Spiral Plait

                                         Spiral Weave

Things You May Need to Get Started

How To Tie the Clove Hitch Knot:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aewgmUeHpuE

How To Clean the Wheat:

After cutting the wheat it will have a husk around the stalk. To get that off, break the stalk at the lowest joint. Then the husk will slide right off! Then don't forget to soak the wheat (or whatever kind of grain is being used) before weaving.

Arrow Plait Steps

1. Soak straw for 20 minutes
2. Choose seven straws
3. Cut the head off of one straw
4. Insert a length of wire into the cut straw
5. Tie all seven straws together with wired straw in the middle
6. Hold three straws in each hand with wired straw sticking out the middle
7. Fold bottom right straw behind the other two right straws and the wired straw
8. Fold around in front of the wired straw
9. Fold bottom left straw in front of the other two left straws and the wired straw
10. Fold around and behind wired straw
11. Repeat steps 7.-10.
12. Tie end with a clove hitch knot and a square knot

Compass Plait Steps

1. Soak straw for 20 minutes
2. Tie four straws together below the heads
3. Hold straws with heads at bottom between the middle and ring finger
4. Lay straws flat so they are pointing North, South, East, and West
5. Fold north to south and south to north
6. Fold east to west and west to east
7. Repeat 5. and 6. Being careful to not cross the straws
8. Tie end with a clove hitch knot and a square knot

Dunstable Plait Steps

1. Soak the wheat for 20 minutes
2. Tie 7 pieces of wheat together below the heads
3. Hold 3 in the left hand and 4 in the right hand
4. Fold the bottom straw in the right hand over one, under two, pull it tight and that will do
5. Fold the bottom straw from left hand over one and under two…
6. Repeat steps 4. and 5.

Rope Twist Heart Steps

1. Soak the wheat for 20 minutes
2. Tie eight stalks of wheat together with clove hitch knot below the heads
3. Divide stalks in half (four and four)
4. Hold one group in each hand
5. Twist right group inward three times then go under left group
6. Continue doing this until desired length is reached
7. Tie end with clove hitch knot and square knot
8. Repeat steps one through six
9. Tie the two ropes together just below the twist
10. Bring the separate ropes away from each other then join at the bottom making a heart
11. Tie all ends together at the heads  

History of Wheat Weaving

       Wheat weaving, also known as straw work, was very popular in England in the years before the Industrial Revolution. Children, as young as four years old, wove long plaits (sometimes 30-40 yards long) of straw which were then sewn into hats and bonnets. They can then be taken apart and made into new hats and bonnets. 

     With the invention of the sewing machine, the children could not weave the plaits fast enough to keep up with the sewing. The weaving was then done in China, thus ending straw work in England. 

     Straw work is still done in Belarus, Hungary, and Russia. Various grains are used, including wheat, rye, and rice. In some places various grasses are used but the straw must be hollow. There are over 135 known plaits. See the pictures for examples of different plaits.