The foundation pieces on which the weaving of a mat or the bottom of a basket is done are known as spokes because during the weaving, they radiate from a common center like the spokes of a wheel.
A finished mat of the simplest construction is shown in Figure 1, A. For this we use an odd number of spokes and a single weaver. The material required is as follows: Four pieces of No. 3 reed 12 inches long, one piece 7 inches long and a weaver of No. 2 reed. These are held together in the left hand and grouped as shown in Figure 2.
The short odd one is between the upper end of the two vertical ones and the horizontal pair is behind the vertical group. This brings the three vertical spokes above, and in front of the horizontal pair. The weaver of No. 2 reed is placed as shown, Figure 2, behind the vertical group and along the top of the horizontal pair with its right hand end projecting about ¾ of an inch to the right of the vertical group.
The weaver is then brought to the right in front of the vertical group, back and down behind the horizontal group, thereby binding its own end to the spokes. (Figure 3, A, shows the exact position of the weaver at this stage.)
It next comes to the left in front of the vertical and below the horizontal group, and up behind the horizontal group to the position from which it first started. It now follows the same course once more until it has been around the group twice as shown in Figure 3, B: but the next time instead of coming down across the horizontal spokes as shown in that figure, the spokes are separated and the under and over weaving commences as seen in Figure 4.
The left hand does the holding and the right hand the weaving. Be sure to hold the spokes out straight as the weaving is done around them in order that the weaver may be made to conform to the spokes, and not the spokes to the weaver as shown in Figure 5, A. Figure 5, B, shows the correct method. The spokes are approximately in the same horizontal plane.
When the spokes are all the same distance apart at the weaving, hold the mat down on a flat surface, Fig. 6, and continue the weaving until it is 3 inches in diameter. Figure 6 illustrates the correct position of the hands when holding the work down on a surface. Hold the spokes down with the left hand and weave with the right. This figure illustrates the weaving of a much larger mat but the principle is exactly the same. If one weaver is too short to bring the weaving to the desired size, join the weavers as shown in Figure 3, D, and continue the weaving as though the weaver were continuous, being careful to keep the weaving close together with the left hand each time it goes over and under a spoke.