Bamboo Crafts
Traditional Craft
Bamboo is a very versatile material and widely used for every day materials and products in rural areas of the countries of origin. Bamboos are extremely fast growing grasses, with most species being harvested in 3-5 years, and some species reaching maturity in a year. It is therefore a low cost material that is strong and durable and can be used for just about anything from house building to functional and decorative objects!
Among some of the artefacts in daily use that are crafted from this material are; bamboo rice steamer, chairs, stools, hats, baskets, mats, beds, cups, bowls, eating utensils, chopsticks, fishing traps and rods, boats, carts, musical instruments and toys. With treatment, bamboo forms into a light, exceptionally durable, and very hard wood that is tough enough to be used for constructing dwellings, furniture, scaffolding, flooring, roofing, and many other things.
Preparation
Bamboo is so flexible it can bent into round and curved shapes without breaking and also be forced into different shapes when it is growing, if the young shoots are grown through a square tube for example, or curled into a corkscrew shape. Bamboo canes are smooth so, unlike wood, they don't need to be stripped for craft-work. The canes can be split to make them flat for a variety of project requirements.
Baskets
One of the most common bamboo crafts is probably basket making. This is certainly popular in Japan with different styles, types, and designs according to area as well as skill. For example, Samurai warriors were reportedly the first to make the Suruga baskets (originally from Shimizu) with a combination of round bamboos for the sides and woven flat/split canes for the bottoms and lids.
Other baskets are designed using flat splints from split canes, woven into intricate designs or fairly plain and practical, most often natural colours but sometimes dyed.
Cages
Another of the original bamboo crafts is the making of cages for birds, insects, and other animals.
Projects
I will be providing a list of craft projects here in the near future, for example; water fountains, flutes, wind chimes, building projects, garden structures... please come back soon!
Bamboo Rice Cooker by Bob Gillis, Adam Zwicker, and Dino Labiste
Bamboo Thoughts and Curing by Jason Hawk
Clay Thrower Made from Bamboo by Ken Peek and Dino Labiste
Make Bamboo Flutes - on this site
Bamboo Fly Rod Building - on this site
Making Bamboo Arrows - International Bamboo Arrow Society
Forums
Bamboo Forums - bamboocraft.net
Bamboo Arts & Crafts - Provided by the Bamboo Arts & Craft Network Culmunity
Bamboo Workshop - Workspaces, tools, equipment, processes and techniques
Bamboo Flora - Bamboo Flora & fauna from around the world
Books
More...
To expand on your interest in bamboo crafts, follow the links below or on the navigation at the top of this page for further information and guides.
- Site Map
- About Bamboo
- Bamboo Plants
- Bamboo Garden
- Bamboo Water Garden Fountain
- Bamboo Wind Chimes
- Bamboo Clothing
- Bamboo Sheets and Bamboo Towels
- Bamboo Flooring
- Bamboo Furniture
- Bamboo Rug
- Bamboo Blinds
- Bamboo Indoor Fountain
- Bamboo Fishing Rods
- Bamboo Pictures
- Bamboo Crafts
- Chinese Bamboo Products
- Bamboo Construction
