Yesterday I was at the Rare Trades Centre in Ballarat teaching a group to weave twined baskets. Twining is the twisting of 2 soft and flexible weavers around several more rigid and stationary stakes. The participants used split flax for the stakes and red hot poker for the weavers. The addition of Watsonia created lovely red bands of weaving. For those who would like to collect Watsonia for their baskets, the time to do so is now! Or soon! I went to Daylesford (in Victoria) on Thursday and collected a bunch of leaves that had recently dried on the plant to a red colour. If picked green leaves will dry to a brown gold. If left too long they will deteriorate and weather to a grey colour.
Jodie Goldring 