Weaving with Paper Rope by the Dennison Manufacturing Company is an illustrated craft manual for making baskets, trays, vases, and decorative lamp coverings from crepe paper rope and wire. The booklet explains how a bendable wire framework supports the shape while soft paper rope forms the woven surface.
Its compact format combines general methods with examples of finished objects. The instructions move from choosing and wrapping wires to weaving bases, shaping sides, joining rope, attaching handles, and finishing edges. Photographs and diagrams help readers connect the written steps with the construction of each piece.
Book details
- Title: Weaving with Paper Rope
- Author and publisher: Dennison Manufacturing Company
- Publisher location: Framingham, Massachusetts
- Publication date: Catalogued as 1922; a publication year is not clearly printed in the scanned booklet
- Edition: No numbered edition is stated
- Language: English
- Format: Illustrated scanned PDF with searchable text
- Length: 40 PDF pages, including covers and preliminary leaves; 32 numbered instruction pages
- File size: 1.67 MB
What Weaving with Paper Rope covers
Wire, rope, and preparation
The opening pages explain how the dimensions of an object affect the number and type of wires required. They distinguish the wires used for the body from heavier handle wires and the finer spool wire used to fasten parts together. A drawing identifies side-cutting pliers as a tool for cutting and bending the framework.
Paper rope is discussed in several thicknesses, with finer material used where the wires are close together at the beginning of a base. The manual also describes cutting crepe paper into strips and wrapping the wires so the framework matches the weaving. These preparations make the later steps easier to understand.
Building different kinds of bases
A substantial part of the booklet concerns the base, the starting point for an entire basket or tray. Round bases begin with crossed groups of wires that are separated as the weaving progresses. The text explains why an uneven number of weaving positions matters for an alternating over-and-under pattern.
Separate instructions address square, triangular, heart-shaped, oval, and oblong bases. Oval and oblong work uses a central arrangement described as a backbone. The examples show how the position of the supporting wires and the handling of corners produce different outlines from the same basic materials.
Shaping sides and managing the framework
Once a base reaches the required size, the wires are bent to form the sides. Straight, rounded, narrowing, and flaring shapes are considered. Drawings help show where a wire changes direction and how the woven surface follows it.
The manual also explains adding, cutting out, and lengthening wires. These operations address a common construction problem: the spaces between supports change as an object becomes wider or narrower. The reader can study how the arrangement is adjusted while preserving the intended weave.
Joining, finishing, and decorative weaves
Rope joining receives its own explanation, including splicing and concealing ends inside the woven surface. Another section describes making paper rope when a particular thickness or shade is wanted. This makes the booklet useful for understanding the material itself as well as the objects made from it.
Edge finishes include several strand arrangements, followed by handles and fancy weaves. Later project pages combine these methods in shaped baskets and trays. The illustrations include a square basket with a twisted handle and a hanging triangular basket, accompanied by dimensions and material lists. These examples demonstrate how a basic technique changes when applied to a different outline or purpose.
How this fits a home-craft collection
This is a reference for decorative basketry and light household craft. It suits readers interested in paper crafts, wire-supported weaving, historical design, and the relationship between a frame and a woven covering. Its small file size also makes it an easy addition to an offline craft collection.
The booklet’s value lies in its construction details: preparing materials, keeping supports evenly spaced, maintaining the shape, and hiding joins neatly. Read it alongside Ardbark’s homestead references and self-sufficiency books for other traditional making skills.
About this historical booklet
The scan retains the original illustrated cover, instruction pages, and period product advertisements. Searchable text contains recognition errors, especially in fractions, so consult the page images for measurements. The final sections include lamp coverings and period solvent-based finishes. Paper is combustible: treat those examples as design history and use current electrical, fire-safety, and product guidance rather than reproducing old lamp or finishing methods without evaluation.
Read Weaving with Paper Rope
Explore the illustrated bases, weaving methods, handles, and decorative projects in the 1.67 MB PDF below.
