How to Basket Weaving

How to make a basket is not one such question that can not be answered. Basket making basics are easy to understand if you have detailed procedure instructions having complete steps in basket making. Want to learn basket weaving how to?? Simple…read it and follow it.

Materials that go into making a basket are 5/8" flat cut 8 spokes at 16", ¼ inch flat natural and dyed, 3/8" natural, ¼" flat oval natural, ½" flat oval for rim, sea-grass for rim filler, 3/16" flat for lasher, and #2 round reeds natural.




PROCEDURE:

  • Mark center of all spokes on the back side, then measure and mark 1 ¾" on each side of the center mark.
  • Lay out 2 spokes with the back side up, crossing them at right angles at the center, and then put another spoke at a 45 degree angle with wrong side up, matching centers. Lay a 4th spoke like the last one with a 45 degree angle, matching the centers.
  • Take a long piece of #2 round and crimp it about 6 inches from the center. On any spoke find your 1 ¾" mark, put the crimped area against it and begin to twine around the spokes being careful to keep your twining at the 1 ¾" mark on each spoke. Twine until your circle is 4 to 4 ¼" around.
  • When your circle is 4 to 4 ¼" round, add the other four spokes, putting one between each of the spokes. Twine until your base is 6 inches round. End twining on the same spoke as the one you started on and the one before it.
  • Place the end of the ¼" flat reed on the outside of a spoke and weave one row. When you have gone completely around your basket overlap for 4 spokes and cut off hiding the weaver behind the spoke. This row will be loose right now but you can come back and tighten it some later.
  • Next place a 3/8" piece of reed at the outside of a spoke that the last row of weaving was on the inside and weave around your basket going outside of the spoke you went inside of on the last row.
  • Following the same procedure as in the 1st two rows weave a row using ¼" flat oval reed. Pull all your spokes straight and work out any excess reed you may have in rows 1-3.
  • At this point you can also add color. Weave 5 rows of stop/start weaving with ¼" dyed reed. Make sure the basket is tightly woven with no gaps in between.
  • Cut a piece of ½" flat oval 2 inches longer than that measurement and a piece of ½" flat oval the length of that measurement. Cut the end that you shaved on the inside to the shape of the end of your thumb. Soak this flat oval reed until it is really pliable.
  • Using a long 3/16" flat reed place the end between your rim pieces or tuck it down inside of a spoke and lash around the basket putting the reed through the space between the last two rows of weaving, under both rim pieces and pull out and over the top.

Make sure the right side of the weaver faces outward. Repeat in the space between every spoke until you have made a complete circuit of the basket.

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