Ready to learn how to basket weave?

We are so excited to share this with you!

The videos below will walk you through the step by step process of weaving your own basket. You can follow the steps mentioned, pause to catch up, and re-watch as many times as you need to. We also included text below each video that walks you through the steps in case that is your preferred form of learning. Basket weaving takes a little practice at first and is so satisfying once you have the techniques down. We hope you enjoy this process as much as we do!

Vocabulary:

Reed - Reed is a natural material made of rattan palm and one of the most popular materials used in basket weaving. This is the flexible wood material included in your kit.

Spoke - They are like the bones of the basket that create the base and shape. These are oriented from the bottom to top of your basket.

Weaver - They are the reeds used as the weft that moves over and under the spokes. these are oriented from left to right.

Introduction:

Gather scissors, a ruler, your basket weaving kit, and a large bowl of water. The reed in your kit comes in two sizes. The thicker reed is a #4 superior round reed, and the thinner reed is a #3 superior round reed. You will want to take all of your reed and soak in in a bowl or sink of water for about 5 minutes. Gather the thicker reed and cut it into 6 pieces that are 18” long each. 

create the basket base:

Divide your 6 thicker reeds into two bundles, three pieces per bundle. Lay one set of three diagonally, and the other vertically, making them into a cross shape at the center. These will be called our spokes. Take a strand of the thinner reed (weaver reed) and fold it almost in half, leaving one side 1” longer than the other. The folded reed should bend, but avoid folding it so hard that it snaps.Take your bent center and wrap it around one section of your spokes. That means it will wrap around 3 spokes that are bundled together. One side of your weaver reed will go over the bundle of spokes, and one side will go under. Going clockwise, move the weaver reed that is on top to the bottom of the bundle of spokes to the right of what you have already wrapped the weaver reed around. The weaver that was on the bottom of your first bundle will now go on top of the spokes to the right. You will then do this around the next bundle of spokes, moving the weaver reed that was on the bottom to the top, and the weaver reed on the top to the bottom. You will follow this pattern of weaving until you have created 5 rows. Now you will divide your spoke bundles into individual spokes. Imagine a bicycle wheel and how its spokes are evenly divided going all the way around. That is our goal. Once you have divided your spokes evenly, begin weaving around each individual spoke using the over under pattern that we’ve used before. Continue weaving until the base of your basket is 4-4.5” wide. Then soak your basket base in water for a few minutes.

What to do when you run out of weaver reed:

What to do when you run out of weaver reed: Weave the tails of your previous weaver reed into the spokes. Take a strand of weaver reed and fold it almost in half, leaving one side 1” longer than the other. The folded reed should bend, but avoid folding it so hard that it snaps.Take your bent center and wrap it around the next spoke from where your first weaver reed ended. Start weaving again like you did before.

weave the basket walls:

After the soak, gather a piece of twine from your kit. Use it to evenly tie the spokes upward to hold them in place as you begin to weave the walls of your basket. Continue weaving until you only have 2-3” on spokes left above your basket walls, or until you have reached your desired height.

finish the top of your basket:  

Once your basket has reached its desired height, soak the spokes in water for one minute to ensure that they are flexible. Trim them down to 3” from the top of the basket wall if needed. Curve each spoke towards the right. Tuck the end of the spoke into the gap created between the spokes and the weavers in the wall of the basket. Do this going all the way around your basket. This technique will create a small, decorative loop at the top of your basket!  Now that you have finished the top of your basket, let it dry. You can then go in and trim the loose ends if you would like. This is optional. 

You did it!!

Questions? Email savannah@dimehandmade.com anytime!