Fig. 387. two ribs at once. In such a case pull out the work and correct the mistake.
Weave the raffia until the centre is about two inches in diameter, or until you have used up the raffia, then take from the water a coil of the No. 2 reeds, unwind it, and placing one end across the end of the raffia, hold it with the thumb of your left hand, and proceed to weave with the reed just as you did with the raffia (Fig. 387). In all cases the joining must be done on the inside of the basket.
'Weaving Baskets.'
Begin to shape the sides
By bending the ribs upward
Fig. 388.
Weave Your Reed
as closely as possible, and when you have a disk about four inches in diameter begin to shape the sides by bending the ribs upward toward you (Fig. 388) and drawing your reed tighter. If this slips up in the process, push it back in place and hold it down by passing the fingers of your left hand between the ribs from the inside. Indeed, this is a good way to hold your basket as soon as the ribs are sufficiently separated. Your left hand follows your right always in
Fig. 389. basket-weaving, holding in place what the right hand commits to its care.