TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — Straw is the humble byproduct of grain production. But in Julie Sanco’s hands, the dry plants that remain after the wheat harvest are transformed into intricate works of folk art.

Sanco is known for her wheat weaving, particularly the ornaments reminiscent of traditional straw ornaments popular at Christmas in Germany, Poland, Sweden and other countries.

“Nobody else to my knowledge is doing this in the area,” said Terry Tarnow, manager of the Dennos Museum Store in Traverse City. 

“It’s a craft but it is an unusual craft that you don’t see often and I think it reminds people of a little more traditional Christmas.”

Sanco fell in love with wheat weaving at 13 after her mother enrolled her in a class taught by a woman at church. Now she’s one of a handful of Michigan artists practicing the craft.

“This lady gave me a gift of a lifetime ’cause I’m 74 now and I’ve been doing it ever since,” said Sanco, who later studied wheat crafts at the Swiss Embassy in Washington and conventions of the National Association of Wheat Weavers, where she has been a member and officer.

Over the years the retired schoolteacher has sold her work everywhere from school bazaars to community art fairs, music festivals to museums. Her ornaments were displayed on trees at the White House and the Leelanau County Government Center.

“The one thing about wheat is that it is such a beautiful color that if you put it on a tree it really stands out,” said Sanco, who works from a studio behind her house.

She creates her pieces by soaking straw to make it more pliable, then bending, weaving, braiding and tying it, among other techniques, to create ornaments of several designs. She even makes chains of wheat featuring snowflakes and reindeer.

“There are hundreds of patterns out there,” said Sanco, who often gives wheat decorations as hostess gifts.

Her only tools besides her fingers: scissors, a vice to help with braiding, a wheat splitter and buttonhole thread. Then there’s the straw itself.

“Wheat for wheat weaving needs to be a certain type and a certain length,” she said, adding that she uses Larned wheat from Kansas, which grows at least 20 to 24 inches long. “I use bearded wheat because it’s prettiest.”

Wheat weaving has its roots in early times, when farmers practiced the craft for harvest tokens and house decorations during weddings and other festive occasions.

“It’s a fall harvest rite. It’s a peasant art. People made the most of what they had,” Sanco said.

This year may be the last to snag one of Sanco’s pieces. The artist is winding down her wheat business, “the last straw,” and said she won’t do any more shows after the holidays.

“I’m trying to clean up my life. I have hobbies that are absolutely out of hand,” she said, noting that she’s also a ceramicist and watercolorist.

Now she’s hoping to train someone with the patience and skill to carry on her work in the region.

“I tried putting on classes but the problem is you get three people who can do it and everybody else struggles.”

Drahos writes for the Traverse City, Michigan Record-Eagle.