BELLA
Dig through your scrap reed bins! This is a cute fun basket to make. It is a great basket for a quick gift. The finished size of this basket is approximately 6” by 6.5” by 4.5” tall without the handle and 8.5” tall with the handle.
Material: 3/8” flat reed for spokes and weavers
· #2 round reed for weavers
· 3/16” flat oval natural and dyed for weavers
· 7mm flat reed for one row of weaving
· 3/8” flat oval for rims
· #2 seagrass and med binder cane for rims
· One 6” round notched hand carved handle
Preparation: From the 3/8” flat reed cut 14 spokes 19” long. Mark the center of the spokes on the rough side. Soak the spokes, the #2 round reed and several pieces of 3/8” and 3/16” flat oval in warm water. Soak the dyed 3/16” flat oval in a separate bucket in warm water.
Base: Place 7 of the spokes on your table with the marked side facing up. Begin weaving over/under with the remaining spokes completing a simple base of 7 over 7. True the base to measure 4.5” by 4.5”. Twine two rows around the base with the #2 round reed. Wet the spokes if necessary to begin the side weaving.
Side Weaving: Keep the base with the marked side of the spokes flat on the table. Gently bend each spoke upward at the edge of the rows of twine. You want the first few rows of the basket to form a soft curve as you weave the spokes up. Keep the corners round (no pinching or squaring the corners) as you weave the sides.
All rows are woven in a start/stop weave with a four-spoke overlap at the end of each row. You will alternate a row of 3/8” flat (this is your first row) with a row of 3/16” flat oval for a total of 11 rows. Rows 12, 13 and 14 are woven with 3/16” flat oval dyed. Row 15 (the last row) is woven with 7mm flat reed. Wet the spokes until pliable.
Finishing the Basket: Cut the inside spokes off flush with the last row of weaving. Tuck the outside spokes to the inside of the basket. Hide the ends under several rows of weaving inside.
Cut two pieces of 3/8” flat oval for the rims (one for the inside of the basket and one for the outside). Allow a 2” overlap for each and shave down the overlaps. Soak the 3/8” flat oval and your medium binder cane in warm water for a few minutes.
Insert the handle on the center spoke of the basket. Choose whichever side the handle fits best. Tuck just the bottom 1” of the handle into the weaving inside the basket. You may have to trim the handle with your scissors.
Place the rims on the basket with the seagrass in between. The overlap of the rims should be on the sides of the basket without the handle. Lash all pieces in place with the medium binder cane.
This is one of many weaving designs for this basket. Get creative with your scrap reed bin and explore colors, sizes of reed and even change out the handle.
Enjoy!
©Monica Impellizzeri 2017