Making a Broom Corn Broom

Making a Broom Corn broom requires practice, but anyone can make one with a little bit of practise. The secret is to bind the stems together as tightly as you can, which is best done with the help of a handy doorknob. You can use a straight stick or dowel rod for the handle. Or you could even use a straight branch for your broom handle.

You Will Need

Tools: Tape measure, drill, hammer, wire snips, scissors About ? bushel of cleaned broomcorn tops, One 18-inch-long stick, 1 inch in diameter, or an old wooden broom handle. One 2-inch-long finishing nail One 36-inch-long piece of flexible wire One 24-inch-long piece of cotton string

1. Harvest the seed-bearing tops from mature broomcorn, and hang them in small bundles to dry for several days. To remove the broomcorn seeds, lay several stems on a flat surface and pull a ruler over them until the seeds break free.
2. Drill a small hole through the handle, one inch from the end. Tap the finishing nail through the hole, so that ? inch (or more) of the nail extends on either side of the handle. Attach one end of the wire around one end of the nail, leaving 3 inches of wire extending outward from the nail. Attach the other end of the wire to a post, doorknob, or other stationary fixture.
3. Arrange a handful of broomcorn stems around the nail, with the tops of the stems one inch above the nail. Pull the wire tight, and rotate the broom to wrap the wire around the stems.
4. Repeat Step 3 twice, until the corn broom is full and tight and the nail is completely covered. Wind the two wire ends together tightly, and trim the ends.
5. Tie the string around the bundle, just above the nail. Wind it around the bundle tightly several times, and tie off the ends. Use scissors to trim the tops and bottoms of the broomcorn stems.

Making a Broom Corn broom can be challenging but with a little practise and maybe a lot of patience you can get it.