Gillooly - Making Baskets: Storeys Country Wisdom Bulletin A-96

by Maryanne Gillooly

Basketry, the oldest craft known to mankind, has evolved into an art as basket weavers grow more creative in both design and choice of materials. We see baskets that are pleated and plaited, curled and twisted, beaded and braided.

Try it yourself. By following the directions in this bulletin, you can create two beautiful, functional baskets a 10-inch melon-shaped basket and a 10-inch egg-shaped basket. More important, youll understand the basics of basket-weaving and be ready to introduce your own ideas into your next basket your own special design, colors, and wild materials.

Youll be surprised how quickly you can weave these baskets, and how inexpensive the materials are. Count on about 5 hours to complete one basket, and an average of $7 for materials if you buy enough to weave several.

A list of sources of supplies, tools, and basket-making kits will be found at the end of this bulletin.

Tools and Materials

Tools

Fine sandpaper

Tape

Pencil

Tape measure

Bucket or dishpan (for soaking the reed) Scissors

Awl

Pencil sharpener

Spring-type clothespins

Towel

Clippers or snips

Materials

2 basket hoops, 10-inch size (-inch wide)*

1 bundle #7 round reed (for spokes)**

1 bundle -inch flat reed (for lashing);

1 bundle -inch flat reed (for weaving)

*The amount of reed you buy, a 1-pound bundle, will make three 10-inch baskets, so you may want to purchase four extra hoops to make two extra baskets. Half-inch wide hoops can also be bought.

**The millimeter size on round reed varies from company to company, so check when ordering. This #7 round reed is 5 MM size. The size is listed in millimeters in the catalogs.

Definition of Terms

Handle, the top portion of the vertical hoop.

Handle bottom, the bottom portion of the vertical hoop.

Lashing, the weaving used to bind the two hoops together.

Rim, the horizontal hoop that forms the edge of the basket.

Spokes, the round reeds that form the framework of the basket and provide the warp to weave over and under.

Weaver, the piece or reed or other material used to weave.

Start with the two 10-inch hoops. Sand them with fine paper if their edges are rough. Put one pencil mark on the outside of one hoop. Measure half-way around the hoop, about 16 inches, and mark the halfway point. Measure and mark two similar points on the other hoop.

Select a side of one hoop that has no seams or marks and mark it with a piece of tape. This will be the handle. Place this handle hoop on the outside of the other hoop, and have them meet at the pencil marks.

The next step is to weave the four-fold lashing that will bind the two hoops together and serve as a place for the ends of the spokes to rest.

The -inch reed that you use, like other reeds, has a right, or smooth side, and a wrong, or rough side. If you bend one end back and forth you can quickly identify the splintery side and the smoother right side.

Select one of the longest pieces of -inch reed. Place it in a pan of lukewarm water. When the reed is pliable (this takes about 3 minutes), remove it and shake off any excess water.

Place the crossed hoops in front of you, making certain that the hoops are even on the pencil marks. Start with one crossed section facing you, with the taped handle on top. Follow closely the instructions and the steps below.

Step A. Place the soaked piece of reed behind the handle bottom at point 1 with the wrong side against the back of the handle bottom. Leave about an inch of the end to be tucked into the weaving as the lashing progresses. From point 2, bring the reed up and across to point 3, with the right side showing, then straight down and behind the rim to point 4.

Step B. Picking up at point 4, bring the reed up and across to point 5, then behind the handle to point 6. You have now formed an X across the hoops. Keeping the reed next to the previous row, bring the reed down and across to point 7.

Step C. Picking up at point 7, bring the reed straight up and behind the rim to point 8, then down and across to point 9. Now bring the reed behind the handle bottom to point 10.

Step D. Picking up at point 10, bring the reed up and across to point 11, then straight down and behind the rim to point 12. Bring the reed up and across to point 13.

At this point you can see the diamond shape of the four-fold lashing. Continue the pattern for eight rows. They can be counted on the back, behind the lashing. Make each row snug to the previous one. There will be a slight overlap on the front of the lashing.

To finish the lashing, cut the end at an angle, with the scissors, then slide the reed under the last row at one of the corners. Use the awl or the pointed end of the scissors to tuck the end in firmly behind the lashing and the hoop.

Repeat this lashing on the other side. Double-check that the hoops are even on the pencil marks.

The spokes form the basic structure and shape of the basket, in this case the round or melon shape.

Cut ten pieces of #7 round reed 15 inches long. Sharpen both ends of each spoke with a pencil sharpener. Soak these only if they are so crooked that they will not form rounded arcs.

Place five spokes on one side of the basket bottom, tucking the pointed ends inside the pocket formed by the four-fold lashing. First place the two spokes nearest the rim and the bottom of the handle. Then place two more, one next to the top spoke and the other next to the bottom one. Finally, place the fifth spoke in the middle.

Repeat the placement of the spokes on the other side of the basket bottom.

You now have the basic form or framework of the basket. The two hoops are firmly joined by the four-fold lashing and the spokes are evenly spaced and firmly in place.

The weaving begins at the base of the lashing and proceeds from one side of the rim to the other. You might expect that weaving would be continuous, starting at the base of one lashing and continuing under the framework until you have reached the lashing on the other side. But that isnt the way it is done. Instead, when the first piece of reed is completely woven in, you begin weaving at the base of the lashing on the other side. The weaving alternates from one side of the basket to the other as each weaver, or piece of reed is used up, until, at the bottom of the basket, the framework is completely filled in with weaving.