Making Your Own Basket

Below is what you need to know to begin making your own simple fruit basket.

• To begin, cut 10 pieces of 5/8" flat reed 18 inches in length. Soak the lengths in warm water to make them pliable.
   
• Measure the wet reed and mark with the pencil the center on the inside of each splint. NOTE: The inside of the reed can be detected by gently bending each way... The side that appears to be hairy is the inside, the smooth side is the outside of the reed.
   
• Lay five of the marked pieces next to each other by lining up the pencil marks so that the two outside pieces measure 6". Take the 6th piece of reed and weave horizontally through the 5 vertical pieces on the table. Center this piece by lining up the pencil marks.
   
• With the next four pieces, weave two on either side of the horizontal piece alternating the weave. Measure the diameter of these last five to be sure it measures 6". This is the basket base.
   
• Square up the base so that it is as close as possible to a 6" square. If the basket has dried out, use the spray bottle to wet it again.
   
• On the outside of the six inch perimeter, gently bend each stave up one side at a time. Start your first weave on the inside of the basket alternating between the staves around the perimeter. Until you finish your third row, this will be hard to control. Use the clothespins to clip the corners together holding the basket in place as you weave. Once the first weave has met the beginning, overlap the inside of the weave by about 2-3 staves, cut and tuck.
   
• The second row of weaving will be started on the opposite side of the first. Alternate between staves, and cut and tuck when finished as before. Continue with the third row which is basically the row that will begin holding the basket together. Don't be discouraged if the shape is off or if it seems a bit loose.
   
• After the third row is finished, hold the basket against your tummy, staves pointing out and with your fingers, gently pull down the rows on each side tightening up the basket. Continue to hold the basket against your body as you use your hands to mold it. Straighten the staves as they become aligned.
   
• Work three more rows as you did the first three, alternating the weaving as before.
   
• Now you are ready to create the handles, rim material and the lashing.  Work each row as before to make it tight and shaped.   Square up the basket so that it is even on all sides before beginning with the rim.
   
• Take the staves that are on the inside and cut them just above the basket. Take the outside staves and fold them over the top of the basket and tucking them into the inside of the weavers.
   
• Next is the handles. In this project, the handles will be made with the same 5/8" reed. Cut 2 pieces of reed in 12" lengths taking into consideration which is the inside and outside. The inside (hairy) will be the inside of the handle.
   
• Locate where you will place the handle and weave on opposite sides of the basket through five or six layers of the weaving. Then skip a stave and weave down through the next stave through five or six layers, bending the handle gently. Repeat this process on the opposite side of the basket. Remember to keep the basket wet by spraying it with water so that it doesn't become difficult to work with. NOTE: If the reed becomes too dry it could crack and fray.
   
• To make the rim, use the 5/8" flat oval reed. Measure the outside and inside of perimeters of your basket and cut two pieces of the flat oval reed allowing an overlap of two inches to use for these. Use clothespins to pin the rim in place. The rounded side should face both the inside and inside of the basket. Use your utility knife to whittle away some of the reed so that it will lay flat.
   
• Next will be the lashing. Take a long piece and soak it well. Start by tucking it into an inside weaver. Bring it up through the middle of the rim pieces. Go over the top of the of the rim into the weave between the last and next to the last rows of weavers. Work all the way around the top of the basket. Make sure the lasher does not twist.  It may help to work through three staves at one time moving around the basket. Once you have worked your way around the basket, end by weaving down through the rim material and tuck into the inside weavers as you began.
   

   

• Clip any stray fibers or hairs to clean the basket. You can leave the basket plain by just allowing it to dry naturally, or you can stain the basket natural dyes. You can also use a mixture of different dyes to give it a more vibrant color. The beauty of Basketweaving is the fact that there are variations of reeds, handles, splints and fillers.