What can be done from straw? How to make straw crafts, such as a goby or a house?

Straw has been used since ancient times not only for feeding cattle, but also for making various crafts. The fact is that this is quite cheap, environmentally friendly material. If you do not know what can be made from straw, this article will help you figure it out.

What products can be made from straw?

There are many things that can be done from the material presented. Very popular, for example, are bags and baskets of straw. In the hot regions of the country, hats made of this material are produced. The fact is that they protect well from the sun and are not hot in them.

If you do not know what can be made from straw, then pay attention to the floor mats, tableware, shoes, toys, crafts. It should be noted that it is even possible to build a house out of straw blocks. In this case, it will not yield to the quality of the brick structure.

What are the advantages of straw crafts?

What you can do with straw you already know. Now you need to understand the merits of this material. Among them we can distinguish such:

- low cost (straw is waste after processing of grain crops, so they have a low price);

- naturalness (this material is natural);

- strength (in spite of the fact that the elements are considered fragile and break fast, in the wet state they become elastic and difficult to tear);

- beautiful appearance (products from this material have a very attractive shade, in addition, they can have a complex shape, that is, you can decorate any interior);

- combination with any style solution;

- Possibility of coloring the craft.

From these small elements you can build anything you like. In this case, you only need properly processed material and patience.

How to choose and prepare material for work?

If you know what can be made from straw, it remains to figure out what material to pick and how to handle it. When collecting stems, pay attention to their color, length and elasticity. For weaving should use straws such cereals as rye. You can use and wheat stems, but they are more thick and rude. For the production of small elements, use oatmeal.

Before work, the material should be well dried. Otherwise, it begins to rot and rot. Straw can be stored in boxes and in bundles only after ventilation and drying. Also it should be thoroughly cleaned from dust.

Before starting work, the stems must be processed. That is, it is necessary to pour the straw with warm water for half an hour (or several hours, if the material is last year's), cover with a plastic wrap or a simple cloth and crush it with any load. This process lasts until the stems become soft and supple.

If you are going to do some artistic decoration of paintings, you may need to bleach or stain the elements. This is not difficult at all. For example, to brighten the elements, use an ordinary bleach for natural cloth. For painting, a calcination method can be used, as well as aniline or natural dyes. Thanks to this product will be very beautiful and bright. During the procedure, soda should be added to the solution to fix the color.

Lastly, the elements are ironed along the fibers.

What are "pellets" and what are they used for?

You should know that you can make from straw not only crafts or decor elements. This material is quickly restored and, when ignited, gives a sufficiently large amount of heat. So, it can be used to heat rooms instead of wood.

In addition, pellets from straw are used as feed for cattle. However, as a heating material, they are far superior to sawdust by heat transfer and economy. The fact is that the granules contain a lot of volatile substances, which ensure a long burning of the material. The presented material does not require special storage conditions. The fact is that it is very resistant to moisture, putrefaction. The only drawback is the high ash content of pellets. However, waste is environmentally friendly.

Peculiarities of weaving from straw

In order to work with the material, it is necessary to prepare a place. It is desirable that the surface is dry and firm. In order for it not to be damaged, it is necessary to lay an oilcloth on it. Also you may need such tools and materials:

- scissors or a short knife;

- awl;

- tweezers;

- PVA glue;

- paint, varnish and brush.

If you make a flat picture, and not a three-dimensional product, then you need to prepare a basis for it, which is suitable for tight cardboard. During operation, observe the safety measures as much as possible. Before you start, you need to think about the product that you want to build, choose a way to make it, and draw a sketch on paper.

In what ways can we weave products from straw?

There are several methods of joining elements: straight, spiral, flat and bulky. The first method requires a loom. Straws can be flattened. Products that are obtained as a result, are used as rugs, panels or individual elements for more complex crafts.

With spiral weaving, a bunch of straws is tightly wrapped with string. Then they need to be packed in tight coils. If the product is large, then the tourniquet should be thick.

The last two ways of weaving are fairly simple. To work will need separate straws. At the same time, they need to be flattened properly. To do this, just swipe the blunt end of the knife several times over them. Weaving from straw is not only a great way to decorate your house. Thanks to the process, you can show your imagination, relax and get moral satisfaction.

Construction of thatched houses

I must say that from the material presented, you can make not only some crafts or objects for the economy. In some countries, houses are built from it. At the same time, housing has many advantages: good sound and thermal insulation, low cost of erection of walls, ecological cleanliness, good ventilation of the structure. And the construction is quite fast.

The material for the erection of the structure must be absolutely dry, so that in time it does not begin to rot. For work, wooden beams are used (as the frame of the house, as well as for the roof truss system ), straw bales, concrete mortar (for foundation), roofing material (for isolating straw from the foundation). Also it will be necessary to use other materials for the subsequent finishing of the structure. The bales are fastened together by means of a bent armature, which is installed in each corner.

First, the frame of the house is built. To do this, the beams are mounted at the corners of the previously marked section, and also in those places where doors and windows will be installed. Now you can proceed to stacking bales. The smoothness of the installation must be checked constantly by level and level.

In order for the corners of the structure to be even, prepare special staples from the tree. Before you make a house out of straw, try to pick up bales of a suitable size. It is impossible to force them into the remaining intervals. Therefore, the elements must have different lengths.

Features of the bull and horse construction from the presented material

The presented material can be used for making stuffed animals. For example, often children are interested in how to make a horse out of straw. For work you will need three main bundles of material: from the first, we make the head the neck and the front legs (we divide it into two parts downwards), the tail and the trunk from the second, and the rear legs will be built from the third. These elements are connected by twine. For the mane it will take extra straw.

So, first you should bandage the first bundle from one edge, then it must be turned out. Further, the string divides the head and neck of the future horse. Here it is necessary to observe proportions. . Then a small part of the straw is bent to the side at a right angle to the head (a trunk will be attached to it). The front legs are made of the remaining material. The rest of the horse is constructed in approximately the same way. Lastly, mane, ears and tail are attached.

If you do not know how to make a bull-calf from a straw, then the principle of construction is the same as that of a horse. Only in addition it will be necessary to twist the horns.

What crafts can be made of straw?

In principle, even a preschool child can work with this material. It's not too difficult to make the simplest product. For example, before you make an ornament for a Christmas tree from straw, try to learn how to construct different types of geometric shapes. For example, for the construction of a square, straws must be tied at right angles. Then the prepared frame is wound around the flat elements. The drawing depends on your imagination.

For more complex shapes, you will need to make a cross, which is then braided with a straw ribbon. In addition, from these materials you can build beautiful pigtails of different sizes and shapes that will decorate any thing or panel.

Peculiarities of making dolls

Such a toy is easy to design, so even a child can cope with it. To work, you need straw, scissors, colored threads (sometimes a wire), a brush and paint (for decoration). First, the straw needs to be gathered in a bundle, bent in half and bandaged closer to the edge. This will be the head of the doll. Be sure to consider the proportions of the craft. Next, on each side, separate a small bundle of material. Their ends should be cut off and bandaged. Now you have your hands ready.

A little lower, you should wrap the main beam (waist) with the rope, and carefully spread the remaining straw (this will be the skirt of the doll). Next, we begin to decorate the product. The face is painted with ordinary colors, as for clothes, it can be made from small pieces of cloth. Now you know how to make a doll from straw. Good luck!