Make a Straw Broom

If you have access to some straw, a good straight stick, and some twine or wire, you can make your own broom. This may not be as efficient, pretty, and will fall apart much more quickly than a broom made by craftspeople or factories, but it can be a fun outdoors project.

Steps

  1. Find a source of straw. In the southwest U.S., there are lots of "straw" growing in fallow fields and open woodlands, but grain straw like wheat, oat, or others, or even split cornstalks will do. Asking permission from the owner of the field or woodland is advised because taking straw, grains or cornstalks without permission is stealing. For a more durable broom that is less likely to fall apart, it is also advised to use real "broom straw" a variety of the Sorghum plant, and that variety is called Sorghum vulgare var. technicum.
  2. Cut a straight limb with smooth bark, and few knots or smaller limbs for your broom handle.
  3. Buy or find some twine to tie off the broom straw, shaping your finished broom. Small gauge wire will work, too, but care should be taken when using it, and you will need pliers to cut and tighten it.
  4. Clean your straw, shaking out loose stems, leaves, and other debris.
  5. Gather it into bundles about 1 to 1 1/2 inches (2.5 to 3.8 cm) thick, wrapping each bundle tightly, and trimming the ends straight. Tie individual bundles of straw tightly. This will help keep the finished broom neat.
  6. Using twine or wire, tie the bundles together, one at a time, and side by side. Keep them as flat as possible. By wrapping your wire or twine back and forth from opposite sides around each bundle, they will lay closer together and flatter.
  7. Sharpen the end of your "handle" stick so that it can be pushed up into the end of your bundles at the center. Push it about 6 inches (15 cm) deep between the center bundles, then tie it off securely with more twine.
  8. Using sharp, heavy duty scissors, or even tin snips, cut the ends of your straw straight across.
  9. Try your new broom out!

Tips

  • You can build a form to pack your straw more tightly by cutting a slot in a plywood block an inch or so wide and about 10 inches (25 cm) deep, to keep bundles straighter while assembling them.
  • Keeping the individual bundles equal and tightly tied will result in a better broom.
  • Use a hatchet to even the edges.
  • Using a smooth, straight stick for a handle will give better results.
  • Use clean, flexible straw so that it doesn't scatter more dirt when you use it, or scratch polished hardwood floors.
  • If you bend the straw over, soak it first to make it more flexible.

Warnings

  • Watch for snakes and poisonous insects while gathering your materials. For example, in the southeast U.S., black widow spiders and rattlesnakes may be encountered in sage fields.
  • Do not harvest straw or cut your handle on private property without permission.

Things You'll Need

  • Straw.
  • String or wire.
  • Scissors or tin snips.
  • A straight stick.

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