Carol's crew visited with one of the participants, Lester Rickman, Jr., who practices wheat weaving at Cora Hendershot's booth. In ancient cultures, field workers would weave whatever they grew, and if the harvest was good, they would reap a small corner of the field and weave produce from that section into an ornate figure. The figure was kept as a place for the spirit of the harvest to reside until the crop was sown the next season, when it was planted along with the new crop in an effort to put the spirit back "into" the ground. Over the centuries, each county and shire developed characteristic designs in the weaves, each with a unique symbolic meaning. Such village patterns and colors were often exhibited in woven trinkets known as "love knots," which were worn by women as an indication of availability for courtship. Interested suitors could pursue their newfound love interests by going to the village "advertised" by the ribbon color. If the courting was successful, the same knot was hung on the church altar at the wedding ceremony and in the home afterwards.
Hendershot's booth at the Renaissance Faire was covered with "love knot" trinkets of all sizes, most of which, Rickman says, are quite easy to make, as follows:
- Prior to weaving, soak the wheat in water for four hours until it is no longer brittle.
- Secure the wheat head ends with a tight knot of sturdy thread
- If you're a beginner, practice a simple braid with a slight twist. Braid the straws while holding the wheat in a 90-degree angle.
- Repeat the pattern until the strands of wheat are woven into one piece.
- Loop the tied end of the wheat upward, and tie it just under the wheat heads.
Lester also offers the following tips:
- Give the straw a little "pinch" every time a straw is moved during the weaving process.
- Always move the outside straw first.
- Select straw with similar diameters; the finer the straw, the finer the weave of the finished product. This lends the finished piece a pleasing, symmetrical look.
- As long as the wheat is kept wet, it will be quite strong. Once dry, it will become brittle.
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