How to Twine Honeysuckle Into a Basket
This rustic twined basket is as useful as it is beautiful. Constructed of sturdy honeysuckle vine, it makes an excellent centerpiece for your dining room table when you fill it with fruit or flowers. You can also use it to carry heavy loads when harvesting your garden or even doing laundry. It is durable and, because of the unique, gnarled texture of the vines, it is a favorite among crafters creating decorative baskets.
Things You'll Need
- 6 3/8 inch thick, 6-foot honeysuckle vines
- 20 1/4 inches thick weaver vines
- 20 4-foot long vine spokes
- 200 feet of vine weavers
- 1 3-foot long thick vine for handle
Instructions
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1
Gather the honeysuckle vines and hang them to dry in a cool, dark location.
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2
Just before you start to make your basket, soak the vines in warm water to make them more pliable. Wrap any presoaked vines in a damp towel while you work.
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3
Form the shape of a cross by laying three 6-foot spokes across three others.
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4
Fold a very long, skinny weaver into two unequal parts–one shorter than the other.
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Loop the weaver three times around the cross, wrapping it around the top spokes first and then twining it over and under the bottom spokes.
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6
Start wrapping the weavers around each spoke, crossing them after each spoke.
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7
To add a new piece of weaver, insert the sharp end next to the spoke and in the space between the previous weavers.
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Fill any gaps between spokes by inserting new ones in between the originals.
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9
Turn the spokes upward when the bottom of the basket measures about 1 foot across. You may have to dampen the spokes to make them more pliable.
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10
Continue weaving until the sides are about 8 inches high.
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11
Weave spokes into the top to form the rim of the basket by bending the spokes over and weaving them around each other.
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12
Wrap vines around each other, leaving 2 feet of loose ends at either side.
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13
Anchor the vine handle to the basket by wrapping the 2-foot lengths in a crisscross motion around the rims of each side of the basket.
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14
Push the edges of the vine inside the inner rim of the basket.
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Tips & Warnings
For the best results when shaping your basket, try to find vines that are similar in length, width and texture.
- Photo Credit freefoto.com
