Things You'll Need:
- Basket Dyes
- Basket Hoops
- Basket Reeds
- Dressmaker's Measuring Tapes
- Pencils
- Pencil Sharpeners
- Pencils
- Side Cutting Pliers
- Pencils
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Step 1
Dye 1/4-inch flat oval reed in pastel colors for Easter.
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Step 2
Make a God's Eye on each side of the basket to hold the 10-inch round hoops and ribs in place. (See "How to Make a God's Eye" in the Related eHows.)
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Step 3
Using #6 round reed, cut two pieces 16 1/2 inches long; two pieces 18 inches long; two pieces 19 1/2 inches long; two pieces 18 1/2 inches long; and two pieces 17 1/2 inches long. These 10 pieces will be the ribs of your basket.
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Step 4
Make pencil marks on one end of the ribs: Mark a "1" on both 16-1/2-inch ribs; a "2" on both 18-inch ribs; a "3" on both 19-1/2-inch ribs; a "4" on both 18-1/2-inch ribs; and a "5" on both 17-1/2-inch ribs.
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Step 5
Cut both ends of the ribs at an angle. This will make them easier to insert in the God's Eye. Cut with a pair of wire side cutters or use a pencil sharpener to sharpen the ends of the rib.
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Step 6
Dip the #6 round reed pieces in warm water for a few seconds. This will help prevent them from breaking.
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Step 7
Soak long pieces of 1/4-inch flat or flat oval reed.
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Step 1
Insert the pointed end of the #3 rib into the back of one God's Eye and the other end of the rib into the opposite God's Eye. Position the rib in the middle of the hoops between the top rim and the bottom rim.
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Step 2
Place the #1 rib into the God's Eyes and position it close to the rim of the basket on both sides of the basket.
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Step 3
Insert the #5 rib into the God's Eyes and position it close to the bottom of your basket on both sides of the basket.
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Step 1
After you weave your God's Eye, use the leftover piece of weaver to hold the ribs in place.
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Step 2
Use the same over-and-under weaving technique. If you went over the basket rim, then you will go under the next rib and over the next rib and so on.
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Step 3
Weave from one side of the basket rim to the other side. Keep the weaver firm and keep the ribs in a nice, rounded position.
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Step 4
Turn the 1/4-inch reed and keep the oval side or smooth side on the outside by twisting the reed as you take it over the hoop and start back over the ribs.
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Step 5
Adjust the ribs after you make a couple of wraps.
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Step 6
Add a new weaver by overlapping the new weaver on top of the old weaver about three or four ribs back.
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Step 7
Make four or five wraps and insert the remaining ribs following the pattern in steps #18 and 19.
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Step 8
Insert rib #2 alongside - but below - rib #1 with the sharp end of the rib inserted into the God's Eye. These ribs are usually inserted after weaving about 2 inches from the God's Eye.
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Step 9
Add rib #4 along the top side of rib #5 with the sharp end of the rib inserted into the God's Eye.
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Step 10
Continue weaving until the basket is completely filled. You may need to "fill in" when you get closer to the base of your basket. (See the next section, which covers filling in.)
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Step 11
Add ribs when needed by cutting the rib just long enough to cover the open area in your basket and sliding it next to the rib.
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Step 12
Fill in the larger spaces on the ends of the base by not weaving to the rim each time.
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Step 13
Weave up to the second rib from the rim and back to the second rib on the opposite side.
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Step 14
Turn the reed and weave to the third or fourth rib from the rim and back to the opposite rib of the same number.
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Step 15
Turn the reed and weave all the way to the rim, then turn the reed and weave back to the opposite rim.
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Step 16
Continue as needed until you've evenly filled in all of the empty spots on the ends.
