Tools and Supplies for Straw Art
Wheat straw is the main medium of our art. We do use rye, rice, and oats, choosing the straw that is appropriate for the type of straw art we are creating. Some wheat wheat varieties are better for plaiting (pronounced with a short a) and others are better for marquetry.
Although you can take straw and plait (weave) something beautiful using only the straw and thread to tie, other techniques such as marquetry or Swiss techniques require other tools.
Below is a description of supplies and tools we use in the complete range of our work. You will not need all of these when you begin working with straw. Some tools are more difficult to find and so we tend to be creative in finding a substitute.
We mainly use wheat straw for our work. There are a lot of varieties available to us. Most of us have to have our wheat shipped to us from the growers. These are some of our suppliers who can be contacted through their web sites or by mail.
Darlene Baker
703 Roosevelt Dr.
Beloit, KS 67420
Tony & Kathy Krebs
12881 37th Street SW
Belfield, ND 58622-9237
P.O. Box 141
North Newton, KS 67117
Producers of high-quality Spun Straw Threads
These are “threads” made by spinning two pieces of wheat straw together. Sometimes you can buy these from the instructors. Buy them from Martha and Marie Voth, see Suppliers information above.
To tie off your finished work use: Button or Carpet or Quilting or Waxed Cotton. Colors vary from tan to yellow for natural straw. Colored thread can be used for tying dyed straw.
Triple Heart
Grethe Jensen used the traditional Mordiford (heart
shape) to develop this design, made using black bearded wheat.
Wire Cutters
Wire is can be used to strengthen a straw or to help hold a shape.
You’ll ruin scissors cutting wires so invest in a pair of wire cutters.
Buy a combination tool of needle-nosed pliers and wire cutter and you
can shape and cut the wire.
Dragon Mask
Designed and made by Joan Dulcey, Maryland. Award Winning Mask from the
2004 International Mask Contest
Straw Splitters
Splitters are simple tools that split a whole straw into multiple
lengths (splints). There are different types of splitters that cut
different number of splints. Check at the NAWW
Convention trade show for people selling splitters such as Black Beards,
or buy from Mr. Thwaites.
Straw Smoother
Various items can be used for softening and flattening straw for marquetry
and other techniques. They include the Hindenburg, available from Mr.
Thwaites. Some people use a quilter’s tool (used for turning corners) or a
dull knife
Scissors/Cutting
tools
Scissors: Most people need small sharp
scissors to trim wheat and threads. If you are going to do marquetry,
make sure your scissors are good for cutting paper. Scissors sold for
Scherenschnitte (paper cutting) or Decoupage work well.
Decorative Scissors: There are many styles
available. They can add a fun edge to marquetry.
Paper Punches: Punches are fun and
accurate way to get shapes without all the time of cutting. (See the
Puncha Buncha project, 2005 Convention)
Rotary Cutter/ X-Acto Knife: Used to cut
straw sheets in marquetry.
Brayer/Smoother
A brayer Is a small rolling pin type object used in printing. In our work
it is used to flatten and adhere marquetry to its backing. A small rolling
pin to do the same job.
Dog Comb
A dog comb is used to make Spreuer. There are also beautiful Spreuer tools
made by Mr. Thwaites in England (contact through Veronica Main).
Dog combs are available at any pet supply area. There are different sizes.
If you are just starting, try the metal combs with one end smaller than the
other. This will allow you to make different sizes of Spreuer.
Paper is often used as the backing in marquetry. Tissue or berry papers are great if you intend to punch out the marquetry. Cardstock is used for items that need to be self supporting
Choose a color paper to match the straw, that way you don't see any gaps.
Avoid paper, such as graph paper with heavy markings. They may show through the straw
Miscellaneous items
Paper towels, baby wipes, coffee filters all help with clean-up. What are
the coffee filters for? It's a tip from Gladys Brockway, Kansas, the
filters are used to rub over marquetry to remove excess dried glue. She
says that they work like a charm.
Wires
Wire can be used in a straw to form a shape. Finer beading wires are used
to tie parts of a project together, and for some Swiss work. Fine beading
wires come on spools and stem wire is straight and comes in 18” lengths.
Beading wire can be come quickly unrolled from the spool. Here's a way to
avoid that. Put the wire in a film canister and punch a hole either in the
top or the side to allow the wire to be pulled out.
Straight wire can get bent. You can make a wire holder using
a PVC pipe with end caps.
This tool will "burn" a design into the straw. Use with care.
There are many types of glue for many purposes. Aleene’s Tacky is a standard craft glue. Many people use it when they make marquetry.
Over the last several years many people have found Fabri-tac glue works
E600 and Bond 527 are great glues for beads and pin backs, but use with care.
Designer tacky glue also made by Aleene’s dries firmly like hot glue. It is a great glue to glue dried material to your project.
Hot Glue Guns are a quick way to put your projects together. Don’t use the low temp glues for wheat.
Always follow the manufacturers' directions when using any glue.
Needles: Sewing needles are often used when assembling a design, or to attach a finished piece to a mat board. If you are going to stitch with wheat splits, or do a repair job, occasionally necessary if a straw breaks, you will need a needle with a large eye.
Needles for Swiss Techniques: Candle wicking, Bookbinding or Mattress needles are all suitable, they have a large eye that is almost the same diameter as the needle shaft. Three-inch long needles are perfect. The long needles for soft sculpture are too flimsy to use (take our word for that).
If you need a needle holder then they can be pushed into a cork, allowing flexibility of the spacing.
There are tools available, check at the Convention trade show for sources.
