Size: 3" x 4" x 5"

Holiday Delight Basket Instruction Sheet

1997 by Basket Maker's Supply The Basket Maker's Catalog

Please print this FREE pattern and share with your friends.

Imagine Your Tree covered with dozens of delightful Holiday Baskets. These baskets, that you and your family made, are sure to find a place in your home for years to come.

This basket measures 3" x 4" x 5" including the handle. The base is plaited and the sides are woven in a chasing weave using #1 Round Reed. The basket is finished with a 3" Round Ash Handle and lashed rims.

Notes: Work with your material fairly wet while weaving. As you weave, gently push or pull on the uprights to keep them vertical and to maintain a pleasing shape. Keep your weaving even and when weaving the sides, do not leave spaces between rows.

Calculate Supplies for 1 to 20 Holiday Delight baskets with the Basket Supply Calculator. The Supply List gives you the least expensive way to purchase the supplies for your quantity of baskets. View on-line or print to your printer.

Fig. 1

1. Cut 5 pieces 10" long and 7 pieces 9 1/4" long from 1/4" Flat Oval Reed for base and uprights.

2. Weave a plaited base as shown in Fig. 1. The base should measure approximately 2 1/4" by 3" and there should be about 3 1/2" of each piece extending beyond the base on all sides. The flat side of the Flat Oval Reed should be facing you. This will be the inside of your basket. Clamp each corner of the base.

3. Soak the base. Upset your basket by creasing each piece at a right angle to the base, See Fig. 2.

4. This basket is woven using a chasing weave. Basically you will make a stitch with the lower weaver then make a stitch with the higher weaver.

Soak a piece of #l Round Reed (weaver), then fold the #1 Round Reed near the half-way point.

Fig. 2

Fig. 3

Fig. 4

5. Beginning with the third upright from the left (of a long side of the base), place the folded weaver around the upright. The bottom piece of the weaver should be outside the up-right. Now, beginning with the bottom piece, weave behind the fourth upright and outside the fifth upright. Next weave with the top weaver by weaving outside the fourth upright. See Fig. 3. Continue to weave around your basket by weaving first the bottom weaver then weaving with the top weaver. In effect you are chasing one weaver with the other weaver, hence the name chasing weave.

Fig. 5 - Outside Basket

6. To add another length of weaver, stop the old piece behind an upright, soak a new piece of#l Round Reed and start the new piece behind the same upright. Cut the ends of both pieces so they touch each other. See Fig. 4.

Continue weaving until you have 38 rows and your basket is about 2 1/4" tall. Cut the weavers to stop on the side where you began weaving. Place the ends of your weavers behind consecutive uprights on the inside of your basket. See Fig. 5.

Now weave one more row around the top of your basket using a wet- piece of 1/4" Flat Reed. Finish this piece by over-lapping the ends. See Fig. 5.

Fig. 6 - Outside Basket

7. Starting at the bottom of your basket, "pack-down" the rows of weaving making sure that the edges of the weavers touch each other. Cut all the uprights so that they are even with the final row of 1/4" Flat weaving. See Fig. 6. Now, using a desktop stapler, staple the Final Row of your basket to the uprights. (4 or 5 staples spaced evenly around your basket will be plenty.)

Fig. 7 - Showing rims held in place by a mini clip and the beginning of the lashing.

Place the Ash Handle inside your basket on the 'long' sides. Make sure the handle is centered and the bottom of the handle's shelf is even with the bottom of the last row (1/4" Flat Reed). let the end of the handle rest against the weavers. You will probably not be able to tuck the ends of your handle into the weaving of the basket.

Fig. 8

8. Cut two rims from 1/4" Flat Oval Reed. The length of your outside rim will be the distance around the top of your basket plus 2". Cut the inside rim 1" shorter than the outside rim. Soak the rims and place them around your basket, (flat side touching the basket), overlapping the ends. Secure with Mini Spring Clamps or twist ties. For the neatest look, position the rim overlaps on opposite sides of the basket. See Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 - Inside Basket

9. To begin your lashing, secure the Cane under the inside rim and under the outside rim. See Fig. 8. Working left to right from the outside of your basket, lash over the rims and between each of the uprights. See Fig. 7. Pull the Cane tight with each stitch. Remove the clamps or twist ties as you progress. When you have lashed around the basket, simply continue by lashing in the opposite direction to create the 'cross-stitch' or double lashing. To end, loosen the final three loops, run the end of the cane back through these loops, on the inside of the basket, and re-tighten the loops over the end of cane pulling the cane through as you tighten. See Fig. 9. Trim end of Cane. Gently shape the basket if needed.

Enjoy your Holiday Delight!