BASKETRY 



614 



BASKETRY 



with the bottom. T I ol material are 



necessary, the i forming the frame 



.own as xpukcs, and the smallrr for bind- 



tme together ami known as the 



If tho material is dry ami brittle it 



i be soaked until it is pliable. Do not 



soak too long or it will absorb so much water 



that it will swell; tlu-n it will shrink on drying, 



and the mat will be loose. 



B ol rattan or small willow, as 

 the case may be. 12 inches long and one piece 

 7 inches long. Arrange them in two bunches 

 of three each; cross them at right angles at the 

 center. Hold them in the right hand, so that 



three will be 

 horizontal and 

 three vertical. 

 Insert the seven- 

 inch piece be- 

 tween the first 

 and second verti- 

 cal spokes above. 

 Bind them to- 

 gether with the 

 weaves, rattan or 

 bark, as shown in 

 Fig. 1. Weave 

 over and under the center from left to right 

 and pull the weaves down close to the center. 

 Begin to separate the spokes with the second 

 row of weaving ; with the third row they should 



be evenly separated, as in Fig. 2. When the 

 mat is six inches in diameter, fasten the weaves 

 securely and make the border. The spokes 

 should extend three inches beyond the mat. 

 Cut the ends, if necessary, to make them even. 

 Sharpen the ends so they will push down be- 

 tween the weaves, then bend them as in Fig. 3. 



Fig. 4 shows the completed mat. Practice on 

 mats until your weaving is even and the mat 

 is perfectly flat. Then you are ready to begin 

 a basket. 



3 



Simple Basket. Let the basket be three 

 inches across the bottom and five inches deep. 

 This will require eight spokes 21 inches long 

 and one 11 inches long. Make the bottom of 



the basket just as the mat was made. Bend the 

 spokes to an upright position and fasten them 

 by the first and second weave. If you wish a 

 vertical basket, make the weave tight, but if 



a b 



you wish to have it larger at the top, let the 

 weave be somewhat loose. When the right 

 height is reached make the border. Fig. 5 



