“Stars and Stripes”

by Sheri L. Van Duyn

Dimensions: 3 ¾” diameter x 3 ¼” (basket) or 9” (handle height)   Materials:   #1 or # 2 round reed 1/4” flat reed in natural, red, and navy 3/8” flat reed Seagrass Star wire handle (available from your favorite Supplier) Star button and thread

Preparation:

Cut 6 pieces of 3/8” flat at 14” long. Mark the wrong sides in the center. Soak with a piece of # 1 or # 2 round reed.

Lay out the 6 spokes in a bicycle shape or like the clock. Crimp or bend the piece of # 1 or # 2 in half and twine as closely as you can to make a nice circle or starting at 2 ½”. This will be close and seem tight, but make a nice circle. Twine for 3 rows; base will be 3 ¼” – 3 ½”. Cut the ends and tuck into the twining.

Soak and upsett the spokes by gently bending all the spokes up.

Start with ¼” red overlapping each row which is start and stop. The pattern is as follows:

Row 1: ¼” red

Row 2: ¼” natural

Row 3: ¼” red

Row 4: ¼” natural

Row 5: ¼” red

Row 6: ¼” natural

Row 7: ¼” red

Rows 8, 9, 10: navy

Row 11: ¼” natural

Soak basket upside down and then bend and tuck the outside spokes into the basket and cut off the inside spokes even with the top of the basket.

Finishing:

Add rims of 3/8” flat to the inside and the outside of the last row of weaving covering up the natural row by clothes pinning in place. Overlap by 2” at different sides of the basket so that it is not so bulky.

Add seagrass for rim filler. Lash with ¼” natural flat.

Add the wire handle on the same spoke on opposite sides by going through the rim row and bend this wire back to the inside of the basket. Adjust for height so that the handle is straight. Height will be about 9”.

Add a star button to the center navy row in the front of the basket by threading this in place and tying off in the inside of the basket.

Leave the basket natural or spray this basket with Weaver’s Stain Oak (See Supplier's Page at this Site.) like this one featured here. 

Copyright ~ Sheri L. Van Duyn as inspired by Amy De Smet of Amy's Baskets ~ 2005
This pattern may be printed out for use, but may not be printed out in quantity for resale.

Return to: Weavers

Just Patterns

The Idea Magazine for Basketmakers

(616) 846-7926 * sheri@justpatterns.com