Right at this point insist upon the pupils’ going slowly and weaving closely. The later satisfaction of knowing how to weave correctly will more than offset any discouragement at not seeming able to produce great results at once.
Next cut off the weaver long enough to go a little more than once around the circumference and overcast the weaving in the following manner: As the weaver comes from behind a spoke, put it over the next spoke to the right and through the last row of weaving just before it gets to the following spoke. It then goes behind that spoke, over the next and through the weaving, as before, just before it gets to the next spoke.
Figure 7 shows one stitch of overcasting and the second stitch just ready to be pulled through. This process continues once around, when the weaver is cut off on the back side of the last spoke as shown in Figure 1, B. Finish the mat with an open border, Figure 8, A, by turning in the ends of the spokes.
Figure 8 shows another “device” to illustrate the construction of some simple open borders. These may be woven left-handed or right handed as is most convenient. In “A” one spoke goes in front of the next and inserts just before it gets to the third. In “B” one goes in front of two and inserts just before it gets to the fourth. In “C” one goes in front of three and inserts just before it gets to the fifth. In “D,” in front of four and just before the sixth. Judgment is required to get the right sized loop. The length of spoke required after overcasting can be found by trial. All spokes must be cut the same length, sharpened, and inserted equally. In these borders if the spokes are approximately an inch apart “A” will require about 2¾ inches outside of the overcasting, “B” about 4¼ inches, “C” 5½ to 6½ inches, and “D” 6½ to 8½ inches. These lengths allow for insertion.
In Figure 3, A, B, and C illustrate another method of starting a center with one weaver. In this case two pieces are split in the center and the other two are put through them with the odd one inserted as shown at A. The weaving proceeds as by the first method until two courses are woven when, instead of separating the three spokes and beginning the single weaving, the weaver is reversed as shown at B and two courses are woven the other way. The separation into singles then begins as at C. This method of splitting half of the spokes and putting the others through them is the better method of the two as it is the less difficult to hold the group while the first two rows are woven.
Figure 1, B, shows a mat the center of which was started by the second method. The spokes are of No. 4 reed and the weavers of No. 3. Four spokes are 12½ inches long and one, 7½ inches. The border is illustrated at A, Figure 8. The weaving was 3¼ inches in diameter before overcasting.