Homemade Broom Making Instructions

Check out these easy to follow homemade broom making instructions. Get a list of all the handmade broom making supplies you will need!

By Brett McLeod
Updated on November 10, 2022
article image
by AdobeStock/rusty elliott

Check out these easy to follow homemade broom making instructions. Get a list of all the handmade broom making supplies you will need!

Sweeping with a handmade broom can connect you with the long history of brooms made out of natural materials, from improvised brooms crafted from broken branches to rural artworks featuring decorative stitches.

I’ve been making brooms for several years, and one of the most common questions I hear while demonstrating my craft is, “What plant material is used for the bristles?” The answer is broom corn (Sorghum bicolor, also called Sorghum vulgare), which is a variant of the sorghum grown for sorghum molasses. Broom corn is an annual and looks like sweet corn from a distance. Upon close examination, however, you’ll notice there are no cobs along the stalk — just a large tassel on top with a swollen knuckle at the intersection with the stalk. That tassel is what you’ll need for making brooms. You can also use other natural materials, but in this article, I’ll focus on how to make a traditional corn hearth broom.

If you have a green thumb, growing your own broom corn can be part of your broom-making journey (see All About Growing Sorghum). If not, consider ordering it from a supplier, such as Caddy Supply Company. You should be able to find the other materials and tools at local craft and hardware stores.

Materials

Comments (0) Join others in the discussion!
    Online Store Logo
    Need Help? Call 1-800-234-3368