Coil
Basketry
Materials used by California Indians for
basket weaving.
Starting the basket is the hardest part!
Once the basket is started, the
weaver continues to wrap and stitch
each “row” to the previous row.
Coiled basket from California.
Made with native grasses.
Not all designs are geometric.
Some are organic.
For the Indians of California, the eagle is a
religious symbol
Coil baskets were woven so tightly that they
could be used for cooking.
.
Coiled baskets were sometimes decorated
with other materials, such as feathers and
beads, to appeal to tourists.
Making a coil basket
Adding more yarn
Bringing the sides up
Finishing the basket
Coil
Pottery
The native peoples of the American Southwest
are famed for making beautiful pottery
decorated with geometric patterns and designs
of animals and people.
Contemporary artist,
Tammy Garcia,
carves her coil pots.
After she builds and smoothes her pottery,
she carves traditional designs into the clay
before it is fired.
Making a coil pot
Use a golf ball size piece of clay and form it into a
smooth hamburger patty shape. It should be about 3/8
inch thick. Try not to handle it so much that it starts to
get cracks on the surface.
Roll a coil of clay, about as thick as your
little finger.
Score, slip and blend it onto the base.
Continue adding coils.
Be sure to close up all seams on the inside of
your pot.
A foot can be added to the bottom of your pot.
Use another coil of clay.
Be sure to smooth the seams!