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In
1850 baskets had many uses. There were small round ones for gathering
eggs, flat ones for carrying clothes, and large round baskets for holding
cotton. Baskets
were placed nearly everywhere in the house to store all kinds of items.
They were also used as suitcases and trunks when traveling. At Westville baskets are made from white oak strips just as they were in this part of Georgia in 1850. Oak was used because it was durable and easy to split. The basket weaver first goes to the woods and looks for a white oak tree measuring four to six inches in diameter, which he cuts into eight foot lengths. Back at home, he splits it up with a maul and wedge. This is called "notching it out." He notches until the oak is about the width of two fingers. Then he uses a knife to pull the wood into flat strips or "splits." If he can't use all the wood at once, he buries it so it will stay moist and pliable. If the strips begin to dry out, he soaks them in water until they regain flexibility. When all the strips are ready, the basket weaver places sixteen "ribs" on the ground in a circular shape. Then he weaves the oak strips in and out of the ribs to form the basket. Finally he adds a handle and wraps the rim of the basket twice with splits to make it strong.
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