Basket weaving

In short

• Rods are cut in winter, from leaf fall to when the sap rises (November–March), and sorted by length into bundles.
• Dry rods are soaked roughly 1 day for every 30 cm (1 ft) of length, then mellowed for 12 h wrapped in a damp cloth.
• A round basket has an odd number of stakes for single-rod weaving, or is woven with two rods; otherwise the same stroke repeats.
• Green rods can be woven at once, but they dry and shrink: the basket loosens. For lasting baskets, rods are dried for 6–10 weeks.
• Safety glasses: the end of a rod whips into the eye. Cut along streams and on other people's land only with permission.

What's inside

Chapters

1. Baskets on the homestead
2. Materials from around you
3. Growing your own willow bed
4. Cutting, sorting and drying
5. Soaking and mellowing
6. Tools and workplace
7. The base
8. Stakes, sides, border and handle
9. Other techniques and materials
10. Caring for and mending baskets
11. Common mistakes
12. Printable checklist

Worksheets

• Rod calculator
• Willow bed calculator
• Dates and plan
• Willow bed plan
• Records of rods and baskets
• Basketmaker's calendar
• Bundle labels