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Using Aboriginal weaving techniques and Tegan Murdock’s guidance create your own mini weaved basket.

Tegan Murdock, is a proud member of the Barkindtji tribe originating from Coomealla, Lake Victoria and the Mungo regions from her mother’s ancestors. While also belonging to the Yorta Yorta and Dhudaroah tribes originating from the Shepparton area from her father’s ancestors. She now lives on the Northern Beaches.

After her mother taught her to weave she began to create jewellery, wall pieces and taught others to weave. She hopes her weaving will help to break down barriers between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians. You can find more of Tegan's art @ngumpie_weaving.

Included in your kit:

  • A web link to the tutorial video
  • A bundle of raffia, both natural and coloured
  • 1 x starting coil
  • 1 x threading needle

What you will need:

  • Scissors

Method:

  1. Start by threading your needle with a piece of raffia and tie a knot to secure it to the needle.
  2. Hold your starter coil with the tail to the right, like the number 6.
  3. Beginning where the starter coil finishes insert your needle and thread from the back pulling towards yourself leaving a loop. Go through the front of the loop with your thread and pull it down to form your knot at the top of coil.
  4. Keep stitching around the coil until your main thread becomes short. Cut the thread off the needle and repeat step 1 with a new piece of raffia.
  5. To join the new raffia thread to the stitch insert the needle into to the same stitch from the back and pull the new thread through.
  6. Bend the short tail pieces of thread towards and on top of the tail and continue weave around these pieces.
  7. When your core/tail becomes shorter, you can insert a new core bundle to continue weaving. To add in a new core/tail you will need to loosen your last stitch. Grab the new core/tail and add it into the open stitch. Core/tails are approx. 4-5 strands. Continue weaving with the same stitching all the way around.
  8. Once you have reached your desired base size, start building the basket walls. Create a row as before for the walls manoeuvring the row with your fingers pulling it upward you as you go. Once you have reached the desired height of your basket walls, trim the core/tail at an angle.
  9. To tidy the end of core/tail do an extra 3-4 stitches to cover the angled cut.

Enquiries: 8495 5028