Crafts
"Basket Weaving Lessons"
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PREPARATION Reed must be soaked in water until pliable—5 to 10 minutes for thin pieces such as flat reed, flat oval reed and round reed; 20 to 30 minutes for thick, heavy pieces such as half round or spline. The reed has a rough side and a smooth side. When bent sharply, the rough side will splinter and the smooth side will not. The smooth side of the reed should always face the exterior of the basket. Wet reed and damp baskets should always be allowed to dry in the open air; if stored in a plastic bag, they will mildew.
The bottoms of baskets are woven with cut pieces of flat reed called spokes. Mark the centers of spokes on the rough sides with a pencil. With rough sides up, lay spokes side by side and anchor with a heavy book or with magazines. Use the center marks to keep spokes centered. Use an alternat- ing over-under weave to form either square- or rectangular-grid bases (FIG. 1). Leave approximately Vi inch between spokes. Adjust spokes to base measurement given in individual project instructions.CENTER SPOKE
Twining.
Fold a long length of round reed, leaving one end about 6 inches longer than the other end. Crimp the fold with your fingernail and loop fold around a spoke at center of one side. Weave the top length of reed, now known as the weaver, under the spoke to the right and bring up (FIG. 2). Pick FIG. 2
CENTER SPOKE
CENTER SPOKE
up the weaver on the left and repeat around basket for required rows. To end twining, cut off one reed behind the starting spoke and the other reed behind a spoke to the left (FIG. 3). To splice in a new length of reed, end your reed behind a spoke, add new length of reed behind the same spoke, then con- tinue weaving.CENTER SPOKE
Single Row, Start and Stop Weaving. Place one end of a long piece of reed on top of spoke near center of side. Weave weaver under next spoke, then over, continuing around basket (FIG. 4). Weave each row separately.
CENTER SPOKE
START WEAVING
CENTER SPOKE
STOP WEAVINGMist the base to keep reed pliable. As you work, lift comer spokes upward and pull weaving tight. Use clothespins to keep weaver in place and corners upright. Return to starting spoke and overlap the two weavers for four spokes; cut end and tuck behind the fourth spoke to conceal (FIG. 4). Start new rows of weaving on alternating sides of the basket.The first two or three rows of weaving tend not to hold together; secure with clothespins and continue weaving. The fourth row will hold weaving more securely. Push all weaving together with an awl, leaving no spaces between rows of weaving. Loose rows of weaving can be tightened later.
TUCKING SPOKES
Bend spokes on the outside of the basket over the top to the inside (FIG. 5). Trim at an angle and, using an awl, tuck down behind two or three rows of weaving. After outside spokes are tucked, cut off remaining spokes flush with weaving.
FIG 5
HANDLES
Using a utility knife, taper handle piece (spline) for 3 inches on both ends. Cut square notches the width of the rim above taper (FIG. 6). Push tapered han- dle ends down center spoke, on inside or outside, under several rows of weav- ing until notches are lined up with top weaver.FIG. 6
MAKE SQUARE NOTCH
Place rim piece around inside of basket to measure length needed; overlap ends 3 inches and cut off. Mark rim piece with pencil 3 inches from each end; from marks, carefully shave with a knife to taper oval side on one end and flat side on other end to make a spliced overlap (FIG. 7). Repeat for outside rim. With cut edges together, clamp inside and outside rims to back basket and secure with clothespins, being sure to have rims overlap on opposite sides. Put a length of #6 round reed on top of basket between the inside and outside rims to fill the gap between rim pieces, if desired.
FIG 7
LASHING
Secure outside and inside rims to basket by lashing with narrow flat oval reed or flat reed. Tuck lashing, smoothe side out, behind several rows of weaving on inside of basket to right of an overlap (FIG. 8).
Bring lashing to outside of basket and push over rims into spaces below top row of weaving, using an awl to open spaces. Pull lashing tight. Double back at handles to form an X in front of handle. Lash through last space and push reed down behind inside rim; tuck with beginning of lashing (FIG. 9)
FINISHING TOUCHES
Color. Mix basket dyes according to manufacturer's instructions or mix Rit in I gallon very hot water. Place reed (before weaving) or completed basket in dye bath for three to five minutes. Rinse in cold water until water runs clear.Stain.
A solution of black walnut hulls soaked in hot water makes a lovely brown-tone stain. Commer- cial wood stain can also be used.Stenciling.
You may use acrylic or oil paints to stencil accents on baskets. Practice on scraps of reed first. Never put too much paint on your brush, because this will cause paint to seep under the stencil. For best results, tap loaded brush on damp paper towels before stenciling the basket.Shaping.
Most baskets assume a round or oval shape when completed, even if they started out as a square shape. If a square shape is desired, simply pinch corners firmly while the basket is still damp •
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