Primitive Wooden Beads
Introduction: Primitive Wooden Beads
A few months ago I noticed someone trimmed a young walnut tree in a garden near to the place I live. I immediately start thinking if I could use the branches and wood for something. (It's a kind of curse... What most common people see as trash I can recognize as material.) I took some of the branches home for examination and so on.
I was surprised how well the wood can be carved. Also, the pith was fascinating: hollow with compartments (see the picture above). I started to think what I could make of it... I decided to try to make primitive wooden beads and make a bracelet.
Step 1: Tools and Material
Tools
* sharp knife
* fretsaw and
fretwork table (aka "V-board") with a G-clamp
(alternatively: any saw with fine tooths and a thin blade; or just a sharp knife)
* gimlet(s) (optional)
* jet lighter
* cloth
* transparent acrylic paint (optional)
Material
* walnut tree twigs
* bee wax (optional)
* elastic string (there is a special kind for making bracelets) or a twine, cord, ...
Step 2: Remove the Bark
Select twigs of proper diameter. Remove bark and clean the bare wood using a knife.
This step can be quite relaxing. For example, I took some walnut twigs into a forest, where I listen to all the sounds and I fantasized about ancient people.
Intermezzo. Fantasize about ancient people [skip, if you are not into fantasizing, or if you have something better to do.]
I imagined a young Celtic man, about 16 summers old...
He is sitting alone on a riverbank and he is thinking of the girl, he met two days ago. When he saw her dancing and heard her singing, it was like... like all the gods themself put their hands on his shoulders.
Now he is making a gift for her. A necklace with a wooden owl and wooden beads. 812
His grandfather recently showed him how to make these things. And gave him an old small bronze knife.
The gift for her will be a modest gift - sure - not like the bronze decorations from the master craftsman, but she could like it, he hoped.
The girl likes him too. But they don't know that about each other yet. That gift will help him to express "I like you, and I want to know you.", it will help to spark all the magic that has to come.
~
I know, it's not a fully-fledged story. It's only an image. And I know, the English is simple. Just do not take it too seriously, please :)
A short note about history. [skip, if you are not into this]
About 3000 years ago, the Celts lived here, where the Czech Republic is now. Later, they often merged with the Slavic people, who came from the east. Czech people have usually Slavic and often also Celtic and also German ancestors.
Many places here have names from the Celtic era. For example rivers. River "Sázava", the word literally means: "The water that flows through the groves".
Step 3: Cutting Twigs Into Small Pieces
Cut the twigs into pieces of the desired bead size. In the pictures above, you can see how I used a fretsaw and fretwork table.
Cut the edges of every piece using a knife.
Step 4: Beads
Remove the pith with a gimlet or with a similar tool (barbecue stick for example).
Now it would be good to let the greenwood dry out at least a bit.
Step 5: Primitive Coloring
What was possible in coloring a few thousand years ago? I'm sure primitive/prehistoric coloring is a huge topic. But it is not the main focus of this instructable. 644