• 5/8" flat cut 8 spokes at 20"
  
• ¼ inch flat natural and dyed
  
• 3/8"flat natural
  
• ¼" flat oval natural
  
• ½" flat oval for rim (if working with children, use 1/2" flat reed)
  
• seagrass for rim filler
  
• 3/16" flat for lasher
  
• #2 round reed natural for twining

Lay out 2 spokes with the wrong side up, crossing them at right angles at the center, then put another spoke at a 45 degree angle with wrong side up, matching centers. Lay a 4th spoke like the last one with a 45 degree angle, matching the centers.

Insert a T pin through the center of all 4 spokes and into a piece of cardboard (this will hold them in place while you weave) or into the center of a Weaving Table.

Take a long piece of #2 round and crimp (squeeze) and bend it about 6 inches from the center (so your ends are uneven and don't finish at the same time in your weaving). On any spoke find your 1 ¾" mark, wrap the round reed around the spoke with the crimped area tight against the left side and begin to twine around the spokes being careful to keep your twining at the 1 ¾" mark on each spoke. Twine until your circle is 4 to 4 ¼" across. Keep your rows of twining close together.

When your circle is 4 to 4 ¼" across, remove the T pin and add the other four spokes, putting one between each of the original spokes (matching the centers with wrong sides up) and twine around each spoke, new and old. Make sure this new row of twining is close to the last row you did. Twine until your base is a total of 6 inches across. End twining on the same spoke as the one you started on and the one before it by tucking the end down into the twining.

Rewet your reed and upset (turn up) your spokes. Be careful to make your upset without breaking the spoke. When the reed is wet this should not be a problem. Dry reed WILL break.

Place the end of the ¼" flat reed on the outside of a spoke (it is helpful to hold this end in place with a clamp or clothespin) and weave one row (outside one spoke, inside the next, etc.) around your basket using clothes pins to hold the row of weaving where it should stay. When you have gone completely around your basket overlap for 4 spokes and cut off the weaver, hiding the end beteen the spoke and weaver. This row may be loose right now but you can come back and tighten it some later.

Starting to the left of where your first row overlapped, place a 3/8" piece of reed at the outside of a spoke that the last row of weaving was on the inside of and weave around your basket going outside of the spoke you went inside of on the last row (weaving opposite of the first row). Keep using clothes pins to hold your weaving where it should be and weave as close as possible to the 1st row. When you reach your starting point again overlap 4 spokes and cut and tuck the end.

Following the same process, weave a row using ¼" flat oval reed. After finishing this third row look at your basket to see where you need to pack the weavers down (pushing them toward the base) to make them snug together. Be sure you are weaving a circle and not distorting the shape by pushing your spokes in or out as you work. Pull all your spokes straight and work out any excess (loose) reed you may have in rows 1-3.

Now you are ready to add your color. Many combinations are possible. Wet your dyed reed for the minimum amount of time to achieve flexibility. Pull it through a towel to remove excess water and color so you won't stain your spokes as you weave the color rows. Weave 5 rows of stop/start weaving with ¼" dyed reed.

After every row, look at your shaping and pack down your weaving. A sturdy basket will not have gaps.

Weave one row start/stop weaving of ¼" flat oval, natural.

Weave one row start/stop 3/8" flat reed, natural.

Weave 2 rows of ¼" flat reed, natural.

Pack down all your weavers and straighten all your spokes.

Cut off the spokes that are inside the last row of weaving so they are even with it.

Rewet the spokes that are outside the last row of weaving and bend them down to the inside of your basket. Cut them to a length that will reach your topmost row of color reed. Tuck these ends of the spokes behind your 3/8" row and your topmost row of color reed.

Measure around the outside of your basket right at the rim. Cut two pieces of ½" flat oval 3 inches longer than that measurement (one piece can be slightly shorter for the inside rim). Using a knife or a Stanley Surform shaver, shave off the inside on one end of each piece and the outside on the other end of each piece so the two together when they overlap will not bulge. Cut the end that you shaved on the inside to the shape of the end of your thumb. Soak this flat oval reed until it is really pliable.

Using spring type clothes pins or small clamps attach the shorter piece of ½" flat oval to the inside of your basket and the longer piece to the outside. Do not make your overlaps at exactly the same spot but do place them close together. Insert a piece of seagrass between the two pieces as a rim filler.

Using a long 3/16" flat reed place the end between your rim pieces or tuck it down inside of a spoke and lash around the basket putting the reed through the space between the last two rows of weaving, under both rim pieces and pull out and over the top. Make sure the right side of the weaver faces outward. Repeat around the basket in the space between every spoke until you have made a complete circuit of the basket. Bury the end of the lasher either between the rim pieces or beside a spoke.

Please remember that the copyright for each pattern belongs to the author of the pattern. You may print the patterns for personal use; you may not sell, distribute or publish the patterns in written or web format.

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Free print catalog upon request. Please e-mail us at weaving@countryseat.com with your name and postal address. Catalog #31 is the current print catalog and will be sent with your first order. Please keep the Country Seat Courier newsletters as they contain new products and any changes to the print catalog. New products are added to the on-line catalog as they arrive. If you have placed an order and do not already have them, catalog #31 and newsletters will be sent with the order to keep you up to date.

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