Hi folks,on my other post http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=91048 i was asked if i would do a tutorial for these things. So i thought i would give it a go.
Well what you will need is a slender Willow shoot of about 80cms long and a knife,which you don't really need to use,as you could just use your thumb nails instead,and tape measure,but again not really necessary.
Now you take the shoot,and split it from the thin end.
Once the split is started,lay down your knife and grab the shoot,like the pic below.
As you pull the two parts apart,one side will want to run off,getting thinner as it moves down the shoot,until it becomes so thin that it tapers out.
So the secret to keep the split in the centre is to watch the split, and if it starts to go off centre,all you do is bend the thicker side more,and then the split will re-centre itself. I hope thats clearer than mud.
Split the shoot all the way down,but leave about 4cms intact.
Now turn the split shoot on its side.
Now we start to make the figure.
So,we bend the unsplit end down,this will be the figures back leg.
Then measure about 5cms along from the back leg, this will be the spine of the figure. Next take the uppermost split and bend it down to start the front leg.
Now measure up with your eye and bend this split,(making sure that its the same length as the back leg), back up on itself,bark facing out,to finish off the front leg. You will now have the split sticking up vertical. This we will use later.
Next we will create the body by using the other piece of the split,which will be sticking out horizontally. Now bend this part of the split around the front leg,all the way to the back.
Keep on wraping around to create the body. If you run out of the split then simply push the loose end into the previous row to secure. But most of the time you will have some of the split left,what to do then,is take it back around the front leg,and wrap it up around the body.
Keep wraping,then fold the loose end into the body.
Then trim any loose ends.
Well thats the body complete. This is what it should look like.
Now its time to turn our attention to making the neck and head.
Taking the vertical split measure about 4cms from the shoulder,then bend the split back down.
Then fold it under the body and bring it back up onto the other side. Here we have got the neck made.
So now we make the head. With the split now at the top of the neck,we create a figure 4,which gives us the head shape.
Now bring the split back around the neck,and start to wrap around the figure 4 to fill in the head.
Wrap all the way up the head,then around the neck. Then just push the last piece of the split into the neck to secure.
Last of all trim to make neat.
And now the finished product.
Well i hope that makes some sense,and is of help to some folk.
Thanks for looking Stuart.
Well what you will need is a slender Willow shoot of about 80cms long and a knife,which you don't really need to use,as you could just use your thumb nails instead,and tape measure,but again not really necessary.
Now you take the shoot,and split it from the thin end.
Once the split is started,lay down your knife and grab the shoot,like the pic below.
As you pull the two parts apart,one side will want to run off,getting thinner as it moves down the shoot,until it becomes so thin that it tapers out.
So the secret to keep the split in the centre is to watch the split, and if it starts to go off centre,all you do is bend the thicker side more,and then the split will re-centre itself. I hope thats clearer than mud.
Split the shoot all the way down,but leave about 4cms intact.
Now turn the split shoot on its side.
Now we start to make the figure.
So,we bend the unsplit end down,this will be the figures back leg.
Then measure about 5cms along from the back leg, this will be the spine of the figure. Next take the uppermost split and bend it down to start the front leg.
Now measure up with your eye and bend this split,(making sure that its the same length as the back leg), back up on itself,bark facing out,to finish off the front leg. You will now have the split sticking up vertical. This we will use later.
Next we will create the body by using the other piece of the split,which will be sticking out horizontally. Now bend this part of the split around the front leg,all the way to the back.
Keep on wraping around to create the body. If you run out of the split then simply push the loose end into the previous row to secure. But most of the time you will have some of the split left,what to do then,is take it back around the front leg,and wrap it up around the body.
Keep wraping,then fold the loose end into the body.
Then trim any loose ends.
Well thats the body complete. This is what it should look like.
Now its time to turn our attention to making the neck and head.
Taking the vertical split measure about 4cms from the shoulder,then bend the split back down.
Then fold it under the body and bring it back up onto the other side. Here we have got the neck made.
So now we make the head. With the split now at the top of the neck,we create a figure 4,which gives us the head shape.
Now bring the split back around the neck,and start to wrap around the figure 4 to fill in the head.
Wrap all the way up the head,then around the neck. Then just push the last piece of the split into the neck to secure.
Last of all trim to make neat.
And now the finished product.
Well i hope that makes some sense,and is of help to some folk.
Thanks for looking Stuart.
Last edited:
