Missouri Basketweavers Guild - Basket Construction Tips

Basket Construction Tips

Design:

To determine the spoke length for designing you own basket, take the base measurement plus the height measurement times 2 for each side of the basket and add 4 or 5 inches for length to tuck. Use this same formula for horizontal and vertical spoke lengths.

Try using Oval/Oval (oval on both sides) reed for the ribs in ribbed egg and market baskets.

Bases:

To easily identify horizontal spokes from vertical spokes, cut the ends of the horizontal spokes straight across and the ends of the vertical spokes at an angle.

To square a base, measure your basket base from upper left hand corner to lower right hand corner and then from lower left hand corner to upper right corner. These measurements should be the same.

To hold flat reed spokes for a round base use an old ceiling tile, cork board tile or cutting board beneath the spokes and use a T-pin in the center of the spokes to hold it tight.

When flat reed spokes are too loose when placing them in a wood base, shave flat toothpicks or round reed scraps to form a wedge. Use the wedge to hold the stake in place on the inside of the basket. The wedge can be broken off flush with the base so that it is hidden. Another method is to use a length of well soaked round reed that can be wedged into the base grove on the inside to hold the spokes in place. The round reed should be pushed into the groove so that it can not be seen.

Use a plastic bowl as a mold or to assist in shaping. When making a basket with a wood base, drill 4 holes equally spaced and centered at the bottom of the bowl. Thread wax linen through holes and across wood base to fasten the base to the outside of the bowl. Insert spokes and weave basket.

Upsetting Spokes:

For spokes that crack when upsetting, use an emery board to file the rough crack down. This will not weaken the basket.

Use pliers with a narrow needle nose to crimp spokes before upsetting the base or before tucking spokes for rimming. This will help form the clean bend in the spoke and prevent the spoke from cracking.

Weaving:

To make corners, clothespin one spoke on each side of the corner together for the first couple rows of weaving. If you want a cat head shape, clothespin two spokes on each side of the corner.

To hold the starting end of a weaver in place, weave a short scrap above the first 4 starting spokes. Remove the scrap when ending the weave row. This is usually helpful for starting the first couple of rows.

To fold round reed in half without breaking it, crimp the reed with needle nose pliers before you fold and start twining. Also, you can pinch reed at the corners on the first row to make nice tight corners.

Remember to stop and look at your basket for correct shaping. For baskets with straight sides the spokes need to remain equal distance apart – including at the corners.

When you start sides of a round reed basket, make sure the base is turned so that you are weaving to the right if you are right handed --- Or to the left if you are left handed. It is hard to maintain a nice even shape if you are weaving the wrong direction. To control the shape of your basket if you are right handed, watch what your LEFT hand is doing. Your right hand knows the technique; your left hand controls the curve of the basket.

To untwist round reed when you are twining or triple weaving, hold the weavers in your hand and take one weaver and pull it up out of the rest. This is an easy way to untangle.

When using ¼” or 3/8” flat oval reed as weavers, shave down the very beginning where your weaver will overlap to eliminate bulk.

For twill Baskets, use smooth and supple reed for weavers.

Start tapering a weaver from the end and gradually taper for 6” to 8” to the edge of the weaver. Scissors with long cutting blades are handy for making long straight cuts. Taper on the underside of the weaver so the cut edge will face the bottom of your basket. The cut edge (especially on dyed weavers) is less visible on the down side.

For baskets with straight walls, keep the spokes upright and parallel (same distance apart all the way to the top) - including at the corners. To make a basket larger at the top, the spokes need to spread gradually apart and the spread needs to be at the equal distance on each row. To make the basket smaller gently push spokes toward the center as you weave each row.

Cane is directional. Cane will have a tendency to snag and break when pulled in the wrong direction. Run your fingernail across a joint or nodule to determine the smooth direction for weaving and lashing.

Pack rows as you weave. Reed and other wood weavers will shrink when dry. Allow your basket to thoroughly dry and pack again before you cut and tuck spokes.

Cut and Tuck:

Cut the corner points off of the tucking spoke will help tuck spokes. Do not cut spokes to a point as the reed will have a tendency to split.

For those who are easily distracted -- Before cutting spokes for rimming, try bending the spokes to be tucked over the rim filler row and to the inside of the basket. Then, cut the standing un-folded spokes flush with the rim filler row.

Rims:

Always put on the INSIDE rim first. Then the outside rim goes to the right of the inside splice just a little. That way the bulk works out at the same place. Don’t overlap the splices.

Rims can be held in place with spring clamps, clothes pins or cable ties to secure the rim for lashing. Allow the basket to dry thoroughly and make any adjustments to the rim’s fit before lashing.

When learning the Gretchen border, try alternate dyed and natural spoke to give a striped effect to the border. If you get confused and need to go re-check the border you should have two dyed and two natural reeds sticking out from the basket when you have completed each round. It also helps to mark the beginning three spokes before you begin a row with a pipe cleaner so you will know when you have reached the end. The pipe cleaners can be gently pulled outward for placement of the ending row spokes.

Lashing:

Use a small amount of electrical tape and wrap it once around the pulling end of you lasing material. Cut for 1 inch on a 45 degree angle and lash your rim. The tape on the reed prevents it from splitting while you lash.

To determine the length needed for a lasher, take the lashing material and wind it around the basket at least 2 ½ times for a single lash or 5 times around for an X lash. Add a few inches for trimming frayed ends. Note: Longer lengths are needed for twills, Nantucket’s or baskets with a lot of spokes that are close together.

To determine the length needed to wrap a handle, measure the lashing material at least 6 times the length of the handle. Add a few inches for trimming frayed ends.

Keeping your hands wet while lashing prevents the reed from drying out too fast from the body heat in your hands.

Borders:

Keep your left over bits of #2 and #3 round reed to add braided borders to splint baskets. Cut leftovers to 26” lengths and store them. Then a braided border is needed, count out the amount needed.

Tips and Tricks listed on this page have been pasted from weaver to weaver over the past years. MBG does NOT claim originality but provides a forum for sharing those deemed beneficial to new and experienced weavers. MBG welcomes the submission of additional tips and tricks. Please send your tips to

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