Rattan reed comes from the inner pith of the rattan palm, which is processed into flat reed, flat oval reed, or round reed, and used in basketry and chair seating. The shiny silica coating has been removed. For chair seats, flat reed is most common; it's available in coils in widths from ¼ in. to 1-½ in. For basketry sizes vary widely according to the patterns.
Handling Notes
- Soak reed in warm water for 10–15 minutes before weaving
- Flat reed has a front and back side; bend it over your finger, and if fibers pop up, that side should face down
- Reed has a grain that splits lengthwise, so keep a spray bottle handy while weaving
- Use a warp and weft pattern with split reed
- Warp strands can be spliced with wire wraps, staples, or clothespins, while weft strands are simply overlapped
- For maintenance, vacuum dust regularly and avoid direct sunlight or heat sources, as they can dry out the reed
In Use
Have you used this material?
Please contact Mellanee Goodman, Program Director, Curator, and Materials Specialist, to start a conversation about submitting your work for inclusion on this site.
mgoodman@centerforcraft.org