Small Birch Bark Container

3.5"W x 2.5"D x 2.25"H
In the summer of 1991, I attended the Rome Basketry Symposium, Rome, NY to learn more about making birch bark baskets. The array of baskets, classes, slide shows, and basket makers from all over the world was amazing.
Construction
Birch bark fascinates me from it's leather-like texture to it's many uses: food/water containers, cooking pots, roofing material, ornaments, paper, jewelry. Making this type of birch bark basket requires woodworking skills -- a surprise to me. After the bark is soaked in hot water to make it pliable, two pieces of bark are cut as mirror images, placed back to back, and wrapped around a wooden mold to form a cylinder -- in this case, an oval cylinder. One of the sheets of bark becomes a "liner" of sorts. Where the bark overlaps on the "back" a dovetail is formed. We chose from a number of beautiful dovetail patterns. This step requires a lot of measuring and calculating. When the bark dries, it's taken off the wooden mold. A piece of wood is cut and sanded to form the base. Wooden pegs and glue join the cylinder to the base. The trim on the top is made of a contrasting piece of bark laced in place with spruce root. My favorite part of this basket is the beautiful knot on the front.
Check out my birch bark pencil cup.
Here's a great link regarding harvesting birch bark and birch bark basket construction.
If you are into baskets, check out these Flickr groups:
http://www.flickr.com/groups/basket/
http://www.flickr.com/groups/basketworld/