CHAPTER III

WEAVING BEGUN

MODEL 1.——FIG. 4

MAT WITH OPEN BORDER

MATERIAL

6 spokes No. 4 reed, 19 inches. 1 spoke No. 4 reed, 10 inches. 2 weavers No. 2 reed. 1 strand raffia.

Make an incision in the center of each of 4 spokes as illustrated in Fig. 1. Through these 4 spokes insert the other group of 4 spokes and the short spoke as in Fig. 1. You are now ready for the first step. Place a wet strand of raffia back of the 4 horizontal spokes; pass it over the group of 4 vertical spokes, back of the 5 horizontal spokes, over the lower 4 vertical spokes and back of the first group of horizontal spokes. Separate the groups of fours into groups of twos by bringing the raffia over 2 spokes, under 2 spokes, treating the short spoke as a separate group. Fig. 2. When two rows have been finished, the third and last step is made by weaving the raffia under 1 spoke and over the next, thus separating each spoke. Fig. 3. After the spokes are well separated, take a piece of No. 2 reed, place it back of a spoke and begin weaving over 1 spoke, and back of the next one, until thirty-two rows of weaving are completed. This will make the mat about 5-3/4 inches in diameter. You are now ready for the border.

OPEN BORDER NO. 1

Allow about 6-1/2 inches for this border. This border is made by placing each spoke back of the next spoke to the right, and pushing it down by the side of this spoke through the weaving.

OPEN BORDER NO. 2

Open border No. 2 is made by bringing one spoke back of the next two spokes to the right and pushing it well down through the weaving, by the side of the spoke.

MODEL 2.——FIG. 5

MAT WITH CLOSED BORDER

MATERIAL

8 spokes No. 4 reed, 19 inches. 1 spoke No. 4 reed, 10 inches. 1 ring No. 00 reed. 2 rings No. 2 blue reed. 4 rings No. 2 natural reed.

After the spokes are arranged for weaving, take a short strand of 00 reed, fasten and separate the spokes. Weave 1-3/4 inches with 00 reed, then with No. 2 natural reed, weave six rows. Follow this with six rows of blue, then change to natural, and weave eleven rows natural, then with the blue reed, weave nine rows, change to natural, and finish the weaving with six rows of natural color reed. Complete the mat with the following closed border:

CLOSED BORDER NO. 1

Weaving to the right, carry one spoke back of the next spoke and out to the front; proceed in this way until every spoke is placed in this position. The last spoke is pushed back and under the first one. For the second row of this border, place the first spoke, which had been brought back of the second, in front of the third spoke and back of the fourth spoke. Continue in this manner until the row is finished. Be careful to draw all the spokes tight, leaving just space enough for the preceding spoke to pass through.

MODEL 3.——FIG. 6

BASKET FOR MOTHER’S BUTTONS

MATERIAL

8 spokes No. 4 reed, 16 inches. 1 spoke No. 4 reed, 9 inches. 2 rings tan reed. 2 rings natural color reed. 1 strand of raffia.

The bottom of this basket is begun just like the mat. After the spokes are separated with the raffia, begin the weaving, and weave until a base three inches is woven, then weave two rows with a weaver of the tan reed. This completes the bottom of the basket. Wet the spokes well and with a plier press them hard and turn them up. With the same weaver continue the weaving until seven rows have been woven up the side. During the weaving hold the spokes firmly and straight. Change the weave now to the natural color and work twelve rows, then with another ring of tan reed complete the weaving of the basket with nine rows. Finish the basket with Open Border No. 2.

Bands of tan, combined with the natural color and woven over brown spokes, make a very pretty effect.

MODEL 4.——FIG. 7

BASKET FOR PENCILS

The second basket for the beginner is the pencil basket, much like the first, with sides higher and with a closed border. This basket is woven all in the natural color and then painted in gold.

MATERIAL

6 spokes No. 4 reed, 15 inches. 1 spoke No. 4 reed, 8 inches. 4 No. 2 weavers. 1 strand of raffia.

In a similar manner, as illustrated in Fig. 4, make a base 2-3/4 inches. Turn the sides up sharply and weave 3-1/2 inches. Complete with Closed Border No. 1.

MODEL 5.——FIG. 8

BASKET FOR SPOOLS

This basket is woven in the natural color and afterwards dipped in brown dye. It makes a useful holder for spools.

MATERIAL

8 spokes No. 3 reed, 14 inches. 1 spoke No. 3 reed, 8 inches. Weavers No. 1 and No. 2 Reed.

With No. 1 reed, weave a base four inches. Press the spokes with the plier until soft. Turn them sharply upward and hold them straight. With No. 2 reed weave the sides 1-3/4 inches. With the spokes well soaked, press and hold them in towards the center of the basket. Continue the weaving, drawing the weaver tightly, until five rows are woven. Complete basket with the following border:

CLOSED BORDER NO. 2

For the first row of this border, place each spoke back of the next one, weaving to the right, and bring it out to the front. For the second row, each weaver is brought in front of the next 2 spokes and back of the next spoke or——numbering the spokes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5:——No. 1 spoke is brought back of No. 2 spoke, in front of the third and fourth spokes, and back of the fifth spoke, where it rests. Continue in this manner until all the spokes are woven in position. This border makes a decidedly pretty effect.

MODEL 6.——FIG. 9

TOOTH-BRUSH HOLDER

This little curved basket is woven with brown reed over natural color spokes. The border is of the natural color reed being a continuation of the spokes.

MATERIAL

8 spokes No. 3 reed, 15 inches. 1 spoke No. 3 reed, 8 inches. Several rings No. 2 brown reed. 1 strand brown raffia.

Weave the center of this basket with brown raffia to carry out the same effect as the brown reed.

Weave 1-1/4 inches with raffia. With a No. 2 brown weaver continue the weaving until a base 2-1/2 inches is woven. After the sides are turned up, continue weaving up the sides, drawing the spokes gradually outward toward the weaver, until the basket measures 2-1/2 inches high. Continue the weaving, drawing the weaver tightly and pressing the spokes in toward the center, until 1-3/4 inches more are woven. The basket should now have a slightly rounded effect. The diameter of basket should now be about three inches. The basket is curved outward in the following manner. Work the spokes outward and press them down toward the side of basket; hold firmly and continue the weaving in an easy manner. When nine rows of weaving are finished, complete the basket with Closed Border No. 1.

MODEL 7.——FIG. 10

BARREL SHAPED FANCY BASKET

This basket is woven over green spokes, with green bands about an inch from the top and bottom of basket. Green rings may be made for handle.

MATERIAL

8 spokes No. 4 green reed, 20 inches. 1 spoke No. 4 green reed, 11 inches. Weavers No. 2 natural. Weavers No. 2 green. 1 strand green raffia.

Weave a center, and separate the spokes with green raffia. With No. 2 natural reed weave a base 3-1/2 inches. Turn the sides up and drawing them outward weave ten rows. Change the reed to No. 2 green and holding the spokes in the same manner, weave a band of green 7/8 inch wide, then a band of the natural color 1-1/2 inches wide.

Change the reed now to green. Hold the spokes well in toward the center and draw the weaver tightly. Work a band of green one inch and finish the weaving with one inch of natural reed. Complete the basket with the following closed border:

CLOSED BORDER NO. 3

As in the Closed Border No. 1 and No. 2, run each spoke back of the next spoke on the right and out to the front. The second row is woven by placing each spoke in front of the next three spokes to the right and back of the sixth. Weave each spoke in this way until the row is completed.

MODEL 8.——FIG. 11

NO. 1 JARDINIERE

This flower pot covering basket is made of the natural reed. It may either be dipped in any shade of dye or stained. The one illustrated was dipped in dye when completed.

MATERIAL

8 spokes No. 4 reed, 18 inches. 1 spoke No. 4 reed, 10 inches. Weavers No. 2 reed.

Weave a bottom 4-1/4 inches. The sides are made by holding the spokes outward until 4-1/2 inches are woven. This makes the diameter of the basket 4-3/4 inches. To obtain the outward slanting effect point the spokes straight out towards the weaver, and, after weaving four rows turn and hold the spokes slantingly upward. Finish this weave with six more rows. Complete the basket with the Closed Border No. 2.

MODEL 9.——FIG. 12

MATCH TRAY

This little basket may either be used for holding matches or tooth picks. It is woven in No. 2 natural reed over a small drinking glass, with No. 00 as weaver. When finished, stain in old rose “Easy Dye” diluting the dye to get the tint desired.

MATERIAL

5 spokes No. 2 reed, 10-1/2 inches. 1 spoke No. 2 reed, 6 inches. 2 Weavers No. 00 reed. Handle——2 strands No. 00 reed, 24 inches.

Weave a base 1-1/8 inches with No. 00 reed. Turn sharply upward and continue weaving until fifty-one rows of single weaving are woven. Be careful to keep the spokes straight and to weave closely. Complete the tray with Closed Border No. 1.

Make the ring handles one inch in diameter and attach to the basket under the border.