CHAPTER VI

HANGING BASKETS

If it is possible to add more beauty to nature in the arranging of flowers and vines, etc., the use of the various and wonderfully attractive hanging baskets that can easily be made will afford the opportunity. The harmonious selection of flowers to combine harmoniously with the color of the basket is open to the artist and craftsman. The opportunity is wide for originality in the making of these baskets. The basket maker finds himself flooded with so many ideas that it is impossible to put them in book form. The following are a few suggestions.

MODEL 23.——FIG. 27

SMALL GREEN HANGING BASKET

MATERIAL

8-1/2 spokes No. 4 reed, 27 inches. Handle——1 spoke No. 5 reed, 27 inches. Weavers No. 2 reed.

Weave a four inch base. Turn up with three rows 3 coil weave. Holding the sides slightly outward weave twenty-six rows, then holding the spokes slightly inward and drawing the weaver tight, work twenty-six rows. Complete the basket with three rows of triple twist and the following border: First row, each spoke passes back of one spoke and out to the front; second row, each spoke is brought in front of two spokes and in back of the next spoke.

HANDLE

Place an end of the No. 5-27 inch spoke through the triple twist at bottom of basket, bring it up through the triple twist at top of basket; do the same on the opposite side of the basket. When the handle is thus arranged, with two rows of No. 2 reed make a twisted handle. Arrange the twists about an inch and a half apart.

Figs. 28 and 29 are small flower receptacles. They are both woven over No. 4 reed.

MODEL 24.——FIG. 30

NO. 2 BOWL SHAPED HANGING BASKET

This basket is worked with No. 2 reed as foundation and No. 1 reed as the weaver.

MATERIAL

8-1/2 spokes No. 2 reed, 21 inches. Handle——1 spoke No. 5 reed, 28 inches. Weavers No. 2 reed.

This little basket has a three inch base. Hold the spokes straight and weave the sides about one inch, single weaving. Bend the spokes out and weave two inches. Hold the spokes in toward the center of basket and draw the weaver tight; in this position weave two more inches. Follow this with two rows of triple twist in No. 2 reed, and the border described under Model 20.

HANDLE

Insert the ends of the handles two inches below the top of basket. Bring them inside the basket back of eighteen rows of weaving, draw them to the outside of basket and down in front of sixteen rows of weaving. Bring the ends through the weaving to the inside of basket. Fasten the ends securely to the basket by weaving a strand of No. 2 reed in and out in the form of a cross. With one ring of No. 1 reed, make a twisted handle, allowing two inch space between each twist; the second row of handle is made by making another twist around the handle, the twist being made in the middle of the intervening spaces, showing a separate woven twist all way around and having a spacing of one inch between each twist.

MODEL 25.——FIG. 31

NO. 3 HANGING BASKET

This basket is made large enough to allow a large glass to slip in and out easily.

MATERIAL

10-1/2 spokes No. 5 reed, 24 inches. Handle——1 piece No. 6 reed, 39 inches. Weavers No. 4 reed. Weavers No. 5 oval reed. Weavers No. 00 reed.

A base 4-1/2 inches is woven in the following manner: six rows of single weaving of No. 00 reed separate the spokes. Follow this with five rows of triple twist in No. 00 reed, four rows of single weaving in oval reed and one row No. 4 reed in triple twist. Turn the sides up with four more rows of triple twist. With oval reed, weave twelve rows of single weaving. Hold the spokes well in and draw the weaver tightly. The diameter of basket should now be 2-3/4 inches wide. Continue the weaving, drawing the spokes well out and holding the weaver loosely. The basket should have eighteen rows of oval weaving. Follow this with three rows of triple twist and the following border: first row, each spoke is passed back of one spoke and out; second row, each spoke is brought in front of three spokes and in back of the next one.

HANDLE

Insert the ends of handle through the four rows of triple twist at the base of basket. The ends must be inserted just opposite to each other. Place a strand of oval reed to the right of inserted handle and between the third and fourth rows of triple weave. Draw the weaver first over the handle, then under the handle. About two inches above where the handle is inserted, pass the weaver over the handle and carry it to inside of basket, under the border. Twist the weaver around the handle twenty-one times. Pass it down under the border to the outside of basket; three more twists complete one row of the handle.

Now run the weaver to inside of basket, between the third and fourth rows of triple twist, cross, and bring to outside of basket at the left of handle. The weave is continued around the handle, forming a cross at every twist in the handle.

MODEL 26.——FIG. 32

BASKET WITH BRAIDED HANDLE

MATERIAL

8 spokes No. 4 reed, 5 inches. 17 spokes No. 3 reed, 11 inches. Handle——3 pieces No. 4 reed, 40 inches. Weavers No. 4 reed. Weavers No. 2 reed.

Through a five-inch base, insert 17 spokes. Weave an upset of three rows of triple twist. To get the desired shape weave twenty-two rows, single weaving, holding the spokes inward. Now hold the spokes out and weave twenty-eight rows. With four weavers, placing each weaver back of a corresponding spoke, weave two rows; each weaver in turn is brought in front of three spokes and back of one. Finish with the following border:

First row, pass each spoke back of one spoke and out; second row, each spoke is carried in front of three spokes and in back of the next one.

For the handle, insert the three pieces No. 4 reed just above the triple twist at the base of basket. Make two twists and pass remainder of reed through the upper eight rows of weaving and lower two rows of triple weave. Braid the reed twenty-four inches. The ends are now inserted through the lower two rows of triple weaving and the upper eight rows of single weaving. With two more twists the ends are carried inside the basket just above the triple weave, and there made secure.

MODEL 27.——FIG. 33

BOWL SHAPED WITH FLARED TOP

MATERIAL

10-1/2 spokes No. 4 reed, 27 inches. Handle——2 pieces No. 5 reed, 35 inches. Weavers No. 2 reed. Weavers No. 4 reed.

The base of this basket is four inches. The sides are woven in double weaving, having a decided rounded effect. The flare at the top is made by bending the spokes down the outside of basket. An inch and a half of flare is woven. Complete with two rows of triple and the following border: Hold the basket upside down and weave to right, in front of one spoke and over two spokes. The sides of this basket are 2-1/2 inches high.

About half way down the sides of the basket, insert the ends of the handle through four rows of weaving, the ends to be 1-3/4 inches apart. The ends are fastened securely by weaving in and out and across the spokes; the weaving is continued under and over the handle until the top of basket is reached; here the handle is made secure by carrying a weaver over the handle, and working it in and out through the weaving of the basket. Make twenty-eight inches of coil with the two spokes. Fasten the handle, in a similar manner, on the opposite side.

MODEL 28.——FIG. 34

FUNNEL SHAPED HANGING BASKET

MATERIAL

8-1/2 spokes No. 2 reed, 31 inches. 1 piece No. 6 reed, 36 inches. Weavers No. 00 reed. Weavers No. 2 reed. Weavers No. 4 reed.

After fastening the spokes with No. 00 reed, weave five rows of single weaving. Change the weaver to No. 2 reed and work twenty-three rows in single weaving, holding the spokes in towards center. Continue the weaving until fifty-seven rows are woven. With No. 4 reed, make four rows triple twist and complete the basket with border described under Model 22.

When finished, the diameter at top of basket should measure 5-1/2 inches.

HANDLE

Insert the ends of handle two inches from bottom. With No. 00 reed fasten the ends to basket with the tie bow effect, then finish the handle in a twisted design.

FIG. 35

The funnel basket under Fig. 35 is dyed in dark green. It makes an attractive basket for cut flowers and vines. It is made of No. 4 and No. 2 reed. The handle from No. 5 reed.