When the First Reed is Used Up
take another, cross the ends, and continue as you did when beginning with the first reed. As your weaving progresses do not forget to keep the distances between all of the ribs equal, and try to avoid the tendency they have to curve spirally. When your basket has slanting sides you will find it will almost shape itself after you have given the ribs a sharp bend at the first and started them in the right direction. By bending the ribs too much you will make straight sides to the basket or have them slant in instead of out. Two inches is a good depth for a small basket, and when you have woven that much, cut off the ribs, allowing them to extend about two inches beyond the edge, as in Fig. 389, and trim the ends slantingly, as shown in the same diagram. Bend the end of one rib down, and push it into the basket on the farthest side of the next rib (Fig. 389). Do this with the second rib, and so continue around until the edge is “bound off.” When the ends of the ribs do not slide in easily, pry open the space with a pair of closed scissors, turning them slightly.
All the baskets shown in
The Photographed Group
are woven in exactly this manner from start to finish; the shaping is done by bending the ribs this way or that, and by
Fig. 390 tightening the weave when narrowing and loosening it when widening. There is a difference, of course, in the length of the ribs, the larger baskets requiring longer ribs and more of them, but there must always be an even number to start with, the odd rib being added after the first round of raffia-weaving.
It is difficult to handle more than ten ribs at the start, but where the basket is large or a close weave is desirable you may double the number when the disk for the bottom is almost complete. To do this, cut a number of the ribs one-half the length of the ones you have started with, and after trimming the ends as in Fig. 389, insert one at the right of each of the original ribs, as shown in Fig. 390, pushing each well down toward the centre. This will give you an even number once more, so a third rib must be added to one of the groups, and should be inserted at the left, the original rib being between the two new ones (Fig. 390). Separate these ribs as you weave until all are of an equal distance apart, and continue the shaping of the basket.
The Covers
are pretty and useful additions to some baskets; they are woven in the same manner and are shaped according to fancy. The saucer shape is the most common style and requires no sudden bend in the ribs, but rather tight weaving and an indulgence of the natural inclination to curve from the centre.