Katharine Pasch’s Basketry and Weaving in the School is a short illustrated introduction to teaching useful handwork with raffia, reeds and other accessible materials. Published in Chicago in 1904, it moves from basic braiding and stitching into coiled and woven baskets, mats and related craft work. Its practical directions are framed by a clear interest in bringing household skills into classroom learning.
Pasch treats basketry as more than the production of a finished container. Selecting materials, shaping a piece and solving construction problems are part of the lesson. The opening discussion connects handwork with the needs of the home and with other school subjects. The historical educational language reflects its period, while the actual construction sequences remain the central resource for craft study.
Book details
- Title: Basketry and Weaving in the School
- Author: Katharine Pasch, Springfield, Illinois
- Publisher: A. Flanagan Company, Chicago
- Copyright: 1904
- Edition: No numbered edition stated
- Length: 36 PDF pages
- Format: Illustrated scanned craft manual
Materials close at hand
The material discussion begins with the resources a teacher might already have: yarn, muslin, silkoline and material unraveled from matting or carpets. Raffia and reeds extend the possibilities, while grasses and willow suggest local sources of craft material. The approach makes the booklet particularly interesting to readers who enjoy economical, resourceful handwork.
Raffia is described as suitable for many small articles, including mats, boxes, bags, frames and baskets. The tools are simple, with scissors, needles and knives among those mentioned. Pasch’s point is that a complicated workshop is not required to begin. The choice and preparation of material matter more than a large collection of specialized equipment.
Braiding and first stitching exercises
The first practical work uses a three-strand braid. Directions explain how to keep it flat, maintain a firm working position and add new strands as earlier ones become thin. This gives a beginner practice in controlling an even length of material before attempting a shaped object. The braid can then become the starting point for a sewn article.
Other exercises use raffia around cardboard shapes. Wrapping and buttonhole stitching introduce ways to cover and finish a form. The illustrations help explain the path of the thread. These early activities build skills that reappear in basket making, so they function as preparation rather than unrelated decorative projects.
Sewn and coiled baskets
Pasch distinguishes sewn baskets from woven ones. Braided raffia can be sewn outward from the center into a circular or oblong base, then built upward to form sides. Coiled work uses a core or rope wrapped and secured with a working strand. The directions discuss suitable fillings and show how the construction becomes stronger when the coils and stitches are kept firm.
The treatment also considers joining new material and introducing color. Different stitches and changes of color produce decorative effects without abandoning the underlying method. Readers can follow the relationship between the structure of the coil and the surface pattern, which is especially helpful when studying a finished basket and trying to understand how it was made.
Woven baskets, borders and mats
The woven-basket section introduces spokes and a finer working material. It explains preparing an uneven number of spokes for over-and-under weaving, beginning the center and gradually shaping the sides. Soaking reed until pliable is part of the preparation. The diagrams show the crossing of the spokes and the early rounds of weaving.
Finishing the edge receives attention as well. The ends of the spokes become part of the border rather than simply being cut away. Rattan mats adapt the same basic construction to a flat form, while other small basket examples explore additional ways of beginning and shaping the work.
This booklet suits teachers, beginning basket makers and readers interested in traditional household crafts. Its small scale makes it approachable, and its strongest feature is the connection between elementary hand skills and a useful finished object. It offers a concise historical starting point for studying braiding, coiling, simple weaving and thoughtful use of materials.
