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    Basket Weaving Glossary

    You are here: Home / Basket Weaving / Basket Weaving Glossary

    Basket weaving, like any craft, has its terminology and expressions. Learning these terms will help you understand the weaving process more fully. And, you’ll be able to decipher weaving patterns as your skills grow.

    Once you have your hands on the materials, it becomes more natural to use these terms as you work and take in information.

    For a complete guide to all Textile Indie’s basket weaving posts and videos, visit the main Basket Weaving Page.

    Printable glossary

    Print our glossary for quick and easy access when learning basket weaving and reading your basket weaving patterns.

    Printable Basket Weavers Glossary

    Table of contents

    Basket material terminology

    Basketry tool terminology

    Basket weaving terms

    What are the weaves in a basket called?

    Weave brake terminology

    Basketry finishing terminology

    Basket material terminology

    Rattan

    A climbing vine that is used to create reed for basket making. Often found in Indonesia.

    Reed

    Using rattan, the inner core of the vine is cut into lengths of different shapes to create a reed. The reed is cut into round, flat, flat-oval, half-round, or oval shapes. Reed is used in basket weaving and furniture making.

    Related post:

    Check out the Beginners Guide to Basket Weaving Materials, where I go into more detail on basket weaving materials

    Pile of basket reed.
    Rattan basket reed

    Flat reed

    Reed with two flat sides.

    flat reed in 4 widths
    Flat reed

    Flat-oval reed

    Reed cut so that one side is flat and the other side has a rounded surface.

    flat-oval reed in three widths
    Flat-oval reed

    Round reed

    Reed cut in a cylinder.

    round reed spirals in a pile
    Round reed

    Half-round reed

    Reed that looks like a half-moon in profile. One side is flat and the other side is rounded, more dramatically than the flat-oval reed.

    Cane

    Cane is made from the outer layer of the rattan vine. Cane is another material that can be used in basket weaving.

    Binder cane

    Cane cut wider than normal is binder cane.

    Handle

    Part of a basket, used to conveniently carry the basket.

    Related post:

    For an in-depth look at basket handles, see the Beginners Guide to Basket Handles.

    Related video:

    D handle

    A handle that has a flat bottom and curves around to create a ‘D’ shape.

    Hoop

    A piece of wood or reed that has been formed into a ring. Hoops are used in ribbed baskets.

    Bin of basket handles
    A variety of basket handles

    Seagrass

    A twisted rope of grass.

    Seagrass coil on a sky blue towel
    Seagrass

    Ash splints

    Strips from an ash tree that are cut and thinned to be used as stakes and weavers. Used in split-ash basketry.

    Oak splints

    Strips from an oak tree that are cut and thinned to be used as stakes and weavers.

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    Basketry tool terminology

    Related post:

    For a complete explanation of basketry tools see, Basket Weaving Tools: What you Need to Get Started

    Related video:

    Straight tipped packer

    A flat-headed awl that is used in rattan basket making to pack the weavers together. The straight-tipped packer also assists in lashing the rim, and other techniques.

    straight tipped packer
    Straight-tipped packer

    Spoke weight or stake weight

    A heavy metal bar used to hold stakes in place when setting up a basket base.

    Awl

    Consisting of a handle and a rod of metal that comes to a point at the end. Used to open spaces and create holes in reed.

    Reed cutters or reed scissors

    Sharp, short-bladed scissors for cutting reed.

    Metal and plastic clamps

    Metal clamps: small spring-loaded clamps made of metal with rubber coating.

    Plastic clamps: plastic spring-loaded clamps.

    These are used at different stages in the basket weaving process to hold things in place and act as a third hand.

    Basket weaving terms

    Basket hairs

    Small fibers that stick up on rattan reed.

    Stakes or spokes

    The pieces of reed that form the foundation of the basket. They are like the bones of the basket – creating the base and the shape.

    The term stake is typically used for baskets made of flat reed. Spokes generally refers to baskets that have ribs made of thick round reed.

    base of a basket
    Open weave base

    Weaver

    A piece of reed that you are currently using to weave with.

    Or the pieces of reed that are woven into the walls of the basket.

    a rattan basket in the process of weaving the walls
    Weaving the walls

    Soaking

    Placing pieces of reed in a tub of water.

    Soaking keeps the reed pliable and easier to handle as you weave so that it doesn’t crack or break.

    Basket reed soaking in a tub of water.
    Soaking the reed

    Base

    The bottom of the basket.

    Open base

    A basket base that’s woven in a grid, leaving open spaces between the stakes.

    Related post:

    How to Weave an Open Basket Base

    Open base of a basket.
    Open base

    Closed base

    A basket base that’s woven with added weavers between each stake to close the spaces between the stakes.

    Related post:

    How to Weave a Closed Basket Base

    closed base of a basket.
    Closed base

    Related videos on weaving a basket base:

    Do you want the best resources, tools, and products for fiber artists?

    Every other Friday, I send an email chock full of fiber craft inspiration for you to explore.

    Each issue focuses on one fiber art skill – spinning, dyeing, basket weaving…

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    Twining

    Twining is a technique used to hold the base in shape after all the stakes have been placed and squared up.

    Its a process of weaving with a length of round reed that’s been folded in half. The loop it placed over a stake and then the two ends are crossed over in between each stake.

    Related post:

    Twining the Basket Base

    Twining around the perimeter of a basket base.
    Twining around the base

    Upsetting the basket

    After the base is woven and the twining is done to hold the stakes in place, you fold the stakes upright to create a crease at the base of the stake.

    Upsetting begins to form the walls of the basket.

    a hand upsetting the stakes on a basket.
    Upsetting the stakes of the basket

    Packing

    The process of sliding all layers of weavers towards the base to ensure they are tightly spaced.

    Cut and tuck

    Cut and tuck is the process of folding over stakes and cutting them around the top of a basket in preparation for the rim.

    The stakes that sit in front of the top weaver get folded over the weaver creating a “lock” that holds everything in the interior of the basket.

    Stakes that sit behind the top weaver get trimmed off flush with the upper edge of the top weaver.

    The result is an alternating cut and tuck series around the top of the basket.

    Related post:

    How to Set up the Rim on a Basket

    Cutting and tucking
    Cutting and tucking the stakes

    Rim

    The upper edge of the basket.

    Basket rim close up of a market basket
    The rim of a basket with basic lashing

    Scarf

    A joint where the ends of two pieces of reed are cut so that they meet or overlap firmly.

    Scarfing

    Trimming down the ends of a rim reed so they have less bulk when they overlap.

    Scarfing a piece of basket reed.
    Scarfing

    Lasher

    The reed used to do lashing.

    Lashing

    A process of “whip stitching” a lasher around the rim to hold it in place.

    Related post:

    How to Do Basic Lashing on a Basket Rim

    Market basket
    A market basket with basic lashing

    Cross-stitch lashing

    Lashing is done around the rim of the basket, going around in one direction and then repeated back over the previous work in the other direction. The stitch creates a cross-stitch or ‘x’ shape around the rim.

    Related post:

    How to Do Cross-Stitch Lashing on a Basket Rim

    Cross-stitch lashing on the rim of a basket.
    A bean pot basket with cross-stitch lashing

    Crow’s feet, also called chicken feet

    Crow’s feet are used in closed base baskets. The filler stakes are folded into the basket and under the base stakes to create ‘v’ shapes on the inside of the basket.

    Crows feet in the bottom of a basket
    Crow’s feet

    Bevel

    To trim a square edge down to a sloping edge.

    Bi-spokes

    Extra spokes added after the original set of spokes.

    Braided handle

    A braid that is woven around the handle of a basket.

    Butt

    To bring any two ends of material flush against each other.

    Double-bottom

    A technique where a basket is woven with two bases. One base is woven and then a second base is woven on top.

    Ear

    A point on a basket where the rim and handle intersect – lashing or weaving is done around this point to hold it securely.

    Frame

    A support around which a basket is woven. Frames are used in shaped baskets.

    Losing a lasher

    Losing a lasher refers to hiding the the end of the reed in the rim or in the weaving.

    close up of losing a lasher in the rim of a market basket.
    Losing a lasher

    Notch

    An indentation in a push-in handle that holds the handle in the wall of the basket and prevents it from coming out.

    Plaited

    Another term for woven.

    Randing

    An over-under weave done with a single weaver over an odd number of stakes.

    Rib

    Round or oval pieces that form the skeleton of a basket from one side of the basket to the other.

    Rim filler

    A piece of material placed between the inner and outer rim to fill the gap above the basket walls.

    Seagrass in the rim of a basket as rim filler.
    Seagrass tucked into the rim sandwich

    Stepping up

    Stepping up is used in twill weaving. It describes the process of starting a new row one stake to the right or left of the beginning point on the previous row.

    Stroke

    The movement of the weaver. Each time it goes behind or in front of a stake that is a stroke.

    Double wall

    A basket that has an inner wall and an outer wall. Essentially two baskets woven into one.

    Dyeing

    Dyeing is a process of adding color to the reed by soaking it in a pot of boiling dye.

    What are the weaves in a basket called?

    Plain weave

    Also known as simple weave.

    Plain weave is done by following an over one, under one pattern of weaving.

    The over one, under one pattern alternates from row to row so that the stakes are also going over one, under one vertically.

    basket walls in the process of a plain weave
    Plain weave

    French randing

    This is a technique used to create a diagonal weave in the walls of a basket. French randing is great for using up shorter pieces of reed. It’s done by weaving the base of a basket as normal and then weaving the walls up at a forty-five degree angle.

    Twining

    Twining uses two pieces of round reed to crisscross around each stake in a basket. The process creates a cross between each stake.

    Twill weave

    Twill is a technique used to create a diagonal stairstep effect on the walls of a basket by weaving with an even number of stakes. There are two main types of twill a 1-2 twill and a 2-2 twill.

    Twill 1-2

    This twill is called a one-to-two-twill. This is when the weaver goes under one and over two around the basket and then alternates as you proceed with the rows.

    Twill 2-2

    This twill weave, called a two-to-two-twill, is where the weaver is going over two stakes and then under two stakes. The next row alternates that pattern so that a stair step pattern forms.

    Wave

    A wave adds a weaver to the sides of a basket that crosses over the working weavers creating an ‘x’ shape on the outside of the basket.

    Weave brake terminology

    Brake

    A weave brake refers to the point when you end one row, or weaver and begin a new row or weaver.

    Start-and-stop weave

    One row at a time weaving. It’s done by weaving all the way around, overlapping the ends, and tucking them out of sight.

    Continuous weave

    Continuous weave is a technique often used in a round basket where the weaver is woven around and around until you reach the end of the weaver. You will continue adding weavers until the walls are complete.

    Chase weave

    Chase weave involves two weavers being woven at the same time. The ends of the weavers are trimmed down and woven into the basket, on the same side, so as the walls form, they are even.

    When you get to the end of one or both of the weavers you add in a new length of reed just like you would for a continuous weave.

    Basket finishing terminology

    Aging

    Reed darkens as it cures and ages.

    Sealing

    Finishing the basket with a sealer to protect it from the elements and dirt.

    Sealer

    A sealing product is used to seal the reed of a finished basket.

    Stains

    A mixture of products used to change the color of the basket reed to a desired hue.

    Staining

    Using a stain to finish a basket and change the color of the reed to appear a different shade.

    Related post:

    Basket Stains and Sealers: Finishing Your Baskets

    A walnut stained basket.

    Related video:

    Printable glossary

    Print our glossary for quick and easy access when learning basket weaving and reading your basket weaving patterns.

    Printable Basket Weavers Glossary Printable

    For a complete guide to all Textile Indie’s basket weaving posts and videos, visit the main Basket Weaving Page.

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