Narrowleaf cattail

Pandemic of Loneliness

In the fall of 2020, Tereza’s hope of spending the upcoming academic year in the textile studio workshops was dashed. After a relaxed summer, the lockdown returned. Schools were closed, and as restrictions tightened, social interactions were limited to meeting with only one person at a time (excluding household members).

The independent project assigned to each student focused on the use of narrowleaf cattail, a pond plant historically utilised in traditional rural crafts. This plant has been used to weave baskets, handbags, hats, slippers, and flat mats. Frustration over learning basketry instead of industrial weaving software at school gradually gave way to curiosity, and visits to local ponds to collect cattail became part of the routine. Despite the restrictions, the expansive territory of Prague allowed for these trips, offering a sense of freedom and an escape from endless Zoom calls.

Cattail can only be harvested in the fall. It grows in the shallows and along the banks of ponds, and the most valuable part of the plant is near the base. Harvesting required wearing a rubber fishing suit, standing waist-deep in icy water, and cutting the cattail at its base with a sickle, always with great care to avoid damaging the tubers and roots so that the plant could regrow the following year. Gathering enough material for the envisioned project demanded significant effort.

Once harvested, the cattail had to be dried. Space constraints in a small apartment necessitated expanding into a parent’s home. After drying, the cattail was soaked for three days in a bathtub (temporarily doubling as a soaking station), after which it softened enough to be woven. If, after several days of soaking, the cattail still wasn’t sufficiently softened, it had to be boiled in a pot. While cattail was traditionally used for weaving flat mats, research revealed no examples of it being woven into a carpet with a pile, as was done in this project.

The project’s scale required collaboration. An open invitation on Instagram offered others the chance to participate. For 14 days, different individuals, one by one, were welcomed daily to learn weaving and spend time together. Music from various contributors filled the sessions, fostering a shared creative experience. In total, approximately 100 hours were dedicated to harvesting, drying, soaking, boiling, and weaving, with around 20 people, including the author’s mother, contributing to the work.

The project became more than a task—it was a collective effort and a personal journey, bringing together craft, community, and moments of connection during an isolating time.

Text submitted by the maker and edited by the Future Materials Bank. For information about reproducing (a part of) this text, please contact the maker.