Category Archives: Basket Weaving

Two Cat Heads

. Art, Basket Crafts, Basket Making, Basket Weaving, Baskets, Craft, Crafts, Functional Arts

Well, it’s been a long time since I posted anything.  Life happens.

Here are two baskets I made called cat heads.  I wish I had a picture of one upside down.  That’s the way you can really see the four corner points.  Looking at two points, they look similar to a cat’s head.  Makes sense, right?  You need an imagination.  lol

I always try to do something different with each one.  The green one in the rear has round reed starting half way up.  The rim is crisscrossed around with the stakes left cut off instead of the usual tucking in.

The blue in front has three rims stacked on top of each other.  I tied them with blue waxed linen rather than weaving with reed.

This type of basket can be any shape depending of the pressure put on as you are working upwards.  But interestingly,  this basket always starts with a six by six inch base.

Christmas Basket

. Basket Weaving . , , , ,
2013's Basket

2013’s Basket

Well HO! HO! HO!  Merry Christmas everyone!  Since I didn’t make a Christmas basket this year, I’m posting last year’s.  I guess that means I’ll get some coal in my stocking.  HA! HA! HA!

This is a ‘Williamsburg’ basket (named for the handle).  I used red and green, naturally, but also some tan and spaced-dyed colors.  The handle has a ‘bow’ on both sides and the handle is wrapped in a Japanese knot for some more pizzazz. I think it works.

Maybe I should start next year’s basket right now!

Teaching

. Art, Basket Crafts, Basket Making, Basket Weaving, Baskets, Crafts, Functional Arts . ,

Market Basket

I’m going to be teaching how to make this market basket. Well, if people sign up, I’ll be teaching this class.

Although I think that beginners can weave this basket, it will be challenging to say the least. The weaving is a ’twill’ weave. A ’twill’ weave is any that is not a ‘simple’ over one, under one. This is a 2/2 weave meaning, of course, over two/under two.

The challenges come from, first the brain and secondly, from the eye.  The first row is easy.  Just weave over 2/ under 2 and end the row.  Knowing where to start the second row is the trick.  The weaver goes between the 2 stakes that had been gone over in the row before it.  Makes sense?  I bet not.  The brain kicks in and decides it does not like to go over/under 2.  Don’t ask me why.  It just doesn’t want to.

Now the eye kicks in.  Because the reed is spaced dyed (multi- colored) it is very hard to see the pattern going up to the left.  Such fun!  To make it a little harder I’ve changed the size of the reed at the top.

Once that’s done, rimming is a snap!  Can’t wait for class to start!

Metal & Cane

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IMG_0938

Unusual Melon Basket

Unusual Melon Basket

Occasionally I like to try unusual weaving materials.  This is a 6″ melon rib basket in which I used black cane and galvanized steel from the hardware store.

Instead of weaving a God’s Eye for the ears, I tied on 2 antique pressed tin medallions.  Weaving with the wire was not necessarily hard, but it was hard to keep from poking and scratching myself with the ends. Ouch!

Weaving rib baskets is not really my ‘thing’.  I find them difficult to shape and also tedious to weave. Using a different weaving material made it more interesting for me.

This little experiment worked out well, but I think once is enough.  Any comments would be appreciated.

Combined Styles Handle

. Basket Crafts, Basket Making, Basket Weaving, Baskets, Crafts, Functional Arts . , , ,
Japanese/Penland Style Basket

Japanese/Penland Style Basket

Handle -Side ViewHandle - Front ViewButterfly Knot - Top ViewButterfly Knot - Side View

I was asked by another blogger to explain how the handle of the basket was made. Foolishly, I only took the one photo and the basket has sold so I cannot show the handle from a better angle.

I took 3 pieces of flat reed and sandwiched them together. It is wrapped with 2 pieces of flat/oval reed in an “x” pattern up the two sides, leaving about 4″ empty at the top. Very simple.

The top Knot is called a “Butterfly” knot or “Japanese” knot. I have given you a top and side view (from another basket) but, please don’t ask me how to make it. Not so simple!

I hope this post helps a little in understanding the handle.

Mica Rim

. Art, Basket Crafts, Basket Making, Basket Weaving, Baskets, Crafts, Functional Arts

Cat Head with Mica RimClose-Up This is the Large Cat Head basket I made in the class with Billie Ruth Sudduth.

I found this Mica cut into discs which fascinated me. Being Mica, they are very fragile but strong enough to handle and tie. I used purple waxed linen to tie them together and to the basket. I have collected rocks and minerals from the ground all of my life and I have some beautiful samples of Mica. I love the way it reflects light looking solid silver or translucent.

The cat head style basket is one of my favorites and I was pleased to find an attachment to do it justice.

Wicker Basket

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Wicker Basket

Wicker Basket


This is my newest endeavor. It is a ‘wicker’ basket made with round reed. Other common materials used for wicker are willow and honeysuckle. I got this pattern from a book “Contemporary Wicker Basketry” by Flo Hoppe. She is one of the best American wicker basket artists.

When I first started making baskets, I was very drawn to wicker style baskets. After trying a very simple design from a friend of mine, I found it was not for me. I found it extremely difficult and frustrating and had no patience for it. I never finished it.

Recently, as I was browsing through my books I found I was, once again, drawn to this type of basket. The pattern is called “Double Diagonals” for the intricate border. Taking my time, and keeping my patience I really enjoyed making this wicker basket. I think I will make this basket again, trying some different techniques and colors. Thank you, Flo!

Billie Ruth Sudduth Class

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Clam Basket

Clam Basket

Bushel Basket

Bushel Basket

Appalachian Egg Basket

Appalachian Egg Basket

It’s high time I did some posting. I have been very lax. I was very fortunate to be able to take a class with one of North Carolina’s ‘Living Treasures’, Billie Ruth Sudduth. She taught a class at Penland School of Crafts last July and I was able to attend.

She is most notably known for her ‘Cat Head’ baskets, hence my interest. I learned to make them from one of her books. This class was for “Big” baskets and that they were.

The extra large Calabash clam basket is 15″ in diameter. She named it after a tiny shrimping town on the southern coast of NC and the pattern is named for the bivalve clam. The Chevron pattern is a signature of the Chitimachas tribe of Indians from Louisiana.

This basket uses a ’twill’ weave which is any weave other than over one/under one. There are endless variations of twill weaves. This particular weave is over two/under one which creates an extremely strong basket.

The Bushel basket is 19″ high with a 12″ top diameter. It has multiple colors and is a simple over one/under one weave. We hand dyed all of our reed in this class. The handles are hand carved oak. And, no, I did not carve them myself. Good Grief! I guess you could use this as a laundry basket.

The egg basket is 19″ wide and 14″ deep. I have never seen an egg basket this large. The lashing which holds the two hoops together on each side is called an “ear”. There are different kinds of lashing. The most common one is a “God’s Eye” is a four point lashing. The one used here is a three point lashing, most commonly used in Southern Appalachia. It is also known as “donkey ears”.

We also made a large ‘cat head’ basket. I have not finished the rim yet. I am trying something a little different on that and will post it separately soon.

Hearth Basket

. Basket Weaving

IMG_0520IMG_0519                                      This is a little fancy for a hearth basket.  Probably should have left off the topknot.  The handle has one of my unusual wraps.  In some ways it reminds me of a spider web.  Use to find them inside the fireplace. ( If you didn’t use it to often!)

I’m not sure if people would have trouble filling if with logs or fat wood.  It could be used for a floral display or to keep some nice comfy throws to sit by the fire with.  Or even a place for a small dog to take a nap in.  It’s 2′ x 1′ x 14″ H.  Large enough for quite a few things.  What do you think?

Shaker Cheese Basket

. Basket Weaving

IMG_0521IMG_0522The Shakers used this to age rounds of cheese.  The base is a hexagon with hexagon openings and  as the sides are woven it becomes  round.  Very architectural looking  but extremely confusing to make.  These baskets can be made in many shapes like a triangle or long  oval as in a bread basket.

It isn’t a very strong basket so it’s limited in it’s uses but I think my cat would love laying in it and poking his paws through the openings.  It’s used most often as a decorative object hanging on a wall.