"Go to your left, second from the outside... Now, you don't want to squash, then just slide it under, like that, with the inside straw there, nice and flat. Then go to your right, same thing..."
Wheat weaving is easy, says instructor Diane Yonz.
But one of her students laments, "I'm failing wheat weaving!"
A group of six women came out of a recent workshop with a new skill (no one really failed), plus everything they need to carry on their new hobby in the future.
The workshop was held Feb. 9 at the Western Development Museum. Organized by Cheryl Stewart, programs and volunteer co-ordinator, it introduced the hobby, gave instruction in a take-home project, provided participants with a stand, wheat stems and heads with instructions to work further at home and a package of wheat seeds to plant.
Instructor for the day was Diane Yonz, who has recently revived a hobby she enjoyed some years ago.
It's the first time she's taught wheat weaving, and she said she enjoyed it very much. It was a fun group of women and they made her feel comfortable teaching, she said.
Yonz was a volunteer at last year's Museum Days and at Those Were the Days, demonstrating the art of wheat weaving.
Stewart decided to recruit Yonz as an instructor as well, resulting in the Feb. 9 workshop.
Yonz provided the wheat for the workshop. She prefers to work with black-bearded durham wheat, although res spring wheat can be used as well.
"It's not as pretty, though," said Yonz.
Black-bearded durham is not commonly grown as a food crop, but is popular among wheat weavers and floral artists.
Yonz procured some seeds in years past and has grown her own. It's time consuming and painstaking, not like a field crop of wheat.
She's used up most of her last crop, so she will probably be planting some more this spring.
Workshop participants each received a packet of seeds as well, and are being encouraged to grow their own wheat.
Wheat weaving is a form of straw art that has its origins in ancient harvest celebrations.
