Over Two, Under One: Weaving a Reed Basket

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Row 3: This row doesn't interlace with either of the other two rows, so pull it close to the rest of the border as you weave, because it'll have a tendency to be loose. Looking down into the inside of the basket, hold three spokes straight out. Attach twist-ties at the bend of each of the first two spokes. Then bring the left spoke over the two right ones, and push it down under the third (Fig. 11). Continue taking each spoke on the left over the next two to the right, and down.

Row 4: This row is woven like Row 3 and is directly underneath it. Trim the spokes with a slant cut so that a half-inch is visible under the fourth row.

HANDLE WITH CARE

If you want your basket to have a single handle, cut a 33" piece of No. 10 reed (or two 33" lengths of No. 5) and soak it for ten minutes. In order to be able to insert the handle easily into the basket, each end must be tapered. Shave the inside of the handle ends — starting three inches from each tip — to about half their thickness (Fig. 12). Also, make a diagonal cut so the point will fit next to the spoke that it's inserted alongside of.

Now, run your awl along a spoke to open a space, and push the handle four inches into the basket. When that's done, count around to the sixteenth spoke, and insert the other end of the handle in the same manner.

To make a rope wrap for the handle, run a long, pliable No. 2 weaver under the border, from the inside to the outside, at point A (Fig. 13). Weave the end to the left and in behind spoke B to hold it, then take the long end and wrap the handle as shown, following the arrows. Keep the first loop that goes through the basket as far to the left as possible, and add the subsequent wrappings to its right, filling the space between the first loop and the handle (Fig. 14).

Go on to wrap the handle until there are no empty spaces. When a weaver runs out, just leave it on the inside, at either end of the handle, with at least a 4" tail. Add a new weaver as you did when you began wrapping the handle — that is, from the inside to the outside — right next to the one that's run out. The ends that are inside will be woven to the right and underneath the border, after the handle has been completely covered.

Finish up the wrapping by running a pliable weaver about two inches down into the basket along the right side of the handle. Bring it around the back of the handle at a point an inch up from the border and wrap it tightly, from left to right, seven times. Then run your awl carefully through the handle, put the end of the weaver through from right to left (Photo 5), and cut it off flush with the handle. The spring action of the handle reed holds the wrap in place.

If you prefer a basket with two side handles, cut a pair of 15" lengths of No. 8 reed, then taper and cut each end on a slant as shown in Fig. 15. Run your awl along a spoke, and push one end of a handle in three inches. Insert the other end at the fifth spoke to the right. Skip the next 11 spokes, and insert the second handle's ends alongside the twelfth and sixteenth spokes.

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