Snowshoe

Sometime between 2012 and 2015

Time to make: 3.5 hours
Finishing: 1 hour









For a couple of years I tried to find a suitable material for the wooden frame and it struck me one day during summer camp watching the Scouts at Basketry Merit Badge that basket reed would be the perfect material. I believe the reed is made from birch and I took a couple of discarded reeds, super glued them together, and when dry soaked them until they were pliable. I bent them into shape and tied it at the end. Once it was dry and would hold the shape, I sanded it smooth and to the width then glued in the cross pieces. Using a small drill, I drilled the holes for webbing and set about stitching the snowshoe with waxed thread. This weaving with needle and thread took the longest as I tried to figure out how to make the webbing.

From Mother Earth News
Top of shoe
Middle of shoe