The Weaving of Native Americans

Vintage albumen print. Original caption "Aboriginal life among
 the Navajoe Indians. Near old Fort Defiance, N.M. / T. H."

         One of the chief arts of the North American Natives is that of weaving blankets. When the Spaniards came to our country they found beautiful blankets and fine weaving among the Pueblo and Navaho people of the southwest. Perhaps these people learned this art from their neighbors to the south; or they may have originated it themselves because they needed and sought something better than mere skins for clothing.

       In the early days, the Hopi Indians wove principally their own cotton to which they added some fibers of the yucca plants and animal hairs. When sheep were introduced by the Spaniards, they began to use a little wool. Their weaving is more complicated than that of other tribes. They not only produce a plain weave, but a checked one, and another which shows a repeated figure, usually a diamond.

       Among the Hopis it is the men who do most of the weaving of the blankets, shawls, sashes, and clothing. A lovely custom is still followed in weaving the bride's clothing. After the most important of the wedding ceremonies, the bridegroom's father distributes cotton to all his men relatives and friends. They spin and weave this cotton for the bride, working for several days or weeks. During that time, the bride stays with her husband and his family helping to cook and feed the weavers. Very carefully and beautifully the men weave a large white robe, a small white robe, and a wide, white belt with long fringe.

       When all are finished the bride wraps the small robe about herself, puts on white buck-skin boots and prepares to go to her mother's house where the young couple make their home for a while. She carries the large robe and belt in a rolled mat made of reeds bound together. After the wedding she uses the robes on ceremonial occasions and finally, the small one is wrapped around her body when death takes the little native woman to ''Maski,'' the Home of Hopi Souls.

       The indigenous people of the northwest coast seem to delight in color and movement. Perhaps their main thought is of the clan or family symbol which is expressed in totem poles, house fronts, house interiors, canoes, boxes and blankets. The Chilkats weave the most beautiful, fantastic blankets full of myths, and made in three colors: black, yellow, and greenish-blue. Although the women weave the blankets they are not supposed to be familiar with the designs and so copy them from patterns which have been drawn on boards by the men. The design contains the clan emblem and is usually of one or several animals so highly conventionalized that some natives themselves can hardly explain them.

       Not only the designs, but the materials used are different from those of other native blankets. The Chilkat woman takes the soft wool of the wild mountain goat and twists it around fibers of the inner bark of the cedar tree. These very strong threads of natural color are hung on the loom for the warp. The other threads, colored and containing no cedar fibers, are worked in and out of the strong warp threads. It takes about a year for a Chilkat woman to prepare the wool and weave one blanket, but it lasts for several generations.

       The weaving of Chilkat blankets is almost a thing of the past. The younger girls are not interested in spending so much time on robes whose ceremonial uses are almost forgotten. Only a very few old women are left who understand the art of weaving. Soon, even they will weave no more.

       Perhaps the best known of indigenous blankets are those made by the wandering Navahos. They practically live out-of-doors and the beauty of this is worked into their blankets. The women make these blankets, spinning the sheep's wool, dyeing it, and weaving it on hand looms. They often weave in crosses for good luck and symbols of the sun, moon, stars and lightning to bring the much needed rain.

       The colors worked into the blankets by the older Navahos were symbolic. They were considered sacred, ''gift of the best of their gods.'' Take for instance red - it means the blessed sunshine in which they move and live. No wonder these weavers love red and put the glorious warmth of it into their blankets. White stands for the early morning light which comes from the east and carries with it the hope of a new day. Blue stands for the cloudless afternoon sky in the south. The western sunset brings the yellows. Black comes from the far north where dark clouds gather and will, perhaps, bring the rain.

       Thus the Navaho woman of yesterday and today weaves her very life into her blankets. Often she sings the night chant as she works, ''With all around me beautiful, may I walk.''  Wood

• Weaving the path by Explore Canada
• Marie Begay Weaving
• Master Navajo Weavers: Barbara Teller Ornelas and Lynda Teller Pete
• Dream Weaver: Navajo designer Naiomi Glasses

Navajo Blankets and Rugs

       Navajo blankets were woven for use as wearing apparel until about 1880. They are known as shoulder blankets because they were worn about the shoulders. The old shoulder blankets were woven so tightly that they were almost waterproof. Navajo rugs are of later origin. They were not woven before 1880.
       Historic blankets and rugs can be grouped into four periods. The first period dates from the early part of the nineteenth century. Most of the few blankets remaining from this period are preserved in museums and private collections. They are woven in broad, horizontal stripes of natural-colored wool or native-dyed yarn on a white background.
 

Navajo weaving at the Hubbel trading post in 1972

       The second period is from 1850 to about 1870. Many blankets of this period were obtained by army officers, private collectors, and Navajo traders. Later they gave, sold, or loaned the blankets to museums. Blankets of the second period are of outstanding texture. They fall into two distinct types: the Classic blanket and the Chief blanket.
       The design of the Classic blanket consists of simple stripes and stepped zigzags or terraces. The Chief blanket bears a design of alternating broad bands of brown or black and white. Sometimes there is a stripe of indigo blue. Rows of rectangular figures often are incorporated into the pattern. Another characteristic of the blankets of this period is the use of bayeta yarn.
       The third period, from about 1870 to 1890, saw the transformation of the blanket into a rug for commercial use. Diamond patterns in a great variety of sizes and combinations are characteristic of the third period. After 1890, very few blankets were woven.
       The fourth period covers about twenty-five or thirty years, from 1890 to 1915 or 1920. One of the distinguishing features of rugs of this period is the use of a central design with a border around it.
       So we see that within the space of about a century there have been four distinct styles in Navajo weaving. These styles reflect the changes in culture that took place in Navajo life. Perhaps the most important change in Navajo life and in their weaving commenced in 1880, when these natives were able to buy from the early settlers manufactured blankets for their own use and at the same time find a market for their hand-woven articles among the settlers.
       The change from weaving for tribal use to the production of woven articles for sale resulted in a rapid growth of the craft. It was about this time that the Navajos first obtained the bright-colored Saxony and Germantown yarns and aniline dyes. The novelty of ready-dyed yarns and easy-to-use aniline dyes captivated their interests and for several years they stopped using native colors almost entirely. The new materials sped up the work so that the weavers could turn out great numbers of hand-woven articles for the fast-growing trade with the outside world. But careless workmanship often was the result. And, also, the products were characterized by gaudy colors in unpleasing combinations because the weavers used  new dyes and yarns verses those materials made by home industry.
       But the weavers continue to improve the quality of their work through perseverance and integrity, no longer sacrificing the good color, pleasing design, and careful workmanship of earlier Navajo weaving.  by Roberta Caldwell.

        Woman's fancy manta, circa 1865. "Navajo people believe in beauty all around and, here, this weaver is weaving her version of beauty." —Sierra Ornelas, Navajo weaver

Navajo Weaving

        Most of the Navajo women and some of the men have a knowledge of weaving. Weaving is more than a source of income for the Navajos. It is a tribal art that has been a strong influence in Navajo life for at least a century and a half.
             Navajo methods of preparing wool for spinning and weaving are simple but they take time and are tedious work. First the wool is sorted. Then it is spread out on a sloping stone and cleaned by pouring over it hot water containing an extract of yucca root. When the wool is dry, it is combed (carded) with a pair of ordinary hand cards. The weaver holds one of the cards in each hand and combs out a small bunch of wool until the fibers are loose and fluffy. The wool is then ready to be spun. Spinning twists the wool until it becomes a firm yarn. To make the yarn more compact it may be respun once or even twice. The spindle is held in the hand. It consists of a small stick with a wooden disk at the base to give momentum and to make the spinning process easier.
       Rigging the loom is the next step. The loom is a simple upright frame made of poles. To the top pole is attached the yarn beam from which the lengthwise threads (warp) are stretched to the bottom pole. The weaver sits in front of the loom. She works upward from the bottom of the loom and weaves strands of yarn back and forth through the warp. She inserts the crosswise strands (weft) with her fingers or with the aid of a twig and then forces them down into place by the blow of a batten stick. As she progresses with her weaving she lowers the yarn beam now and then so that the finished work can be rolled on the bottom pole, out of her way.
       The question is sometimes asked why the Navajos never have adopted either a spinning wheel or a more complex type of loom. Perhaps the answer lies in the fact that the Navajos were a wandering people and their own kind of spindle and loom is easy to carry with them. by Roberta Caldwell.

Navajo weavers Barbara Teller Ornelas & Lynda Teller Pete.

The Navaho weaver sits in front of her loom. She works upward from the bottom o fthe loom and weaves the strands of yarn back and forth through the warp with her fingers.

The Colors In Navajo Weaving

       The colors of natural wool are white, brown, and black and a gray that is a combination of white wool and black wool. The colors of native dyes included black, blue, and green and several shades of yellow and red. Native dyes were made by early Navajo weavers in many different ways.
       Black dye was made from the twigs and leaves of aromatic sumac mixed with the gum of pinyon and a native yellow ocher ground to a powder and roasted. It was used for darkening black wool, which in its natural state is not a true black. In the early days a blue was made from a native blue clay, but this blue was displaced later by indigo blue brought from Mexico. Green dye was a mixture of blue and yellow dyes.
       Yellow dyes, in shades from greenish yellow through lemon to orange, were made from the yellow flowers of the rabbit weed. An orange-red, sometimes called old gold, came from crushed sorrel roots to which alum may have been added. The recipe for making red dye is not always the same, but the roots or bark of the mountain mahogany seem to have been in common use. The native reds were not true reds. They were pale, dull shades that were brownish or orange in hue.
       It was not until the Navajo devised a new kind of yarn that they could have a clear, brilliant red in their blankets. To make the new yarn, they unraveled bright-colored woolen cloth of Spanish and English origin and retwisted the ravelings for handweaving. This yarn was called bayeta yarn and the blankets made from it were called bayeta blankets. "Bayeta" is the Spanish word for the English baize.
       Red was the predominating color of blankets made of bayeta yarn. The color varied from scarlet to a reddish brown that when mellowed by time often became a strong rose. Navajo weavers of bayeta blankets used other colors of bayeta yarn, too - vivid greens and yellows and blues, but many people refer of the brilliant red as the bayeta color.
       A great change in the colors used in Navajo weaving came when aniline dyes began to make their appearance. In comparison with native colors, the colors produced by aniline dyes seem harsh and lifeless. But the native weavers regarded the new dyes with delight and used them with more enthusiasm. This is the reason that brilliant color combinations were produced in some of the weaving of that time. In recent years, however, Navajo weavers have given up their use of certain gaudy commercial dyes and yarns and are commencing to use more traditional pleasing colors again. Caldwell.

Jeffrey Jamon talks about natural wool dyeing.

How to Make a Doll Sized Cardboard Loom

The front and back sides of our doll sized, cardboard loom.

       To craft this 18" doll sized loom you will need these supplies: a bobbie pin, cardboard, embroidery floss, twine, yarn, a toothpick, masking tape, decorative paper and white tacky glue.

       Cut a piece of clean cardboard 2 1/2" x3". Wrap twine around the card at least eleven times and use a piece of masking tape to hold the twine firmly in place on the backside of the cardboard loom. Glue a decorative cut scrapbook paper to the backside to hold the twine in place permanently; these are called the warp. 

       Now you are ready to weave the (weft) embroidery floss over and under the warp strands. It is easier for kids to do this project if they have a plastic embroidery needle or a bobbie pin that they can tie the floss onto through the eye. They could get easily frustrated if you have them use their fingers here.

       After you have taken the weave as far as you like, use the last strand to glue and wrap around the blunt end of a toothpick. Then weave it through the warp and glue it in place so that the loom looks like it is still in use. Tack down the woven threads and yarns with tacky glue underneath next to the cardboard.

• construct a cardboard box loom for a child to practice with
• Craft a Knitting Basket for A Doll 
• Visit our weaving index to see more related content

Three ways to craft the St. Lucia crown...

Three finished versions of the St. Lucia crown craft. The far left, is made with felt, wire real candles.
 The center, is made with golf tees and purchased holly sprigs. The far right, is made with yarn, 
 felt and paper. The white gown represents the purity of saints in heaven and the red sash, the 
blood of the saints on earth.

 The First St. Lucia Crown.

"Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." John 8:12

       St. Lucia is honored in both Protestant and Catholic churches in communities all across Europe and in the northern States of The U.S. 

       It is considered a high honor for a preteen or teen girl to be selected to represent St. Lucia. Traditionally she wears a white robe tied with a red sash along with her crown. 

       To be one of her maids is offered up to girls of a certain age in congregations based upon how many girls are enrolled in the congregation. The maids wear the same costume as St. Lucia but include a simple laurel crown on their heads instead. All of the children, both boys and girls carry lit candles.

       Boys are also a part of this procession; they usually wear accolades robes and sometimes a white conical hat, trimmed with gold stars. Read more...

• The St. Lucia Song in Swedish.
• St. Lucia Day - Swedish Traditions
• Santa Lucia procession in Cleveland
• Santa Lucia, Queen of light, at 29th Swedish Christmas Festival in Toronto
• Rick Steves' European Christmas: Norway

Supply list for the simplest and the first of our St. Lucia crowns:

Recycled oatmeal container.

• a paper cardboard lid from a recycled food container,
• green felt
• hot glue and hot glue gun
• eight golf tees, 
• green, white and orange acrylic paint
• sprigs of Christmas holly and red berries

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Cut off the bottom of a cardboard oatmeal container and cut an additional hole through the bottom of the container for the hair on top of the crown to show through. During the service of St. Lucia, a small white linen napkin is used to cover the head of the girl so that tallow from the candles does not drip directly on her hair. You may like to cut a small white tissue for your doll's head covering although you must only pretend to light the candles while playing.
2. Glue the tops of the golf tees to the dolls crown. Space out eight candles evenly. 
3. Paint the outside rim of the cardboard crown green.
4. Paint the tips of the golf tees orange for the faux flames.
5. Glue shredded green felt pieces around the candles.
6. Glue sprigs of Christmas holly and red berries to the outer rim.

Left, Glue the tops of the golf tees to the dolls crown. (tips up)
Right, Glue sprigs of Christmas holly and red berries to the outer rim.

The Second St. Lucia Crown.

Jesus said "You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:14-16

The second version of St.
Lucia's crown.

Supply List for the Second St. Lucia Crown:

• white typing paper
• variegated green yarn
• yellow, orange and red tissue paper
• tiny pinecones and red berry pics
• green felt for additional holly leaves.
• hot glue and hot glue gun
• a recycled plastic oatmeal lid

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Cut out the center of a recycled plastic oatmeal lid, leaving approx. 1/3" of cardboard in the center for the place to glue faux candles.
2. Roll up white typing paper into tight narrow tubes and cut these to a variety of lengths. These tubes will become the candles.
3. Glue eight of them to the inside rim of your lid with equal spacing between each one. 
4. Use a hot glue gun to drip faux looking candle wax around the upper edges of each candle.
5. Wrap variegated green yarn around the oatmeal lid to cover the outside and inside rims between the faux candles, using glue to hold it in place.
6. Now you can weave a pretty pattern with the yarn around the candles several layers up their sides.
7. Hot glue tiny pinecones and red berry pics to the outside rim for additional decoration.
8. Tear or cut red, orange and yellow flames from tissue and glue these inside the holes at the top of your candles for fake flames.

Left, the inner parts of the recycled plastic oatmeal lid are cut away for the crown. Right,
Use a hot glue gun to drip faux looking candle wax around the upper edges of each candle.

Above you can see that I have woven the yarn both around the outer rim of the crown to cover all of
 it's parts and also between the candles. The weaving between the eight candles (the number 8 is
 most traditional) reveals the Star of David or the Magen David. Jesus was the direct descendent
 of King David through both of his parents. That lineage being the house of sacrifice and kings,
 and consequently the burden of all followers, like Lussi.

Left, a penny to show size proportions. Right, the crown is ready for flames and decorations.

Third and final variation of our St. Lucia crowns has the traditional arc shaped to follow the
head of the wearer. Right you can see all three crowns together.

The Third St. Lucia Crown.

 "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." John 1:5

Supply list for the third crown version: 

• cardboard
• green acrylic paint
• white candles
• hot glue and hot glue gun 
• masking tape
• old plastic drywall anchors
• at least four color variations of green felt 
• tiny red pom-poms 
• green yarn, and wire

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. The third version of our St. Lucia crown craft uses actual white birthday candles for display purposes only. If you feel that a child might be too tempted to light these, use paper tubes instead!
2. Measure the circumference of the doll's head using either a tape measure of piece of yarn that you can hold up to a ruler. 
3. Cut a long narrow piece of cardboard to equal this same measurement. You may try it on the doll's head to insure that it fits before continuing. 
4. Cover this crown with masking tape. 
5. Hot glue eight plastic drywall anchors around it's edges. Space these anchors evenly.
6. Mask with tape around the anchors.
7. Use green paint to cover all of these parts.
8. Now wire the arch for the top of the crown in an X shape, wrapping the ends firmly around the inside and out of the crown.
9. Cut long strips of green felt and clip a fringe on one half of these.
10. Wrap and glue these fringed felt strips around lengths of yarn. 
11. Wrap the yarn around the wire. 
12. Glue the more fringed felt directly to the crown edges, overlapping a bit in order to cover the crown completely.
13. Stick the white birthday candles into the drywall anchors. If these are too loose to stand on their own. wrap the bottom edges of the candles with aluminum foil and reinsert. 

Left, Mask with tape around the anchors. Right, Use green paint to cover all of these parts

Left, Cut long strips of green felt and clip a fringe. Center, Wrap and glue these fringed felt strips
 around lengths of yarn. Right, Glue the more fringed felt directly to the crown edges, overlapping
 a bit in order to cover the crown completely.

The students from music classes in Gothenburg and Växjö

sing the St. Lucia service.

Restoring An 18inch Doll's Desk

       Many of you may recognize this popular doll's desk once sold by Walmart. I believe it is still available online at Amazon. I discovered it at resale for $2.99. All that was left of the doll desk can be seen below on the far left. The desk is was not terribly expensive to begin with, however, I enjoy restoring most of what I can get my hands on, irregardless of monetary value.

Left, the My Generation Doll Desk purchased from resale. The drawers are missing as well as all the accessories
 and chair. Center, my restored version of this desk. I've added drawers, wall paper, memo board, desk set, a tape
 dispenser, journals, paper weight, pencils, paint brushes, wooden chair and tiny erasers. Far Right, you can see that
 the chair fits neatly beneath the desk with plenty of room for a doll to sit on it.

       The original fourteen pieces that came with this desk set included: one white plastic desk, a battery operated lamp, one fashion magazine, calendar, map, paper journal, lap top computer, wall paper, birthday card, sleepover invitation, two sticker sheets, a fuzzy fur covered desk chair and a small fluffy pink rug.

Construct a cardboard box for each opening. Test these for correct size by moving them in and out before finishing
them with white paper and glue. I used masking tape during this process so that I could get an accurate fit for
each drawer.

I covered these panels with decorative
scrapbook papers and Mod Podged
the outside surfaces to keep them clean.

Supply List: Drawer Repair, Faux Leather Desk Set and Ribbon Memo Board:

1. cardboard (medium weight)
2. masking tape
3. coordinating decorative papers
4. white tacky glue
5. hot glue and hot glue gun
6. faux leather (recycled purse)
7. blue spray paint (for the chair)
8. one toilet paper tube
9. white typing paper
10. thin red ribbon (2 yds. at least)
11. ruler 
12. Mod Podge

Steps for Restoring the Missing Drawers:

1. Measure to fit a new set of drawers into the interior drawer spaces left open in the desk.
2. Construct a cardboard box for each opening. Test these for correct size by moving them in and out before finishing them with white paper and glue. 
3. I used masking tape during this process so that I could get an accurate fit for each drawer. (see photo above)
4. The outside panel of my drawers is a bit larger in it's profile in order to cover the openings for the drawers to match the profile of the desk cabinet. 
5. After covering the drawers with white glue and white typing paper. I added secondary panels to the front of the drawers with pulls. I made the pulls from cardboard but you could use beads alternatively. 
6. I covered these panels with decorative scrapbook papers and Mod Podged the outside surfaces to keep them clean.
   

Left, Measure to fit a new set of drawers into the interior drawer spaces left open in the desk. Center, I
measured and fit a cardboard rectangle for: the back wall paper for the desk interior, the ribbon memo board,
 and the desk blotter. I taped these up to make sure they would fit and look nice together before covering
them with decorative scrapbooking papers. Right, although the drawers looked like they were the same size,
I soon discovered that each needed to be cut and fitted to their own openings. The drawer on the bottom needed
an additional sheet of cardboard applied to it's bottom in order for it to fit properly inside the cavity.

This doll's ribbon board is not tufted, however the ribbons are interwoven and tacked on top of a bright
stripped, decorative scrapbooking paper. On the left, you can see that I have secured the ribbons to the back
 side of the cardboard memo board with masking tape. On the right is the finished ribbon memo board. I glued
 the memo board directly to the new wall paper that I cut and pasted to an additional cardboard piece. Both wall
 mounted decorations: the background and memo board, may be removed from the backing of the desk if desired.
 These fit snug against the inside wall of our doll's desk but are not permanently attached.

Doll faux leather desk set.

Steps For Making The Ribbon Memo Board:

1. For the ribbon memo board, cut a piece of cardboard 6 1/2 x 3 1/2 inches.
2. Cover the front side with a decorative scrapbook paper. 
3. I chose to lay my ribbons in a square woven pattern across the front of the memo board. Most memo boards have ribbons that weave together in a diamond pattern but, I felt the square pattern better suited my stripped paper. You can choose to weave in squares or diamonds it makes no difference in the end. 
4. Make sure that there is 1/2inch ribbon to wrap around the edges of your cardboard so that you can glue these down neatly with hot glue as you go.
5. When you have finished weaving the ribbon, use masking tape to seal the back side of the cardboard. 
6. Use a bit of white glue to tack down the ribbons in the front at the places where the ribbons cross over each other.
7. Now you can attach your memo board to the back wallpaper in the interior of the desk with glue or sticky tape.
   

Steps To Make The Faux Leather Desk Set: office desk caddy, blotter and box for holding paper

1. For the desk caddy, you will need one toilet paper funnel. Cut this in half length wise. 
2. Now cut the half piece in three sections. Make each section a different length.
3. Roll the sections into tiny funnels and tape each one together. 
4. Now cover each funnel with faux leather and/or decorative paper. Use white glue to stick the papers and fabrics together neatly. Set these aside to dry.
5. Print out the template below. And cut the oval base out for the caddy. 
6. Trace around it onto cardboard and cut out the shape. 
7. Cover this oval with paper on one side and faux leather on the other using hot glue. 
8. Hot glue the funnel shapes directly onto the oval base. 
9. Now cut out the two templates for the covered paper box holder. Below are photographs of how this box is lined on the inside with paper and on it's outside with the faux leather. Use hot glue to assemble the box.
10. Cut white typing paper to fill it up.
11. Now cut a piece of cardboard 5 1/2 x 4 1/2 inches.
12. Cover this on one side with decorative paper.
13. Then cut long narrow 3/4" strips of faux leather to wrap the corner with. Trim the leather off at the back as you go. 
14. Cut a backing for the blotter from the faux leather and hot glue this to the backside of the blotter to create a finished looking piece.

Step-by-Step photos for how the box for writing papers is assembled.

Click directly on the image to download the largest file size.
 Drag the png. into a Word Doc software program and use your
cursor to drag the image right until you see the templates
measure approximately 6 inches across, then select print. If
you want to make a set for a Barbie shrink all the measure-
ments by half. (50%)

The faux leather desk set is finished. There is one large blotter, a box for paper and a caddy
for paint brushes, pens, pencils, erasers etc...

Above you can see that I spray painted the desk chair blue. I found this 18inch doll's chair at resale for only
a few dollars. It is made out of wood and very detailed. I prefer wooden chairs like this one because it will
 hold the doll's weight without toppling over.

See More Doll's Desk Reviews and Crafts:

• DIY Office Supply for A Doll's Desk - Crafts for pencils, pink erasers, journals, paper weights and tape dispenser!
• My Life As A Doll's Desk Review by Cupcaketastic Queen

Weave Colorful Easter Baskets for Your Dolls

The finished basket.

       You may have learned how to weave a basket similar to this one in school. It is a smaller version of the same craft that many school teachers teach to children in the fourth and fifth grades in the U. S. Baskets like this one are made using small paper cups like Dixie cups. You can also cut a larger paper cup down a bit to make a doll sized basket as well, if you do not have smaller paper cups at home.

Supply List:

• thin strips of colorful paper (I used quilling paper for my basket weave.)
• small paper cups 
• white school glue
• hot glue gun and hot glue
• Easter grass 
• Mod Podge (optional)
• ribbons for trimming (optional)
• scissors

Step-by-Step pictures of - weaving a tiny
Easter basket for your dolls.

Step-by-Step Directions:

1. First, cut a series of strips all around the cup's surface, starting from the rim and working your way  down to the bottom of the cup. You may prefer to cut a wavy pattern instead of straight cuts. This will ultimately determine the pattern of your basket weave. (pictured right) This cutting will act as the warp part of your basket weave.
2. Then take a small amount of white glue and add it to the tip of your colorful quill paper. Tuck this behind one of the warp stripes and begin weaving the thin stripes of paper in and out of the warp strips. These colorful paper strips will act as the weft part of your basket weave.
3. Work around the bottom fourth of your cup using hot pink, then purple, followed by the blue and last by the yellow, if you would like to make a pattern similar to the sample shown here.
4. Use a toothpick to help push down the rows of paper weave as your proceed.
5. Then used a soft, clean paint brush to layer Mod Podge on top of the weave work in order to keep it clean and in place. 
6. Hot glue a white ribbon around the top rim of the cup to give it a finished look.
7. Cut a long strip of white paper to act as a handle, hot gluing both ends to opposite sides of each other on the interior of the paper cup.
8. Again trim the handle and the rim of the cup with additional paper ribbons and bows using yellow and hot pink paper.
9. Now your doll sized, paper Easter basket is ready to fill with candy, chocolate, small toys etc....

See more examples of doll sized Easter baskets:

• Weave a Miniature Yarn Easter Basket
• Paper Doily Baskets for Easter
• Easter Baskets for American Girl Dolls
• Cup weaving from Mt. Bethel Art
• How to shape an easy rope basket for Easter...

Two Techniques to Restore One Doll's Chair

Left, this chair was originally painted peach. Center, I layered both blue and pink using a dry brush technique.
Right, the finish is done.

       I chose to repaint this dollar find from the local flee market and then to hand weave a new seat using twine and ribbon found in my craft supply at home.

I wove a seat cushion using twine for the warp
 and ribbon for the weft.

Supply List:

• acrylic paints (your choice, 2 to 3 colors)
• stipple brush (optional), or soft camel hair brush
• twin or natural colored yarn for the warp components
• purple embroidery floss and needle
• purple ribbon for the weft components
• clean paper towels 
• clear acrylic sealer

Step-by-Step Instructions for The Dry Brush Technique:

1. Dust and clean off the chair that you have on hand. I discovered the one above at resale for $1.49; it fits a 14" doll perfectly.
2. I also removed the damaged seat.
3. Lightly load up your brush with paint. Dab it on the paper towel to insure that it does not have too much paint on it. Because this is a dry brush technique, you need very little paint to accomplish this wood finish.
4. Now lightly brush the surface of the chair. Let it dry and repeat with another color. Layer the colors randomly as you go. Stop when you are satisfied with the brushed color surface.
5. Some of the colors will show in places more than others.
6. Seal with a clear acrylic spray or wash.

Step-by-Step Instructions for The Woven Seat:

       First you will need to decide the direction of your warp wrap. I chose to wrap my seat running the warp twine up and down instead of the traditional method of wrapping from left to right. This is because I wanted the ribbon weft to show on the left and right sides of my seat.

       Tie the warp twine onto the chair stretcher directly under the lowest rail of the seat. (below left) Now wrap the warp threads under, up and over the front stretcher directly opposite to its back stretcher. Do this over and over until the seat has been filled from one side of the support to the other. Do not pull the warp tight; this will distort the chair frame! The weaving will eventually tighten the seat properly as you go.

Left, I am reading to wrap the warp first. Center, I chose to sew together the warp threads at each
 end of the seat weave with purple embroidery floss. Because I wrapped the warp all the way around
 the front and back rungs of my chair seat. It was necessary for me to tie both the top and bottom
of corresponding warp threads together. The embroidery floss helped me to secure warp threads
before proceeding with the weave.

Left, penny shows size of woven seat on top of the seat cushion.
Right, the weave as seen from beneath the seat cushion.

More About Weaving for Young People:

• Construct a cardboard box loom for a child
• Weave The Ojo De Dios
• Check out the Weaving Index at Thrifty Scissors