Gathering and Processing Birch Bark Rounds
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- Опубликовано: 13 окт 2024
- This video shows how we make raw birch bark rounds, by gathering birch bark from old, dead birch trees in the woods. We then dry, size, and hand wash all the bark. These birch bark rounds are an integral part in our craft projects, in particular our woodland cottage or fairie house. Birch bark rounds can be purchase on our Etsy: BarkandMoss site.
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It's amazing how long the bark last on dead birch. The patterns can be amazing too. I use bark from live trees mostly and usually ignore dead. Look forward to watching more.
Thank you Timothy! Birch is unique in that the oil within the bark allows it to maintain its integrity long after dying or falling over. I suspect that is why Native American's used birch bark to line their canoes. I too have used bark from live trees, but only the amount that has separated or is curling up...never pealing the hardened bark away or worse yet, all the way around which can damage or kill the tree. One more important thing when working with dead birch (which I discovered after making this video), it would be prudent to wear an N95 mask or respirator when "harvesting" it, due to the significant amount of possible mold spores or other microscopic material that could be harmful to your lungs. Happy hunting!
@@barkandmoss5879 The mask is a good tip I hadn,t thought of. I've dealt with gourds in the past and they harbour some dangerous molds. I have and do harvest from live trees on my property. I'f you leave the cambium layer it does not kill the tree as it does with most trees. It is unsightly and the bark that grows back has a strange alligator skin look to it. I don't tell to many people of this because 1. people won't do it properly or they do it to a tree on public land. I could send you photos of a tree I peeled about four years ago and so far it's doing fine. I have a large grove in a pasture that needs thinning and supplies me with poles for landscaping and projects as well as live and dead bark , birch polypores and I think I've got some chaga starting.
Thanks for showing how to do this, I am planning on making a lamp shade out of birch bark and this video helped a lot.
So glad to hear Riley. I would enjoy seeing your birch bark lamp shade when finished!
@@barkandmoss5879 I was hoping to have it done today, but school somehow wasn’t canceled with 50mph winds and a foot of snow. Do you have an email I can send the pictures too once I finish?
@@rileylas9623 Hi Riley, that sounds like my weather! Please send pictures to barknmoss@gmail.com. Thanks! Jay
@@barkandmoss5879 I haven’t been able to make the bark work for the lampshades, I’ve been trying all week but all of the good bark is completely covered in snow. I will probably try again in the spring.
Evening,
I really enjoyed your video and found it very helpful. I am new to collecting birth bark. I wanted to know if the cleaning process with soap and water would be the same if you are trying to use the birch bark for weaving crafts. Also when you store the bark after it is cleaned, do you just keep in a bin? If not being used right away. If you have any advise my ears are open! Thank you!!
Hello Ashley,
I'm glad you enjoyed the video and thank you for the question. I would probably wash the bark the same way if using it for weaving. Depending on how much manipulation you need to do with the bark, you may need to soak it in water for several hours or overnight in order to bend it properly. Thickness of the bark will also play a factor.
Regarding storage, I have learned a few things: it is best to place individual pieces on a rack and not together in a large garbage bag. They can and do lose their shape and tend to flatten a bit. I've also noticed they can dry out over a couple years so, again, you may need to moisten an older piece before working with it. I will also crumble up newspaper and fit snuggly inside to help maintain the overall round shape. I hope this helps. Please feel free to reach back out with any more questions!
Best Regards,
Jay
Great video, thank you!
May I ask what you wash the bark with? What type of soapy product you use? And the kind of brush?
I am very new at this and I'm afraid to damage the bark...
Thank you!
Hello Marie and thank you for the comment. I either use Joy (which is fairly environmentally good) or Dr. Bronner's pure and natural soap. The brush i used was a sturdy bristle brush. Bark that is in good condition for craft projects will hold up to a lot of "handling" without getting damaged. Having said that, you will want to be more gentle on the outside so you do not put scratch marks in the bark. The inside however needs rough scrubbing.
@@barkandmoss5879 thank you so much for your reply, it's very helpful!
You are very welcome Marie! Jay~
Thank you for sharing this tutorial. I just discovered a downed birch tree in the woods nearby and went searching for how I can harvest the bark for crafting. I hope the bark is loose. Do you have an idea how long it might take a downed tree to age enough for bark harvesting?
Hello LiseRod, thank you for the comment! Unfortunately I do not have an idea regarding that but I would think more than 3 years, depending on your climate. However, if the standing birch was already dead, it may take less time. Sometimes I find smaller dead, rotted birch still standing and I can just push them over and immediately get the bark off. You will know right away whether it is "harvest time" or not. Happy hunting! Jay
WOW he cuts the bark with a Miter SAW ! SCARY !
Yes, a little scary, but you need a fast saw to make clean cuts. When I trim out windows and doors, I carefully use a utility knife or roto zip, depending on the thickness of the bark.
Wondering if you could boil that rotting wood down (outside of course) and use it and process it down for pulp for craft paper...
Hello Lainey Bug, I think that would be a great idea!
Hi Bark and Moss, I have a large bark round that I found when camping in Northern Wisconsin last year. I brought it home (with another flat piece). Told my hubby I was going to wrap a candle. Just so happened, I found a large LED candle in my storage that fits inside it, perfectly. This is just about a year later.
My question is: There are some pieces that are sticking out that need to be wrapped molded and some places to fill in with the extra. Is the best process to use warm water and soak it to make it pliable? Also, do I need to use a certain kind of glue to adhere it to the candle (which is a bit waxy)?
I watched your video on cleaning and know that I have to do that now, but will still need a bit of advice on the other parts. I can send a pic if that would help.
Thank you so much for your help, in advance.
Sue
Hello Sue,
Your project sounds fun, and similar to some I have done for fancy table arrangements for holiday dinners. You can soak the bark in water to make it more pliable. Amount of time in water will depend on how firm and thick the parts are that need to be reshaped. Generally, I always submerge for about a day. It will be important to weigh the bark down for full submersion. Then, mold into place and weigh down or wrap tightly around your candle with some sort of removable elastic band or even an Ace Bandage. After it fully dries (another couple of days), you can then decide how you will affix to your candle. Considering it is an LED, I would not affix it so you are able to change out batteries as needed. If anything, just create a round bottom and hot glue to the bark round. Then you can slide the LED out whenever you need to.
Regarding patching or filling holes, I always take individual pieces of bark (the thinner the easier to use) and hot glue to the back of the bark round. The holes or gaps will still be there, but much less noticeable with the birch bark patches. Make the patches at least 1/4 inch larger on all sides than the hole. That way you can apply glue and it won't show when you press the patch against the back of the bark round. Just be sure you have the outside of the patch visible through the hole. I also try matching the color shades of the bark, as well as the direction of the fine, horizontal dashed lines that are in the bark.
I hope that helps. Good Luck!
Jay
Hello, I hope my comment finds you well. I tried to find your Etsy shop but it says it you were taken a Break...
I really enjoyed watching your video And I am interested in finding a source For birchbark to use in my crafting. Do you have an email I could use to contact you for more details? I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Krissie
Hello Kristine! Please accept my HUGE apologies for the late reply. I have not come back on here in quite awhile. This year has been a struggle since summer. Anyway, I would be happy to send you some birch bark. Please email me at barknmoss@gmail.com
I will also reactivate my Etsy Store. I look forward to talking further and again, I am so sorry for the delayed response!
Kind Regards,
Jay
@@barkandmoss5879 So wonderful to hear back from you. I understand what you mean about hard times during this past year. It is quite understandable. I look forward to looking over your shop when you reopen It. I only have about 20000 followers on pinterest But I will be happy to post links to your Etsy Shop. And I look forward to doing business with you.
Krissie
@@kristineshields6005 Hello Krissie, once again I am thrilled you enjoyed my video! My Store is now active again, thanks to your prodding! You are being very humble when you say you only have 20000 followers on Pintrest. WHOA...that's a lot! We should really talk before you send people my way! :D I want to make sure I am prepared for the potential tidal wave that would come. I would enjoy hearing what you have in mind for crafts and how I might be able to supply you. If it is just for yourself, no problem. If it is a larger vision, I am also interested, but would need to plan how to scale up. You may reach me directly at 920.629.7945. Please text me first so I know it's you. Then I will call back. I get sooooo many robo calls these days that I've stopped picking up if I don't recognize the number. On a personal level, I really must thank you for reaching out. You have validated for me the importance of what I started. I put hundreds of hours into developing the whole Bark and Moss image, albeit very amateurishly, with videos, editing, fairy house construction and the weeks of solid gathering in the woods. If I wanted to keep my house, I needed to refocus my energies on other work. My end goal is to make a lifestyle from only those activities that ignite my inner passions and maximize my gifts. I look forward to talking with you. Have a wonderful Monday! Jay Stock
I can't hear you, dear. Maybe a voice over?
Thank you for letting me know Betty, I'll look into it. I don't always get notifications on comments, so I apologize for the delay.