How To Make Rope Baskets
Baskets can be made from wood, grass, leaves, plastic, rope and a variety of other things. They were first created to be purely functional items, and were used to collect such edibles as fruit, fish and vegetables. Today, baskets have evolved into works of art. Although still functional, they are more often used as decorative items.
Things You'll Need
- Sisal Rope Basket:
- 1 bowl
- Large darning needle
- Gardening gloves
- Pliers
- 6 meters of sisal rope
- Twine
- Tape
- Lariat Basket:
- Lariat rope
- Flat-head blade soldering iron
- Flat board with French curve attached
Instructions
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Make a Rope Basket With Twine
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1
Wrap the ends of the sisal rope with tape. This will prevent them from fraying.
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2
Thread the needle with the twine and tie the ends into a knot. Put your gloves on to protect your hands as you work.
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3
Start the base. Push the needle into the end of the rope. Make a tight spiral to begin the base of the basket. Wrap twine around it at 5-cm intervals. Push the needle through to the outer part of the spiral. Use the pliers to pull the needle out if necessary.
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4
Wind rope around the spiral. Wrap the twine around both loops at 5-cm intervals to lace them together. Push the needle out through the second loop. Use this process to continue creating loops for the base until it is as wide as you wish the basket to be.
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5
Turn the bowl upside down and place the rope base on the bottom of the bowl. Begin to wrap rope around the bowl, pulling tightly, and wrapping twine around each loop. The bowl makes it easier to create the sides of the basket.
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6
Turn your basket over and remove the bowl. Continue making loops, one on top of the other, until your basket is at the desired height.
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7
Finish your basket. For a decorative edge, bring your stitches closer together when you get to the top of the basket.
Make a Basket With Lariat Rope
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8
Start with a tight spiral. Use the French curve to brace the end of the rope as you make the spiral. Wind rope around the spiral.
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9
Insert the soldering iron between the loops to melt the rope and hold both loops together. Continue to wrap loops, soldering them together, until the base is as wide as you want it to be.
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10
Start making the sides of the basket when the base is complete. Wind one loop on top of the other, soldering in between as you proceed. Solder the loops within the basket. When you are no longer able to reach the loops within the basket, continue soldering between the loops outside the basket. Do this carefully if you do not want the soldering marks to show.
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1
Tips & Warnings
The soldering iron will melt the lariat ropes black. You can form patterns on the basket by soldering on the outside of the basket. When adding new lariat rope, solder the ends of the ropes together. Do this as smoothly as possible.
