Bamboo Strips for Weaving, Flat, 0.12 to 7/16 in Wide

These are thin, flat strips of split bamboo. One side is the bamboo's own skin, smooth and glossy; the other side is the inner fiber, a little rougher. Woven skin side out, they give a crisp, clean pattern with a soft shine that reed does not have.

Use them for small baskets and trays, woven lamp shades, boxes and lids, and decorative patches and panels. They also work as accent weavers on a reed basket, where a few rows of bamboo add a band of shine.

Bamboo behaves differently from reed:

• It is stiffer. Soak the strips in warm water for a few minutes before you weave so they bend more easily.
• It does not take tight bends. Ease it around corners and curves; a sharp fold can crack the strip.
• It holds its shape well, which makes it good for flat pieces and straight-sided work.
• Weave with the glossy skin side facing out.

Four widths:

• 0.12 in, seven 10 ft rolls: fine work, small baskets, details and narrow patches.
• 0.16 in, 98 ft: small baskets, lamp shades and lids.
• 0.24 in, 98 ft: everyday baskets, trays and wider plaiting.
• 7/16 in, seven 10 ft rolls: bold plaited patterns, trays, mats and panels.

Bamboo suits weavers who know the basics with reed and want to try a new material, and makers of lamp shades, trays and small decorative pieces. If this is your very first weaving project, round or flat reed is more forgiving, and bamboo makes a good second step.

Keep the strips you are not using dry and loosely coiled, and let finished work dry completely before you put it away.

Pick the width by the size of the piece and the look you want. Narrow strips make a fine, close weave and handle gentler curves, so use 0.12 or 0.16 in for small baskets, lamp shades and detail work. Wider strips cover ground faster and show the pattern boldly: 0.24 in for everyday baskets and trays, 7/16 in for plaited mats, panels and trays.

For a patch or repair, measure an old strip across its face with a ruler or calipers and choose the closest width.

The 0.12 and 7/16 in widths come as seven 10 ft rolls, handy for short pieces and plaiting. The 0.16 and 0.24 in widths come as 98 ft, for projects that need more length.