Submitted Photo Nordic women are invited to the Minot Public Library to learn about the history of wheat weaving. Guests will also get a chance to make their own ornaments and decorations.

Objects made from dried straw or the practice of wheat weaving, or ‘corn dollie plaiting’ as it is known in England, is known to have been practiced in early civilizations throughout Europe, Asia and South America.

Harvest rituals occurred in many countries where grain was grown, in order to please the spirits of the crop. Straw was woven into shapes or symbols believed to ensure prosperity and good luck for the next growing season. The designs made from straw varied from country to country, but a similar belief in the fertility of the earth underlied them all.

On Sunday at 2 p.m. in the north room of the Minot Public Library, Nordic women age 13 and up are invited to attend a presentation on hvetevefting, or wheat weaving. After the presentation, they will be able to try their hand at weaving an ornament for Christmas.

Objects made with the heads of grains still on the stem were woven from the last sheaf, or best cut from the harvest, and hung on the inside wall to make it safely through the winter. This straw work/corn dollies were a decorative way to store a bundle of seed over the winter so that the Spirit of the Grain could survive and be plowed back into the soil in the spring. Dating back to a time when people’s very survival depended upon the grain harvest, harvest customs such as straw plaiting were thought to bring blessing and prosperity to the community and its land.

Straw has also been used throughout the ages for thatching roofs, for rope to tether animals and to tie sheaves of grain, for beehives and baskets, and for hats. The main sources of straw are wheat, oats, rye and barley. The British lump all of these grains into one term, “corn,” thus the term “corn dollies” for objects made for festivals. Wheat is the straw of choice for most projects. Since the craft caught on in the United States in the late 1970s, the term “wheat weaving” was known for this folk-art form.

With the changes in harvesting methods as a result of the Industrial Revolution, the art and craft of wheat weaving was almost completely lost in Europe by the mid-1900s.

In Norway wheat is braided into different patterns and shapes for decorating the house and on the Christmas tree. Now, small ready-made straw decorations for the tree are common and sold in the stores and markets. Most crafters make only larger and fancier decorations for home or hytte (cabin) and buy little ones for the tree, commonly stars, goats and hearts. It is also a tradition to always put a sheaf of wheat or grain out on a post for the birds during the winter, as an appreciation for their songs which will return in the spring.

Straw art enthusiasts of today are making designs both traditional and modern. They have discovered that straw is one of the most versatile materials in the world. The only limit is one’s imagination.

The Minot Public Library, is located at 516 2nd Avenue SW. To RSVP, call Sue at 838-5710 or send an email to norskjill@gmail.com.