Monday, January 31, 2011

A Twiggy Trellis


Introducing my latest twig trellis!  I love this design because it allows me to practice my joinery, but since there are only four joints I can accomplish this much faster than a more complicated pattern.  It also allows me to recycle long plum branches from my neighbor's tree, pruned last Summer (thanks, Janet!)


I picture this being more of a room divider than a privacy screen trellis, with the option of leaving it as is or allowing a vine to traipse across its branches.  Perhaps since they're blooming now, I think a Dutchman's Pipevine (Aristolochia californica) would be pretty cool! 

 

Obviously, the twine and sticks will deteriorate before the redwood does.  However impractical that might be, I like the idea of being able to make a canvas which can hold a number of different looks over time. Many products are built for life in the name of sustainability- which is always good practice, but it's also important to remember the fickle tastes of the consumer!  I for one enjoy a change of scenery and am excited to create something that supports it without adding to the waste stream. 

6 comments:

  1. Wow, Christine, that is beautiful! One more thought about the material degradation -- it's not a bad thing to simply allow for the twigs to naturally deteriorate at a faster rate than the armature. That's just the way these reused materials are. It seems hones to what they are.

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  2. A lovely screen Christine. Very nice dovetail joints too! I rather like the idea that this can change appearance over its lifetime. This year plum, next year something completely different. Would be fun to make one like this 'living', like some of the European willow fencing I've seen too. A trellis that leafs out all on its own?

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  3. Thanks Maya & Clare! I like the idea of using the materials honestly- I guess I've been doing that without realizing! And I'd love to use perhaps rose branches for a trellis, as sometimes they'll take root- great idea!

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  4. Great job! I'm doubly impressed because I once tried to make a bamboo trellis following instructions on the internet and saw how hard it is to keep the sticks in place with knots.

    Very pretty!

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  5. Very nice. And impressive that you joined all together so geometrically. I knew someone once who made a trellis out of willow and it did indeed start leafing out. And as for sustainability, what's more sustainable than using pruned branches to make a trellis. Sure they'll decompose, but by then I'm sure that plum will need pruning again.

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