Basket Weaving Marathon

For some reason this weekend turned into a basketry marathon. Or, more appropriately, a basket finishing marathon. Maybe because I'm trying to get organized or maybe because my daughter made a comment that I never finish anything, I decided to get working on those baskets that were almost finished but just needed a rim.

First was a pie basket that has been awaiting a rim for, yes I am cringing, a year and a half. I don't have a photo of it because it came out blurry. Maybe later.

Next was the basket above that was started about a year ago in a class taught by Anne Coleman. The base is wooden and the dividers that you see are part of the base. It was woven with cane in a continuous under 1, over 1, under 1, over 2 pattern which makes a narrow and a wide diagonal pattern. It is already full of basket making tools and reed, so I guess that makes it a keeper.

Three of these four baskets are new and needed a rim and handles. The fourth was one I carried as a purse for about a year and broke a handle and the rim. I just repaired it, so I could use it again.They were made before the house was built, so that means they've been sitting for over 2 years. Maybe my daughter has a point. Maybe that should have been my resolution. "Do not start a new project until all others are finished." But I had an excuse with these baskets, really, I did. All the handles were hand shaped from heavy reed and were a pain to do. Now that the baskets are finished, I'm thinking I should have used a thinner reed for the rim. The tops are really stiff.

The pattern for these baskets came from Lyn Siler's, The Ultimate Basket Book because I wanted to weave something more challenging than I was getting in the classes offered on campus. They were that, but the final result was worth it. The peach one was woven with colored stakes and the pink with colored weavers which reverses the pattern. Woven in all natural makes the design more subtle. You have to stand away from it to really see it.

And last, but not least was this one. I had the reed cut for this basket, but had never made it. It is small, but was tricky to get the shaping right. The pattern was by Patti Hawkins, but I made it in 1/4' reed rather than 11/64, so it is about twice as large as the pattern. Notice the rim is complete. It isn't the standard rim, but uses only one piece of 3/8" flat oval with the stakes folded over on the outside and lashed as you go. Tedious but the entire basket was done start to finish in one sitting.

By the way, cable ties are God's gift to basket makers.