you'll be passe.

it helps to know the relivant terms, if you want to go with grain, so don't be caught napping. Fiberbabe, i fully expect to see you interfacing in this thread, since you have a good grasp of the underlining vocabulary, and should be able to pad out this thread, so consider yourself buttonholed for the task!

i am gussetted with excitment over the turn this thread has taken!

Posted By: RhubarbCommando Re: a new angle on the subject - 08/09/02 05:34 PM
helen - that was brilliant. I really revere you for your skill. You make it seem so thimble.

Posted By: Buffalo Shrdlu Re: a new angle on the subject - 08/09/02 05:40 PM
needle-ss to say, this has become an opin topic...

Posted By: tsuwm Re: a new angle on the subject - 08/09/02 06:02 PM
>I think its all come unravelled.

unravelled... or ravelled; that is the question.

(or, secondarily, unravelled... or unraveled?!)

Posted By: TEd Remington This is the textile send you! - 08/09/02 06:10 PM
I was a frayed that this was knot going to stop. So I decided to dart in with some crewel puns of my own. Zome of 'em will be zippers, and I'll probably quilt after an applique-tion of a dozen or so.

Whether I'm a crochety old guy is a fell question, so just to put a gros point on it I'm gonna canvas the readers, thought it might put you in a bind.

The main question is whether I should run with this or bargello from my diet. The French knotwithstanding I'm looking for a darned good answer. You can suture self on whether you answer, and I'm not going to argue over a petit point. While I'm not netting any answers, it could be due to the overcast weather, or so I gather.

Honestly, I'm twine to stop! I shuttle to think what will happen if I don't. 'Twill come back to haunt me or I'll be weft holding the bag. Argh. I'm getting raddled!

Posted By: of troy Re: a new angle on the subject - 08/09/02 06:17 PM
well, not faggotting about the original topic, straw bowls could be woven baskets, and a little embroidering here or there, is no harm...

Posted By: Jackie Re: Straw Weaves - 08/10/02 03:02 PM
I have seen what Might be described as a "straw bowl", Jackie, made out of strips of plaited straw, would round and round and sewn together
Thank you, my Dear. That sounds like nearly the same technique for making old-timey rag rugs.
Gee, I love this place...once again, an off-the-cuff comment angled off 90 degrees and then some, into quite a patchwork thread.

Posted By: Bobyoungbalt Re: Straw Weaves - 08/11/02 02:30 AM
If you are ever in Charleston SC, go to the city market downtown; you can see straw bowls and baskets being made on the spot by Gullahs. A handiwork unchanged since god knows when.

Posted By: Jackie Re: Straw Weaves - 08/11/02 05:08 PM
in Charleston SC, go to the city market downtown; you can see straw bowls and baskets being made on the spot by Gullahs.
I can?? Whoa, thank you! I'll have to run over there one of these days. My favorite cousin lives in SC. Nice to see you here, Dear One.

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