Ensure that the squares formed by the base weaving are no bigger than 3/8 inch (. 9 cm).
If you’re going for a square shape, hold the base corners together with clothespins. This will help maintain the shape of the base. Continue to attach and weave new reeds through the spokes for 3 or 4 rows, depending on the desired height of the basket. Each new reed should be stacked above the reed woven before it. Do your best to make the weave snug and tight, but not too tight or you can screw up the base of the basket. You, also, want to make sure that the weave isn’t too loose.
Straighten your spokes and repeat on all 4 sides of the basket, until the holes in the base are closed.
You also don’t want your corners to be too loose, which can happen if you aren’t keeping your spokes upright and parallel while you weave. Stop weaving once you’ve reached your desired height.
A properly packed basket should have a nicely arched base, straight, parallel spokes, properly spaced corners, and tight weaver rows.
Bring the lacer up and over the reed pinned to the basket and insert it through the front of the basket into the woven rows. Now pull the lacer inside the basket. Continue wrapping the lacer around the pinned reed, circling the circumference of the basket. Glue the end of the lacer inside the basket.
Cut the newspaper in half horizontally and then again horizontally. Place the stick at a corner of the piece of newspaper at an acute angle to the newspaper. Start rolling the newspaper around the stick, making sure that you’re doing so tightly. When you’ve rolled it all the way to the other corner, glue it onto the newspaper roll to hold it in place. Remove the dowel or knitting needle. One end will usually be a bit narrower than the other on the newspaper sticks, but that’s how it is supposed to look. When you’re weaving you’ll stick the narrower section of one newspaper stick into another to make them longer.
Always use an odd number of sticks when making your base. Use double sided tape on the second piece of cardboard and press into place a piece of fabric, whatever color you’d like. Put glue on the side that won’t be facing out and glue the two pieces of cardboard (one with the fabric and one with the sticks) together. Put something heavy on them and leave to dry (about and hour).
Keep the upright sticks parallel to one another and pulled upright, and keep the weavers pulled tight. You don’t want them too loose. At the corners you’ll want to do an extra twist (over and under) before continuing the twist down the next side.
For every other upright stick you’ll fold into down into the basket and glue it in place. Use a clothespin to dry it in place. For the sticks you didn’t fold into the basket, you’ll fold down on the outside and weave into the upper part of the basket.
