How to Make Baskets For Practical Use

"What is it for?" is asked so often that one realizessoft silk cut in narrow strips is most decorative. It is of
utility is the first requisite of a basket. Strong andpractical value, too, in keeping polished mahogany
well-made and adapted to its place in the household itfurniture free from dust. This quiver-shaped basket
must be, and it should be beautiful and harmonious asmakes an appropriate case for it. Six spokes of No. 2
well.rattan thirty-six 1 inches long are crossed in the centre
String Basket of Orange and Black Rattanand bound twice with a weaver of No. 00 before the
Materials:under-and-over weaving is begun.
16 24-inch pieces of No. 2 orange rattan,A centre one inch in diameter is woven and then the
9 or 10 weavers of No. 2 orange rattan,spokes are wet and turned up with straight sides for
3 weavers of No. 2 black rattan.two inches and a quarter. A dark-blue bead is slipped
Sixteen twenty-four-inch pieces of No. 2 orange rattanon to every other spoke, and the weaver having been
are arranged in the centre, shown in Figure 1. Thepushed up through one of these beads, the end of
four-row beginning is woven, and when the centre isanother weaver is run down beside the next spoke on
four inches in diameter the sides are rounded up, flaringthe right and two rows of pairing are woven. The
them outward decidedly for an inch and three-quarters.spokes are then brought straight up without weaving
An inch more is woven, drawing the spokes infor two inches and a half. Here a weaver doubled
gradually more and more and the spokes are bent inaround a spoke is woven in two rows of pairing. Again
toward the centre. Two weavers of black rattan andthe spokes are brought up straight without weaving
one of the orange are then woven in four rows offor four and three-quarters inches, when a piece of
triple twist, drawing them tightly. The ends of theseweaver is doubled around a spoke and one row of
weavers are cut about half an inch beyond the pointpairing is woven. On every other spoke an iridescent
on the circumference of the basket where the triplebead is threaded and the weavers are brought up
twist was started, and after wetting them until pliablethrough two successive beads to be woven in two
each is run down between the weaving beside amore rows of pairing.
spoke.Again the spokes are brought up without weaving for
The border is made as follows: In the first row eachan inch and seven-eighths, when seven-eighths of an
pair of spokes is brought over the next two pairs,inch of pairing is woven and the following border made:
under the next pair and outside. The ends are drawnIn the first row each spoke is brought back of the
tightly, making the border open. In the second rowspoke on the right and outside. In the second row each
each pair of ends is brought over the next pair ofend is brought around back of the next spoke and
spokes and inside, where they are cut so as to allowoutside, down by the weaving. As it is brought through
each to lie against the pair of spokes in front.in this way it lies close to another end, which it should
Duster Caseprecede, so that the next end to take will always be
Materials:the back one of the pair thus formed. A ring to hang it
6 36-inch pieces of No. 2 rattan,by is made by passing a piece of No. 00 rattan, about
2 or 3 weavers of No. 00 rattan,eighteen inches long, back of two spokes between the
6 large dark-blue beads,last two rows of weaving and tying it into a ring. The
6 large iridescent beads,ends are twisted in and out around the foundation ring
A Japanese duster with silk top.twice, making three circuits, which complete it.
A Japanese duster with bamboo handle and top of