How long does it take to weave a basket?
Weaving a basket in two hours is a doable goal for those who have some basket-weaving experience. Even beginners can weave a basket in a little over two hours.
Use this tutorial and the corresponding video to weave a square closed-base napkin basket. (You will find the video at the end of this section.)
You can use this simple basket in a variety of ways. It is designed to fit a pack of large Ikea napkins. However, it would make a great bread basket, catch-all, desktop basket, or bathroom caddy.
For a complete guide to all Textile Indie’s basket weaving posts and videos, visit the main Basket Weaving Page.
The closed base style makes it highly versatile because you can store large and small items without losing them through spaces in the base.
This basic pattern can be made larger or smaller by lengthening or shortening the stakes and size of the base.
- How long does it take to weave a basket?
- Materials and tools
- Materials
- Napkin basket pattern
- Set up a basket-weaving workspace
- Cut the basket stakes and mark the center
- Weaving a closed base basket
- Squaring the basket base
- Creating crows feet in a closed base basket
- How to upset basket stakes
- Weaving the first row of the basket
- Weaving the walls of the basket
- Finishing the stakes – cutting and tucking
- Assembling the rim on the napkin basket
- Lashing the rim on the napkin basket
- How to finish your basket
Materials and tools
Basket weaving tools
- Spoke weight
- Straight tip packer
- Reed cutters
- Metal clamps – 2″
- Plastic clamps – 2″
- Water tub
- Towels
Helpful basket tool resources
Basket Weaving Tools: What You Need to Get Started
Basket Weaving Tool Kit in the Textile Indie Shop (includes: shears, metal clamps, plastic clamps, spoke weight, packer)
Materials for the napkin basket
Helpful basket material resources
Materials
Beginners Guide to Basket Weaving Materials
Rattan Basket Weaving Resources
Napkin basket pattern
The base of the napkin basket measures 9 inches.
The walls are 6 inches high.
The diameter of the top of the basket circle is 10 inches.
Cut 18 stakes from the 1/2-inch wide flat reed at 23 inches.
Cut 8 filler stakes from the 1/2 inch wide flat reed at 14 inches.
For help with basket terminology, check out the: Basket Weaving Glossary
Set up a basket-weaving workspace
Work on a desk, tabletop, or on the floor.
Before you begin weaving, lay a towel down on your work surface. This will catch excess water as you work with the damp/wet reed.
Set another towel down to one side and place a bin of warm water on top of this towel. This bin will be where you soak the reed to keep things damp.
Finally, lay out your tools in easy reach to one side where they won’t be in your way.
Cut the basket stakes and mark the center
You may start with a new reed bundle when weaving this basket. Reed bundles are coils of reed that are tied together to keep them neat. To start cutting your stakes, these bindings have to be cut, obviously, but doing it willy-nilly will leave you with a huge mess (trust me, I’ve done this and regretted it).
Here is my suggestion: Lay your bundle on a table. Cut the ribbons or whatever is fastening the coil without moving the reed. Typically, the ends of the reed are held together with a twist of the round reed; you can also cut this off while keeping the bundle flat on the table.
Finally, to remove a piece of reed from the loosened coil, lift one of the visible ends on the outside of the coil and gently tease it out.
Starting at the end of the reed, measure from the endpoint to 23 inches and snip off the length with the reed shears.
Continue to follow this process until you have 18 stakes that are 23 inches long. Cut 8 stakes that are 14 inches long for fillers. Keep these two sets of stakes separated for easy access later.
Helpful resources to prep your reed
How to Cut Reed for Basket Stakes
The right and wrong side of rattan reed
Using the pencil, mark the *wrong side of each stake at the center point. The 23-inch stakes will be 11-1/2 inches on center, and the 14-inch stakes will be at the 7-inch point. Mark the center point on all stakes.
*Wrong side or reed – There is a right and wrong side of the reed. To figure out which side is which, gently fold the reed over your finger and look at the texture of each side. One side is smooth, and the other has a fuzzy texture of little reed fibers that stick out.
The rougher side is the wrong side. You can also feel the surface of the reed; and the side that is smoother is the right side, and the rougher side is the wrong side.
Weaving a closed base basket
Laying out the stakes
Start by laying the horizontal stakes out parallel to each other. Lay the stakes so that the center mark faces up, and the marks on all the stakes line up.
Using the spoke weight to hold all the stakes down will allow you to use both hands and hold everything in place. Set the weight to one end of the stakes.
Space the stakes so there is about a stake width between each horizontal stake. This will get adjusted as you weave, so exactness is not vital at this point.
Adding in the filler stakes
Between each of the horizontal stakes, place a filler stake. Lay them down with the center mark facing up and lined up with the horizontal stake center marks. You can tuck these stakes under the spoke weight as you lay them down.
The filler stakes go on the inside of the horizontal stakes. The base should have horizontal stakes on both outside edges and filler stakes between each stake.
Weaving in the perpendicular stakes
Once the horizontal and filler stakes have been laid out, add the perpendicular stakes. This is where the weaving begins.
Using one of the remaining 23-inch stakes, weave in an under-over pattern and pull it to the center so that it rests over the center marks of the stakes. The spoke weight can continue to hold the stakes in place on one side while you weave on the other side of the center marks.
Use another 23-inch stake to weave in an under-over pattern opposite the stake you started with. If you began the first stake weaving over the long stakes and under the filler stakes, then you will go under the long stakes and over the filler stakes.
Do this until you have four stakes to one side of the center stake. You will leave about a stake width or 1/2-inch between each stake.
Move the spoke weight to the side you wove and weave the final four 23-inch stakes into the base on this unfinished side. Continue to alternate the under-over pattern so that each stake is opposite.
Helpful resources for weaving your base
How to Weave a Closed Basket Base
Squaring the basket base
You want the base of this basket to measure 9-inches across in both directions. Using the center marks as your guide, line up the 4 1/2-inch point on the tape measure with the center mark and adjust the stakes so they meet the end of the tape measure on one side and the 9-inch point on the other.
Do this going in both directions.
Now, evenly space the stakes within this squared area by shifting things around until they fit nicely.
Creating crows feet in a closed base basket
Cutting and tucking for crow’s feet
The filler stakes should be about 2.5 inches past the last vertical stake if the center mark on these stakes is lined up with the center mark on the horizontal stakes.
Once the base is squared and adjusted the way you want, go along the edge of the base and fold the filler stakes up against the last vertical stake edge. This creates a fold crease in order to create the ‘crow’s feet.’
Cut the length of these stakes down so that they are a length that will fit under the second stake.
Using the reed cutters, cut the filler stake end in half from the end to right against the vertical stake – slitting the filler stakes into two pieces.
When all the filler stakes have been split on the ends, use the straight-tipped packer to guide the ends underneath the second vertical stake from the edge. The ends will fold over the first upright stake, extend out and on either side of itself, and get tucked under the second vertical stake on either side, creating a v-shape called’ crow feet’ (also called ‘chicken feet’ or ‘hen scratch’).
Do this for all the filler stakes.
How to upset basket stakes
Using the straight-tip packer, create a crease right along the edge of the reed where the stake and the base meet.
Spray the reed to dampen it before doing any folding.
Fold up the stakes directly at the edge, where the stake meets the base. Gently fold over completely, don’t force, or it will crack the reed.
Fold up all the stakes around the entire basket.
Weaving the first row of the basket
Start with a fresh piece of 1/2″ flat reed. Anchor the reed end with a clamp on the outside of a stake. Start with at least four stakes before the corner. Weave this around the basket in an under-over pattern. Fold the reed at each corner to create a distinct crease, do this for each corner.
It will be helpful here to clamp down the reed as you weave each side. Typically one clamp at the center of each side is sufficient to hold the reed in place so that the weaving is easier.
You will overlap the reed on four stakes when you’ve woven around the basket and come back to the starting point. Following the same weaving pattern, you began with, weave over top of your starting point and then cut the reed to the far edge of the fourth stake from where you began. Cut it to the far edge so you can tuck it behind the stake. Both your starting and end points will be hidden behind stakes.
Weaving the walls of the basket
Before beginning a new row, rotate the basket a quarter turn so that you start on a side next to where you began and ended the first row. You will do this quarter turn before starting each consecutive row.
Continue to weave in the same under-over pattern going opposite of previous rows. You will now be weaving ‘over’ where you wove ‘under’ the first time. The rows stack on top of each other to create the basket walls.
As you weave, pack the rows closely together towards the base.
Weave nine rows.
Finishing the stakes – cutting and tucking
Make sure everything is damp.
The stakes will be sticking up at this point.
Looking at the basket from the outside, there will be some stakes in front of the last weaver and some that are behind. Using the basket shears cut the stakes that sit behind the top weaver.
Those in front will get folded over and tucked into the walls inside the basket. To do this fold one of the stakes over that is in front of the last weaver. Using your basket shears, cut the stake so that its length reaches down to the length of the third row down inside the basket.
Now using your packer, tuck it down behind the weavers against the stake and gently tuck the folded part of the stake into the space created. Do this process for all in-front stakes.
Assembling the rim on the napkin basket
Use the 5/8-inch flat oval reed for the rim—Whittle down the end to a two-inch length of reed half as thick as the rest.
Clamp the end of the rim reed to the top edge of the basket. Clamp the reed around the top edge of the basket. Place one of the plastic clamps on each side of the basket to hold the rim reed in place.
When you get to the start of the rim, cut it so that it overlaps the two inch whittled section. I like to cut it and then trim the corners of the reed down a little so that its rounded, not just a raw straight edge.
Follow the same steps to place a rim reed inside the basket. Don’t put the end of this part of the rim in the same place as the first one. I usually put them on opposite ends. Clamp so that the clamps span both the rim reeds and the basket body between.
Tuck seagrass into the space between the two rim pieces. Cut a little extra length so you can adjust the length as needed.
Helpful resources for basket rims
How to Set Up the Rim on a Basket
Lashing the rim on the napkin basket
Make sure to keep your lashing reed and all the rim wet as you work. Pull tight on the lashing as you go. Again, a reminder that the reed shrinks as it dries. A loose rim is easily broken and looks sloppy.
Measuring out the length of lashing reed
Wrap a piece of 1/4-inch flat oval reed around the top of the basket three times and cut at this length. This will give you enough material to lash the rim without running out.
Soak lashing reed, keeping it wet
Lashing reed will be handled roughly as you pull it through the spaces in the basket and slide it through your hands. In order to avoid cracking the reed soak it in a tub of warm water for five minutes before beginning to lash your rim.
When you are in the process of lashing your rim make sure to stop every few stitches to spray the lashing reed and the rim with the spray bottle of water to keep the reed damp. This will avoid the reed becoming ‘hairy’ and help pull the rim very tight.
Creating the starting knot for lashing
With the rim securely set around the top edge of your basket with plastic clamps and a wet piece of soaked lashing reed begin by tucking the lashing reed between the inner rim and the top row of weaving of the basket. Do this between two stakes.
Now bring the end you just tucked down between the layers back up and around into the same space again. Create a loop around the inner rim.
Grab on to the length of reed that is looped around the rim and pull down to tighten the loop and cinch the ‘knot’.
Whip stitch lashing
The whip stitch happens between each stake in the basket. You will be catching the top row of weaving and the rim in each stitch so that they sandwich together holding everything firmly to the basket.
Do this by grasping the lashing reed with your non-dominant hand and sliding it through your fingers gently all the way to the end. The point of doing this is to keep the reed oriented the same way along the whole length so that it doesn’t twist when you create your stitch.
Using the straight tipped packer slide the tip into space between the first and second rows of the basket to create room for the lashing reed to slide between them.
With the correct orientation of the reed (as described above by sliding it through your hand) slide the lashing reed into space and then all the way through. Once you’ve pulled all the excess through, tighten your whipstitch by pulling on the working reed until it is tight.
Tension matters. Pull tight on the lashing reed as you work. The reed begins to shrink as it dries. If it’s not tight when wet, the lashing and rim become loose as it dries and becomes more vulnerable to breakage.
When you go over the joints in the rim, hold the rim in place and maintain its position, so it sits right against the basket. Try to catch the rim joint with a stitch so that it holds it tight.
Continue doing this process around the rim putting one stitch into each space between the stakes of the basket.
Ending the lashing – tying off
Make sure to keep your lashing reed and all the rim wet as you work. Pull tight on the lashing as you go. Again, a reminder that the reed shrinks as it dries. A loose rim is easily broken and looks sloppy.
To tie off the lashing and finish the rim, loop it around the inner rim and pull it down into the wall of the basket to secure it. Just like you did for the starting knot. Tuck the end into the weavers in the basket wall.
Helpful resources for rim lashing
How to do Basic Lashing on a Basket Rim
How to finish your basket
When the rim is complete, do any final shaping or molding of the basket while it is still wet.
Allow the basket to air dry completely
Allow the basket to dry for 24 to 48 hours. The rim is thick and will need to completely dry before you do any staining or sealing.
To dry, place the basket in a well-ventilated area and allow to slowly air dry. Don’t try to speed up the process with a hair dryer or by placing it close to a heater, as this will too quickly dry out the reed and become brittle and weak.
Sign and date the bottom of your handwoven basket
Sign and date your basket with a waterproof pen. This is a great way to see your progress as you continue to weave baskets. Or look back to remember the time you wove your basket.
Stain or seal your handwoven basket
Once your basket is completely dry, you have the option to stain or seal the basket.
I highly suggest at least sealing your basket with a clear finish to preserve the basket and avoid mildew and mold.
There is also the option to stain your basket with a wood stain that will change the color of your basket. Consider staining if you want something darker, a wash of color, or a slightly different wood tone.
Helpful resources for finishing your basket
Signing Your Handwoven Baskets: Leaving a Legacy
How to Protect Your Baskets from Mold
For a complete guide to all Textile Indie’s basket weaving posts and videos, visit the main Basket Weaving Page.