The process: Making the basket
I got so into the process that I forgot to drink or go to the toilet and, therefore, photos inevitably started well but then were forgotten as I sat there parched and cross legged trying to get the thing completed.
Ahead of starting I had received and unwrapped my willow order, then soaked it in my bath. The brown willow had a couple of days and the buff went in overnight.
I wanted to try and replicate the basket I'd chosen, so the techniques follow what I think went on with the original. The materials I chose made it so much harder as they were completely uneven, but were to reflect the colourful mother daughter relationship.
Getting the base size right.
Tying in the slath and then pairing curved ends and randing straight edges.
Selecting and slyping the side stakes.
Finished doing a four rod wale to create a foot and preparing to curve up the side stakes for the bunny butt basket shape.
Bringing up the basket and tying into a ship shape.
Starting with the French randing and trying to keep the randing pushed down whilst using the weave to encourage the basket to shape up.
Forgot to take photos due to stress! Finished up the first lot of randing material, started more material with one round of double French randing to secure the lower French randing. Still wasn't high enough, so repeated this step. Then put down the border 3 behind 1 which was fine on ends but really tight work on the straight sides.
Putting in the three stick handle. One sweet chestnut main stick and then two buff willow side sticks with a scallomed/ tapered underside to fold through the border. These were woven in place with the brown willow and then I split buff to make wrapping for the handle.
The basket was finished. Hurrah!
You can see the pretty colours in the day light.
