Weave a basket - PEP BB textile.sand.basket

Mike Haasl wrote:

Inge Leonora-den Ouden wrote:The basket has to be woven, hasn't it?
I know a different technique to make a basket out of plant material, but it isn't weaving. So probably I won't earn a BB with that ...

What technique are you talking about?  Maybe it would be a fit for the next level badge (Straw level)?

I am talking about 'looping' (nalbinding)

I made my woven basket! My material was brambles, because there's plenty of it around here. And I know since long brambles used to be used for baskets.

transport of brambles on my bicycle

materials and tools needed

thorns, leaves and little branches cut off

cut lengthwise and soft stuff inside scraped out

neighbour's cat came to help

cut in half

started weaving

bottom is ready

almost ready

string I made of plant fiber will be used

basket is ready!

The last BB for the textile badge. I used new growth twigs and vines from the back yard.  It was difficult to start the basket, my base twigs may have been to thick, but they eventually started to fold up to create the sides.  The basket measured 11' by 5".  

Clarification question...  Can the basket be bigger than 4" by 3"?  

Yes sir! The basket can be as big as you want. You just can't make a teeny, tiny basket.

Sweet, that's what I figured.  I'm going to use grape vines so it would be quite hard to keep it that small.  I think...  But who knows, I haven't done it before   I updated the top post to reflect that it's just a minimum.

I submit my ivy basket for your review for the Basket Sand BB.

In the arena of using what you have, my first basket attempt was made with curly willow twigs that I saved from the tree trimming and chop & drop projects.  The twigs that could make the frame are too stiff and brittle to bend into a basket shape. Another part of my chop & drop project was smothering the ivy that is growing beyond its allowed space, and I was much more successful with the ivy.  It was nice to find something useful to do with the ivy since it is generally an annoyance in this small yard.

I made a basket from grass because I wanted to know if I could. Apparently I can but I don't think I recommend it. If it holds up it's going to be an egg basket when the eggs start coming in. A couple pictures have a tape measure in them to be sure it's over the minimum. I actually made three styles of basket today and I think I have the pictures if they ever turn into other badge bits.

Here is my cattail basket. At a basket making meet up I learned the trick of using a Styrofoam block as a form, with sewing pins to hold it in place.

It never occurred to me to be interested in weaving baskets. But here I am, and I have to admit it was fun.

My locally sourced material was kudzu from our woods.

I pulled the vines off the trees and the girls trimmed the leaves for me.

My pile of kudzu vines, ready to weave.

Ribs of the basket tied and secure.

Getting a weaving rhythm going.

Finished basket, side view.

Finished basket, top measurement.

It's a little wonky, but it's serviceable, and I learned a lot!