Birch Bark Crown

This simple crown can be woven from three strips of birch bark or paper.

Birch Bark or Paper Strips
Knife or Scissors

Line up two pieces of birch bark. Stagger the ends of the two pieces so that they will not join at the same spot.

Add the third, and longest piece, perpendicular to the first two. The perpendicular piece is the weaver or weft. Slide it under one piece and over the other.

Fold the weft under so that it runs parallel to the other strips.

Fold the weft under itself again, so that the strip has turned 180 degrees.

Weave the weft back under and through.

Repeat until  additional material needs to be added in. When the weft is too short to weave back through, trim 45 degrees off the end.

Trim the next piece of weft at 45 degrees and tuck it through the weave into the last fold and resume weaving.

Wrap the warp back around and weave it back trough the weft to create the head bands for the crown. The crown will be stronger if the joints are staggered.

Weave the warp the entire way around the crown. Join the two ends of the warp the same way that previous sections have been linked. I liked the pattern on my crown better when I flipped it inside out.

Check the fit, and wear it proudly.