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He Turns Twine Into Baskets And Mats
Plastic baler twine doesn't have to be a liability after it's cut off the hay or straw bales. A Colinton, Alberta. man enjoys giving it a second life as raw material for hand-stitched baskets and mats.
Robert Kuhmayer's creations are hardwearing and should last a lifetime. He says some of the twine creations in
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He Turns Twine Into Baskets And Mats AG WORLD 30-3-24 Plastic baler twine doesn't have to be a liability after it's cut off the hay or straw bales. A Colinton, Alberta. man enjoys giving it a second life as raw material for hand-stitched baskets and mats.
Robert Kuhmayer's creations are hardwearing and should last a lifetime. He says some of the twine creations in his home are more than 30 years old.
Farm people especially love the twine baskets but people from all walks of life have bought Kuhmayer's wares.
"My uncle used to do this with sisal twine. When he passed away, his tools were given to me," Kuhmayer says. "A few local farmers give me their used plastic twine instead of burning it."
Kuhmayer works with a variety of twine colors including blue, orange, green and variegated pink and white. He often mixes and matches them for variety.
The only tools required are a 2-in. long piece of 5/8-in. dia. plastic tubing - a shotgun shell works good - and a 6-in. long, stainless steel needle with a curved, flat end.
The first step is to pull a group of twine strings through the tube using enough to fill it - about 37 strands.
As he slides the tube forward along the group of strings, he binds the ropy coil together with the needle and another piece of twine. A basket looks almost like a pile of coiled rope when he's through.
The only expense Kuhmayer has is buying new twine for the stitching. He makes all sizes of both baskets and mats, and sells them at farmers' markets in the region.
A 24-in. dia. round rug sells for $70. A 4-in. high basket with a 7-in. round base and handles sells for $40.
Obviously, Kuhmayer's prices don't reflect the amount of time he invests in this hobby (a rug can take up to 2 weeks to complete), but he enjoys seeing people's reaction when they realize what the items are made from.
"Farmers and ranchers especially, really seem to appreciate this idea because they've worked with twine all their lives," he says. "I certainly don't get rich at this, but it's fun."
Kuhmayer has sold baskets to people in England, Pennsylvania and all across Canada. He has enough orders that he can barely keep up.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Robert Kuhmayer, Box 305, Colinton, Alta., Canada T0G 0R0 (ph 780 675-5548).
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