From the vine with your own hands. Do-it-yourself wicker furniture from wicker as a business. Step-by-step work process

The art of creating various products from wicker or willow twigs was known more than a thousand years ago. At that time, this was a necessary skill related to satisfying a person’s everyday needs.

Currently, weaving willow baskets for beginners and experienced craftsmen is, rather, an exciting hobby that allows you to get beautiful products intended not only for collecting and storing mushrooms, berries, fruits and vegetables, but also for decorating rooms.

Modern designers are increasingly resorting to the use of all kinds of baskets, as they make it possible to fill the space with a unique rustic “spirit” and coziness, inherent only in rural houses. This is especially true in rustic, country and style, which are now becoming increasingly popular among residents of various private houses.

Basket weaving technology

To weave a basket, you can purchase ready-made willow twigs or assemble them yourself.

Freshly cut rods filled with juice must be dried well, and before starting to weave the product, soak for 30-40 minutes in hot water to make them more flexible.

The tools you will need for the job are pruning shears, a sharp pocket knife, scissors and an awl or screwdriver.

The art of basket weaving has its own simple terminology. If you look at the bottom of the basket, you will see thick straight rods that radiate from the center in the form of rays and are called “spokes.” Once they are folded upward to form the walls of the basket, they become the “racks” (or “box”).

All the sections of thin willow rods that bend between the spokes and posts are called "knit" (or "weave/weft"). Usually baskets begin to be woven from the bottom. Sometimes it is also called the base. Then the walls, bends and, if necessary, handles are woven.

Weaving willow baskets for beginners step by step

Let's consider one of the methods of weaving a basket with a diameter of approximately 28 cm and a height of about 12 cm.

We will need the following materials:

• 6 thick willow branches (future knitting needles);
• 24 rods of medium thickness (for the side parts of the bottom);
• 50 thin branches (25 for racks and 25 for walls);
• 12 rods of medium thickness (for special weaving designed to connect the base and walls).

There are five stages of basket weaving in total.

Stage 1: basic

Using pruning shears, cut 6 rods 35-40 cm long from a thick shoot. They will serve as basic knitting needles.

In the center of each of these three rods, use a knife to make a split 4-5 centimeters long. This split is called a "slit".

Place three split rods together and insert the remaining whole rods into the slots to form a cross.

Now we begin to weave the base itself (bottom).

Select the longest and thinnest rods. Take two rods and insert their thin ends into the slot, as shown in the photo.

Separate the twigs, pass thick knitting needles between them and braid them like this, passing from above and below alternately. In this way, you need to make two circles to make a weave of two thin willow twigs.

Then continue to make the same weaves, only single ones, tightening the rods tightly and bending each of the knitting needles outward in turn. It is necessary to try to ensure that the distance between large branches is uniform, as the result should be a structure reminiscent of the spokes of a bicycle wheel.

The following picture clearly shows what exactly the pattern should be, obtained in the process of weaving around the knitting needles.

In the description of the method of weaving baskets from willow and wicker for beginners, one important detail is often missed, on which the quality of one of the most important elements - the bottom - directly depends. This is the need to tighten the rods as tightly as possible after each weave of the knitting needle, without moving them up or down!

Using the method described, continue working, moving in a circle, until the twig runs out.

To increase the length, you should not use two new branches at once. Simply insert the twig with the pre-pointed end between the old twigs from the last rows, bend it in the desired direction and continue weaving at least a few more moves forward before changing the second twig. Carefully trim the remaining ends. As a rule, replacement should be made when there is still about 10 cm left to the end of the branch.

The base of the finished product should be slightly concave so that the basket can stand firmly on the veranda or. The technique for making the bottom clearly demonstrates that when the diameter reaches 7-8 cm, you need to tightly clasp it with your hands and slightly “push” the very center outward with your thumbs. However, it is important here not to overdo it and not to bend the base too much.

Continue weaving until the bottom reaches a diameter of approximately 22 cm. It is advisable to time it so that this moment coincides with the end of the next twigs, the ends of which should be fixed by tucking them between the branches of the previous row.

Cut the ends of the twigs with pruning shears as close as possible to the wicker base itself, but so that they still rest against the knitting needles.

Here the bottom is ready. For beginners, the result may turn out a little different from the photo, but this is completely normal.

Stage 2: breakdown of the base

At this stage, new branches are added to the weave of the base to each spoke, which will then play the role of racks for the further creation of the basket.

It is important to consider that each wicker rod has a natural curve with an inner and outer part.

For high-quality weaving of our basket you will need 24 such branches. Cut each of them with scissors or pruning shears to create a pointed and long oblique cut, located strictly on the inside or outside of the rod, but not on the side.

Holding the base with the concave side down, press an awl or screwdriver into the weave next to the knitting needle as shown in the photo.

Remove the awl and immediately insert the prepared rod with its inside down and another rod on the other side of the knitting needle. Using the same method, insert two branches into each spoke.

In various descriptions of weaving durable willow baskets for beginners, it is always indicated that the rods must be inserted with the inside down so that the product itself bends beautifully. If you insert them with the outside facing down instead, the basket will move apart.

On each stand, make a kink at a short distance from the beginning of the base weave (about 5 mm), simply pressing on them with your thumbnail.

Lift all the posts up, secure them with a hoop or tie them, making sure that there is no bending inward or skewing in any one direction.

Trim the bottom of the basic knitting needles at the same level as the edge of the weave, slightly below the bend of the posts.

Stage 3: connecting the bottom to the walls

One of the most important steps in weaving baskets is connecting the finished bottom with uprights to the side. In order for this transition to be uniform and look neat, use the softest light twigs of medium thickness in the amount of three pieces.

Place the basket on your lap with the base facing you - this will make it easiest to work with.

Take three twigs of uniform average thickness and trim their length so that it is the same. Insert their tips into those weaves on the bottom that are adjacent to the vertical posts. In order for the rods to hold tightly, their tips should go deeper into the base by about 5 cm.

Start creating the braided pattern with the leftmost twig. Hook it and throw it over the first and then through the second rack of the second row. Keep in mind that the weaving should not be on the side, but on the edge. This will allow you to obtain the most aesthetically pleasing connection.

Take the next twig, moving from left to right, and braid it around the posts in the same way.

Continue weaving around the entire base, always choosing the twigs one at a time and making sure that the branch you are working on is on top of the other twigs.

It is important to always tighten the rods tightly during the process, which will allow the product to obtain a beautiful shape due to good fixation of the racks at the very bottom. After the first round of weaving, place the basket vertically on a table or any other convenient surface. This will make the further work process easier.

Leave the small end of the twig sticking out, as shown in the photo. Start adding new branches from left to right, simply moving the old twig a little and inserting a new one into the resulting weaving gap. Make several weaves before adding the next twig.

As a rule, several circular weaves are enough to create a beautiful transition from the base to the walls. Pull the remaining loose ends down through the entire resulting weave, and then cut off with sharp scissors.

Stage 4: weaving walls

There are many patterns made from twigs of varying degrees of complexity, but when weaving a willow basket for beginners, it is better to use the simplest option, the diagram of which is presented below.

With an odd number of racks, it is permissible to use one rod as the basis of the weaving, but we ended up with 24 racks, so the best option is to weave from two branches.

Place the basket blank on a vertical surface, place some weight in it that will prevent the product from falling, and begin weaving. First add one twig, and only after throwing it several times over the posts in front and behind (approximately to the middle of the basket’s diameter) add the second one. Next, the branches need to be alternated, using one or the other in turn.

When the twig runs out, add a new one as shown in the figure. Always prune a branch before it begins to narrow too much, so that the weave does not have too thin parts.

After making a few circles, remove the hoop supporting the posts. If they begin to move too far apart, return the mount to its place. In total you need to move up about 9 cm.

After completing the main weaving, take three of the same twigs that were used to create the connection between the bottom and the walls. Secure them by simply sliding the ends under the posts.

Make several circles of weaving light-colored rods of medium thickness and secure the ends tightly using the same method as described above at the stage of connecting the base and walls.

Stage 5: weaving the bend

The final stage of making a basket is weaving a fold, to create which you need to bend the vertical posts and continue the pattern with their help.

Take the three light twigs used in the previous weaving, attach them to one post and bend it to the right. Do this for all vertical branches.

Then take one bent post and pass it under the third post, passing through the previous two.

Do the same with all the racks one by one, moving to the right. Make sure each branch is bent down tightly before using the next one.

When only three posts remain in a vertical position, stretch them according to the same pattern, only wrap the ends behind the existing weaves, tightening them tighter.

As a result, there should be long ends sticking out. Cut them off with an oblique cut.

As a finishing touch, carefully examine the product and remove all small ends using sharp scissors or pruners, being careful to make an oblique cut flush with the rest of the walls or bottom.

That's all the technology for weaving different willow baskets for beginners. With its help, both ordinary things and real masterpieces are created.

The original appearance of the products is obtained by using willow twigs of various shades in certain combinations.

This article is published to replace my old guide; to see the old version look here www.bushcraft.ridgeonnet.com/basic_basket_old_version.htm
I'll start with an introduction to simple terminology...
When you look at the bottom of the basket, the strong straight rods radiating out from the center are called "Spokes". After they are folded up to form the walls, I call them "Racks". (These straight bars creating a profile are usually called “Box”)
All sections of willow that bend between the spokes/posts are called “Weavers” (traditionally called “Weft”).
My knowledge and experience of basket weaving is based on self-teaching. I have not taken any specialized courses, so the instructions below describe my own methods. A specialist may use a technique that differs slightly from my method of making this type of product. Not being an expert, I still want to present my knowledge about basket weaving in this article.

I collect willow twigs for baskets in the countryside. Not all types of willow are suitable for making baskets; some of them produce too brittle a material that cracks when bent too hard during the making of the basket edges. When I'm looking for a suitable willow tree, I simply bend the branch 90 degrees or more, and if it cracks, it's not suitable for the basket... and I have to look for other options. Often the best option is willow with bark colored red, purple and orange. I don't know any names of willow species, I just know what is best and what is worst from what I see.
If you do not have the opportunity to collect the willow yourself, you can buy ready-made rods. Musgrove's Willow (http://www.musgrovewillows.co.uk/) is an excellent company where you can buy about 700 rods for about £20, including postage.
If the collected rods are damp, they must be dried. Baskets made from freshly cut twigs filled with sap lose their shape after a while and become loose. When a willow tree is dried, its bark wrinkles slightly.
Before you start weaving, the rods must be pre-soaked to make them more flexible. If the willow branches have retained their bark, then soaking may take about 1 week. Many people recommend wrapping the rods in a damp cloth and leaving them overnight to “ripen”.
You don't need many tools to make a simple basket like the one pictured. All you need is a pocket knife, pruning shears and possibly an awl. I've made baskets before using just a knife, but using pruners makes the job easier!


Cut 8 twigs from a thick shoot. Cut them approximately from your elbow to your fingertips.


Make a split a few centimeters long in the center of four of these branches.


Insert whole rods into the split to form a cross. It's called "Slath".
(alternate thick and thin ends to even them out)






Carefully select the thinnest and longest shoots from the collected branches, this will allow you to make good weaving from the very beginning. Take two rods and insert their thin ends into the slot as shown here...






First we will use a weaving technique called “Twining”. This is a very simple weaving method and is good for firmly holding knitting needles and posts together. The technique consists of holding two knitting rods and twisting them one after the other so that they change places. Each bend always goes in the same direction. After each bend, the next knitting needle (or knitting needles in this case) is placed between the two knitting rods and then the next bend begins... thus holding them in place. Look at the photo... it really is very simple!
Braid four needles around. Make two rows.






When you have finished weaving two rows around each row of four needles, start braiding each needle individually. Bend each needle outward to braid them one by one. Space the spokes evenly so that when we finish one row of weaving, we end up with evenly spaced spokes, like the spokes of a bicycle wheel. Make a couple more rows of weaving using this method.






At some point you will get close to the end of the tying rods and will need to extend them. It is better not to add two new rods at once. Look at the photo, in this example I am replacing rod “B” with a new rod labeled “A”. I took rod A, sharpened the end, then slipped it between the rods of the last two rows, then bent it following the weaving order of the old knitting. Now I can cut the old rod B and continue weaving the basket.
When replacing one rod with another, keep the thick end thick and the thin end thin.

Replacing the second old rod must be carried out a little further in a circle from replacing the first.


Once you have woven a couple of rows around the knitting needles, we stop using the twisted weaving method and continue to weave in a simple way, which consists of simply running the rod around the inside and outside of the knitting needle. You continue to weave in this manner until the base expands to the desired diameter. However, in order to correctly perform this simple type of weaving, we need an odd number of knitting needles. We have 16 spokes, so we should add one more. Just place it between the rods of the last couple of rows. Sometimes it can be difficult to push a new needle in, so use an awl to widen the hole (if you don't have an awl, you can use a thick metal nail).




Cut one of the knitting rods and continue to weave as usual, inside and out around the needles.


To add a new tying rod, place the new one next to the old one and continue weaving.

Continue weaving until you have weaved the bottom to the desired diameter. In my case, the bottom was made with a diameter of 8 inches.



The bottom may take on a concave shape... this is good, because... this will give stability to the basket. You can increase the bend by constantly pressing down on the needles as you weave.


It's time to form the walls of the basket. At this stage, use willow shoots of medium thickness, you will need one for each knitting needle. Sharpen the thick end of each of them.



Now you need to place a new willow shoot into the weave along each spoke. If you look closely at a willow shoot, you will notice that the thick end is slightly curved; Place each shoot with the concave side facing down.




Cut off the ends of the old rods at the level of the edge of the binding.




Now take one of your new posts and bend it down to the left under the two adjacent rods, then turn it up as shown in the first two photos below. Now take the next rod on the left and bend it too. Continue weaving the basket in the same way in a circle. It's a bit of a challenge to keep the posts in place, but try your best.
At this stage, the racks can simply be bent upward, but it is better to bend them as described above, because this makes it possible to create an edge that gives the basket greater stability.







The last two rods of the racks will not have subsequent racks so that they can be bent; so they just need to be screwed around the first posts. When you twist the last two rods, everything will be tightly connected.
Tie the rods of the racks together at the upper ends so that they do not fall out of their places.




Now you can start weaving the sides of the basket. You can simply start the main weave immediately after bending the uprights, but for the purposes of this tutorial, we will start with a weaving method called "three rod wale". This type of weave gives a nice edge before starting the main weave; and also helps to firmly hold the upturned rods of the racks in the desired position.
To weave “three rods,” place three new rods along three adjacent posts. Take the leftmost rod and bend it to the right in front of two adjacent posts, then behind the third; and then go back forward. Now take the next rod and repeat the action; then the next one, etc...








When you finish weaving the second row with three rods, you can untie the upper ends of the rods of the posts.



Now we can start weaving with the basic method that forms the supporting sides of the basket.
We will use a type of weaving called “French Randing”. This type of weaving is very popular; with its help you can make smooth walls and weave much faster at a good pace.
First of all, you need to add one rod to each post around the circumference of the basket. Choose good, long, thin rods of equal length. Add the twigs one by one so that the direction of the growing tips of the shoots is towards the left hand. Place the butt end behind the post rod, then pass it in front of the next post on the left, then behind the third post, then bring it forward. The binding rod will hold itself in place. Now add the next rod, place the butt behind the next post on the right; weave over the end of the previous rod in the same way. Continue adding rods until you have weaved the entire basket.
Now let's start braiding... start with any knitting rod, just braid it to the left using the same method you used before: forward, back, then forward again. Then take the next weaving rod on the right and do the same... that's it, just continue weaving around the circumference of the basket.






When you return in a circle to the place where you started weaving, you will see that two knitting rods, instead of one, ended up behind two rods of the posts. You may be confused about which tying rod to start with... Start with the rod that is located at the bottom, then everything will return to order. The photo shows that knitting rod number 1 should be braided before number 2.
Now this row of knitting is completed and you can continue by taking a knitting rod and braiding it in the same way as before.

Continue weaving using the French welt method until all the knitting rods are braided to the ends. Cut off the individual excess ends of the rods.




Close the Welt with a row of three rods...




You can extend the basket to the height you need using the same French welt. One layer of welt will be sufficient for this type of basket. All we need to do now is bend the rods of the posts down and weave them into the edge. There are many different options for edges, which are made by weaving the rods of the posts at the front and back in different combinations. I think you can develop your own design...
For this exact model... take one of the post rods and bend it down to the right. Place them behind the next two posts; in front of the third and fourth pillars; then behind the fifth pillar; then go back forward. Now take the next post on the right and repeat the weaving in the same order.




The last pair of posts will not be vertical enough to braid around them. However, repeat the same weave, pushing the ends in and out of the edge to achieve the same pattern.
Finally, trim the long ends flush with the edges of the basket.






If you don't need a handle, then the basket is complete! Great job!


If you need to add a handle, keep reading...
To form the main part of the handle, you will need a thick flexible shoot of willow or other suitable wood. I used dogwood. Bend it and mark how long the handle you need, then cut it. Point the ends and push them down between the tying rods on opposite sides.






Now take 4 or 5 long, medium-thick willow shoots and insert them into the weave near the end of the handle

Wrap these shoots around the handle several times until you reach the other side. Thread the ends under the weave edge of the basket.



Repeat the last step at the other end to fill the voids in the weave.

Grab the ends of the rods and pull them so that the braid fits snugly against the handle. Then insert a thin willow rod into the weaving nearby.


Bend a new piece of willow and begin wrapping it around the ends of the braid to secure the ends in place. After a few turns, hide the end as shown in the illustration.





Finally, trim the ends.


The cart is complete! In the center is a basket made entirely of blackberry shoots. To see how to prepare blackberry shoots for baskets, see my old article about baskets.
If you made it to the end, great!

Excerpt from the old version of the article
Blackberries are an excellent material for many reasons: they dry quickly, are very flexible, beautifully colored, strong, have long shoots and are almost uniform in thickness throughout. I also worked a lot with blackberry shoots without even soaking them before weaving, thereby saving a lot of time.
If you are using willow or blackberry, you will need to dry it. You can tell it has dried out by the loss of weight and shriveled bark. There are several specific species of willow that are suitable for weaving and are best harvested in the winter, if possible in the winter when the sap is less and there are no leaves on the branches.
You may be wondering how to remove thorns from blackberries and make the branches suitable for weaving... the first time I picked blackberries I destroyed a good pair of leather gloves. I have found that it works best to wear leather gloves, but keep a piece of tarpaulin or sturdy material on top. Holding the branch by the growing end, slide your hand (protected by leather or cloth) down the stem, then cut it off at the base. This will be a rough cut to remove all the thorns and leaves, but the stem will still be rough. Set the blackberry shoots aside to dry completely, then push them through the sandpaper while holding it in your hands, this will make the branches smooth and allow you to work with them without problems. The design of the baskets is the same regardless of the material you use. Choose your shoots wisely. Avoid picking blackberries that are too thick or too short to work with and look for long shoots.

Willow baskets are ideal for collecting and storing mushrooms and berries, fruits and vegetables, and other things that are found on the farm. In addition to being a wonderful addition to the interior, willow baskets can be used as an additional source of income. If you would like to have such a basket in your home, but have never done wicker weaving before, read this master class on weaving willow baskets for beginners.

Terminology

First, we need to know some words that are used in weaving. First, the rods that radiate out from the center of the bottom of the basket are called spokes. Next, when you bend these rods upward to begin weaving the walls, they are called uprights. Actually, only these two terms should be known in order to understand what is being said in our master class.

Collection and harvesting of willow

Willow twigs can be found in rural areas, but if it is not possible to visit a village or village, you can order willow twigs through special online stores. If you nevertheless decide to collect willow branches yourself, then you need to know a few secrets so as not to make a mistake. Firstly, the willow branch must bend 90 0 without breaking. Second, the best willow branches often have red or orange bark.

After we have collected the rods, we need to dry them thoroughly. If this is not done, the basket will very quickly lose its shape. Before starting weaving, thoroughly soak the willow branches; this promotes greater flexibility, which is undoubtedly a huge advantage when weaving baskets and other things from willow branches.

Weaving tools

To create baskets from willow branches we will need:

• Secateurs
• Ready willow branches

As you can see, there are very few materials, and besides, they can be found in almost any home.

Progress

Our master class will use the classic technology of weaving willow baskets. Almost all masters weave using this technology, sometimes adding their own elements that are not very different from the data.

First we will learn how to weave the bottom of a basket. For this we need eight rods, in four of which we make holes. We insert the other four twigs into these holes.

Now we need to select the two thinnest willow twigs to start weaving the bottom. We insert their ends into the slots so that one rod is on top of the four rods of the cross, and the second is on the bottom.

Next, we begin to braid four knitting needles with two thin rods. We weave so that they change places, i.e. the twig that was initially on top, after braiding the second four knitting needles with it, will be on the bottom. And the one that was below will therefore be on top. We continue to weave two rows like this.

Now we braid one knitting needle at a time with the same thin rods, bending them evenly so that it looks like a wheel. We continue to weave like this.

If you notice that your thin twigs are running low, they will need to be extended. In order to extend the twig, you need to take another, equally thin one, sharpen the end and insert it between the twigs of the last two rows. Then carefully cut the old rod and continue weaving. We advise you not to extend two rods at once; it is better to extend the first one first, and after the row of weaving, the second.

After weaving a few more rows, we move on to the simple weaving method, i.e. you simply go around the outside and inside of the knitting needle with a twig. But in order to start weaving like this, we need to add another knitting needle. There is nothing complicated about this, just place it between the twigs of the last two rows using an awl or a thick nail. Continue weaving in this way until you get the desired bottom size.

If the bottom suddenly becomes concave, do not be alarmed, this is even good, as it will give the basket stability. To get a concave bottom, simply press on the knitting needles while weaving.

Now we begin to weave the walls of the basket. We take 17 willow shoots and insert them into the weave along each knitting needle. Please note that it is best to insert it so that the concave side of the branch faces down.

Carefully cut off the ends of the old twigs and take a new stand. We bend it to the left, then down under two adjacent twigs. Then we turn it upward. We do the same with subsequent rods.

Just twist the last two rods around the first posts and tie the posts on top to make it easier to weave and the rods don’t fall out.

Now we take three more rods and place them along three adjacent posts.

We bend the leftmost rod to the right in front of two posts and behind one third, then we return forward again. We do the same with the other two twigs. We weave two rows like this, now our racks are firmly fixed and will not fall apart if we untie them.

Next we weave the walls of the basket. To begin with, you need to add one thin twig to each rack. We place the rod behind the rack, then pass it forward, pass it behind the third rack and bring it forward again. Now you need to add the next rod and do the same steps. Add more twigs until you have covered the entire basket. Please note that at this stage you need to weave to the left.

To weave the sides of the basket, take any rod and continue weaving as before. Then we take the next rod on the right and repeat. After the first round, you will be faced with the question of which rod to start weaving with. The answer is this: start weaving with the rod that is at the bottom.

We continue to weave in this way until our twigs run out. Now we carefully cut them off and take three new rods. We continue to weave the basket as before, if necessary, increasing the height of your basket in the same way.

In order to braid the side of the basket, take one of the rods of the racks, bend it down and to the right. Then we bring it in by two rods of the rack, we take it out again by two rods, then we bring it in by one rack and we take it out again. Now with the stand on the right we repeat these steps.

Finally, push the ends of the last pair of posts in and out of the edge and carefully trim off the excess rods.

Video master classes

Basket weaving is quite a fascinating activity; we suggest watching several video lessons to reinforce the theory.

The most interesting articles:

How to weave a basket

In the recent past, the ability to weave baskets taught in every family. They wove shoes, baskets, bodies for sleighs, carts, and individual pieces of furniture from wicker. But along with the old way of life, many types of applied art that were widespread at that time began to decline. Gradually, wicker weaving almost disappeared from our everyday life. And then it turned out that the basket for collecting mushrooms and berries cannot be replaced with any bag or bucket. In a wicker basket, the contents are well ventilated, and potatoes, for example, are easily freed from sand - it spills out through the holes. Wicker boxes and baskets are convenient and practical.

Today, due to interest in antiquity, as well as an increase in free time and the desire to make things with your own hands “for home and family,” weaving, like other types of applied art, is experiencing its rebirth.

Which basket to start learning weaving with?

In our opinion, you need to start learning weaving with a simple basket, a durable and beautiful design, which is called cat(photo above). Making such baskets is not difficult. They are distinguished by their capacity, strength, stability (which is especially important when picking berries, mushrooms, potatoes), and are easy to carry (on the arm bent at the elbow). A skillfully made koshik looks beautiful, filled with the gifts of nature, fits well into the interior of a modern apartment, making it more comfortable and homely. In the kitchen and in pantries, onions, garlic, cranberries, potatoes, etc. are stored in baskets.

Amateur weaving does not require a special tool or workshop. All you need is a knife, a piece of wire and pliers.

What are baskets made from?

Branches and twigs are used as material for weaving baskets. First, blanks for the rings are selected. These are branches or shoots of willow, buckthorn, bird cherry, oak, hazel, etc., without damage, knots or other defects. One ring will serve as the handle of the basket, and the other as the base. After inspecting the workpiece, you need to work it on your knee, slightly bending it and securing it with your hands. A loose ring is a compressed spring, and if one of the ends pops out, it can hit hard.

If the workpiece bends well and does not form any breaks, then a ring can be made from it. To do this, at a distance of 8-20 mm from the end of the branch (depending on the diameter of the thickened part), a smooth cut is made from the outside. The same is done on the thin end of the workpiece, but from the inside. This is necessary so that the thickness of the ring around the entire perimeter is approximately the same. After this, the ring blank is overlapped. First, tie the ends with twine, and then, having made cuts on both sides, carefully tighten them with wire.

Bending a small ring does not require much effort, but when working on the knee with workpieces for large baskets, significant effort and hand support will be required so that the workpiece does not crack or break. A skill is not developed immediately, and therefore, if you fail, you should not despair.

Having made the outer ring, proceed to the inner one. Since it is braided, there are no such high demands on its appearance as on a handle ring. Having made both rings, put them aside and start working on the ribs.

The living lower branches of 10-20-year-old Christmas trees serve as durable material for the ribs of the basket. Having removed such a branch from small twigs and needles, it is worked on the knee, cut to the required length and cleared of bark. The same is done when making ribs from other types of trees or shrubs. The length of the main ribs should be more than half of the inner ring, and the additional ribs should be slightly shorter. The rib should bend evenly along its entire length. To do this, its thick end is cut off, like the blanks for the ring.

Materials for weaving baskets

The materials for weaving basket baskets are willow twigs, walnut shingles, wire, PVC tubes, etc. The most common and easily accessible are willow twigs. Many willows grow along rivers, in meadows and in low places. However, not all rods are suitable for weaving. Annual shoots 60-80 cm long are used, and the thickness is selected depending on the size of the basket. Twigs prepared in spring and summer can be put into use immediately, while those cut in winter are first warmed up.

The workpiece is cleared of bark, knitted in bunches and stored in a ventilated barn or attic. In winter they are steamed. This rod bends well and is very convenient to work with. If there is a lack of twigs, as well as to make the baskets lighter, the shoots are split in half. Potato baskets are usually woven from unpeeled twigs. Willow wood is used for rings and ribs, and thinner rods are used for weaving.

Sometimes hazel is used to make baskets and boxes. For this, hazel sticks 1.5-2 m long are harvested at the age of 4-6 years. Their diameter at the butt should be from 15 to 30 mm, and the sticks themselves should be straight, without knots or damage. The hazel shoot is cut with a knife or cut down with a hatchet at the very base, so that the butt part does not receive cracks.

Typically, material is prepared for several baskets at once. For beginners, we recommend cutting off a few extra blanks, since not every one will turn into a ring or make shingles the first time.

To make a small basket (for 3-4 liters of berries), it takes 2 hazel blanks for rings and 4-5 for shingles and ribs. Hazel has no waste, since after removing the shingles, the core is used for ribs.

The shingles are obtained as follows. The hazel is first slightly bent at the knee along its entire length, and then an incision is made with a depth of 1-2 annual layers per ¼ of the length of the stick’s circumference. From the cut, as a result of bending, the shingles peel off.

Willow basket weaving for beginners, with pictures and videos

The hazel is taken under the arm and the shingles are carefully peeled off along the entire length. As you gain skill, this operation is performed more and more confidently. The main thing is to “feel the layer.” In the same way, shingles are torn off from the opposite side and from the sides.

The hazel shingles are completely removed from the entire workpiece. After peeling it with a knife, it is immediately used for weaving, since when it dries it becomes brittle. Making hazel shingles requires experience. Therefore, it is better to start weaving your first cat from willow twigs. In addition to willow rod and hazel shingles, the roots of pine, spruce and other trees are also used for weaving. Usually roots 0 to 10 mm are used. They are carefully removed from the ground and, without tearing them off, begin to be lifted in one direction and then in the other. Thus, sometimes it is possible to obtain a root 3-4 m long. It is split in half; peeled from the bark and used for weaving. Weaving from roots is quick, the products are light and elegant.

Nowadays, wire is sometimes used for rings and ribs, and artificial materials of different profiles (round, oval, flat) and colors are used for weaving. These materials, unlike natural ones, are recommended to be used during the initial acquaintance with the design and weaving of baskets - for educational purposes. This braid is easy to unravel, and the material can be reused many times. Baskets woven using plastic materials look elegant, but they have significant drawback: It’s much more pleasant to pick and take a handful of berries from a bag made from natural materials.

Four steps to weaving a basket

1. Braiding the cross.

   We insert one ring at a right angle. Then we take the prepared rod (shingles, root) and, holding one end between the rings, we braid the cross, as shown in the photo. We tuck the end in and tighten it. We also braid the second cross.

2. Next, insert the first three ribs on each side with sharp ends. We braid them first on one side and then on the other. We check whether both halves of the cat are symmetrical. To do this, tie a cord around the middle of the rib. If the contours of the future basket are successful, weaving continues. When the distance between the ribs increases, additional sections are inserted into the spaces between them.
3. At the end of the weaving, when all the ribs are inserted, it may happen that the inner ring of the weaving comes to an end, but there is still a gap in the middle. In this case, it is necessary to align the basket along the entire length by parallel weaving on each side. In this case, the ends of each twig (shingles or roots) are placed under the rib and cut off.
4. When braiding the last rows, threading a twig between the ribs is reminiscent of sewing with a needle: it is pulled with force so that there is uniform density and symmetrical alternation. Finishing of a woven product involves removing burrs, cutting off the long ends of the rods, and cleaning with a file or sandpaper.

Try to weave the simplest cat basket. This is not just useful, but also a very exciting activity.

Weaving wicker baskets for beginner needlewomen

A basket woven from wicker is very functional and useful in the household. It can be used when going to the forest to pick mushrooms or berries, or put vegetables and fruits in it. You can also go to the store with such an elegant basket. A basket made of wicker can also be used to store various items, such as umbrellas. Ultimately, making baskets from wicker can become an additional source of income. Preparing vines for weaving baskets has its own secrets and subtleties, which you will learn about in this section of the article. In general, weaving baskets from wicker for beginners seems like an impossible task, but you just have to try and you will succeed.

Many housewives who want to get such a basket for their household are wondering how to weave baskets from wicker with their own hands and whether it is even possible. Answer: of course it is possible! All you need is a little patience and materials that can be found very easily.

Let's prepare the material

Most often, needlewomen use willow or blackberry branches to weave such baskets. Willow branches suitable for weaving have orange, red or purple bark and bend easily to form a 90° angle without breaking. Winter is recognized by all craftswomen as the best time to collect branches. The basket is woven using dried twigs. Before you start weaving a basket, we advise you to soak the twigs, this will make them more flexible and it will be easier to weave baskets. Please note that if there is bark left on your branches, you will have to soak them for one week so that the bark can be easily removed.

Basket making work

To create such an amazing basket you will need:

• Cooked willow or blackberry twigs
• Sharp knife
• Secateurs

The first step is weaving the bottom. We take 8 twigs, make a hole of about 3 cm in the center of four of them. We insert the other four twigs into this cut. The result was a cross. Now take two twigs, insert them into the same cut and begin to braid four twigs from the base. After weaving two rows around four twigs, start braiding each twig individually. Try to ensure that the rods lie evenly, you should get an even wheel. Now that you have woven two more rows, you need to add new rods. We take a twig with a pointed end and insert it into the last two rows between the other twigs. Now we bend it, and carefully cut off the old, finished rod. We recommend replacing the next rod further around the circle.

After you have braided two more rows around the twigs, start weaving, moving the twig around the warp twig inside and out. Continue weaving until you reach the desired size for the bottom of the basket. Next, to make everything work out, add one more to the 16 base rods. Place it in the last row between the rods.

Now we begin to weave the walls of the basket. To weave the walls we will need willow branches of medium thickness. It is necessary to again take the pointed thick end of the branches and place a new branch along each base rod. It is important that the concave side of the branch faces down. We cut off the ends of the old rods and continue to weave with new ones. We bend the new twig under two adjacent twigs to the left and down, then turn it up. Continue bending the remaining rods in this manner. Now, you will notice that the last two twigs cannot be bent, you just need to twist them around the first ones. Next, we need to tie the rods together so that they do not fall out. Then we take three new rods, bend the leftmost one to the right in front of the other rods located nearby, hook it behind the third rod and go back. We repeat the same with the other two rods. Now add one rod around the circumference of each post. A post is a branch that goes up from the bottom. Place the rod behind the post rod and pass it to the left in front of the post, now behind the third one and bring it forward. We repeat the same with the next rod.

We continue to add twigs until the entire basket is woven. Next, start weaving from any rod only to the right, in the same way - forward, back, forward. On the right, take another rod and do the same, braiding the basket around the circumference. Returning to the very beginning, we take the rod that is located below and begin to weave again. We continue to weave in this way until the twigs are braided to the very ends. Now we carefully cut off the excess ends of the twigs and close the row with three twigs.

Wicker weaving for beginners: simple instructions

At the end, we bend the rods of the racks and weave them down.

The last step to creating a chic basket is weaving the handle. To do this, you need to take a thick shoot of willow or blackberry, bend it and imagine how long you need the handle. Cut off the excess end. Just be careful in your measurements; if you cut off more than necessary, the basket will not turn out the way you want. Next, we sharpen the ends of the branches and insert them from opposite sides between the rods. Now we push five long shoots next to the handle. They are needed to wrap our handle with them. Pass the excess ends of the shoots under the edges of the basket. We perform this operation on both sides. After this, we take a thin willow rod and begin to wrap it around the ends of the braid. We hide the ends after several turns and trim the twigs.

That's all you need to know to create an exclusive basket with your own hands. By following these simple steps, you will not only get a useful container for storing various products, but also a wonderful decoration for your home!

Thematic video selection

In this section you will be presented with video tutorials on weaving baskets from wicker. They will very clearly explain to you some subtleties that were not mentioned in the article.

First you will need to prepare the rods. To weave a basket we will need rods 2-10 mm thick of different lengths. You can calculate the consumption as follows:

1. For weaving the bottom - approximately 30-50 rods, thickness butt(cut point is the thick end of the rod) 2-4 mm, 8 sticks with a diameter of 4-6 mm.

2. For risers (racks) - 16 main ones, 16 additional ones (for bending), 5-10 spare ones, a total of 42 rods, with a butt diameter of 4-6 mm.

3. For the side part - the quantity depends on the number of layered weaves. This model has 5 layer-by-layer weaves, which means that 16 (the number of risers) needs to be multiplied by 5, we get 80 rods, thickness 4-6 mm in the butt.

4. For weaving ropes - 3 ropes of 6 rods each (with replacement) -18 rods, 10 rods in stock, a total of 28 rods, thickness at the butt 4-6 mm.

5. For weaving a handle - 1 thick rod with a butt diameter of 8-10 mm. For braiding you need 8-10 rods, with a diameter at the butt of 5-6 mm, a supply of 5 rods.

TOTAL: approximately 230 rods.

You can watch a video course on preparing rods on the page:

COLLECTION AND PREPARATION OF WILLOW RODS

Basic stages of basket weaving

1. Weaving the bottom 4x4. You can weave a 3x3 bottom (for a small basket, or build up risers in the cross). Maybe 5x5. The greater the number of main rods in the crosspiece, the smaller the distance between the risers, which means layer-by-layer weaving looks denser and the work is more aesthetically pleasing. On large bottoms 5x5 or 6x6 you can weave a large basket. You can watch a video on weaving bottoms on the following pages:

WEAVING BOTTOM 3x3
WEAVING BOTTOM 4x4
WEAVING BOTTOM 5x5

2. Next you need to prepare and insert the risers. For a 4x4 bottom you need 16 rods. Be sure to take a supply, because... Risers break during operation and need to be replaced. You can watch a video course on inserting risers into work on the page:

INSERTING RISERS

3. After insertion, the risers must be secured with ropes, first in the plane, thereby securing the bottom, and then again at the bend. Sometimes I fasten the bottom with 1 rope in 3 rods 2 through 1, and the bend with 2 ropes in 3 rods 2 through 1. You can watch a video course on weaving a rope on the page:

LAYER WEAVING IN 1 ROD

In this work I wove layer by layer into 1 rod. In fact, you can braid with 2 or 3 rods, one or 2-3 colors. Colors that can be obtained by ordinary treatment with water (cooking the rods): white, light orange and brown. Options for working with different colors of rods and different types of layered weaving:

5. After the side part is ready, we fasten it with a rope in three rods 1 through 2, the rope on the front side will be under the bend, so I braid this particular rope. You can watch a video course on weaving such a rope on the page:

ROPE IN 3 RODS 1x2

6. We finish the work by weaving the bends. Again, there may be options. In this model I made a false braid; you can use different types of braids or simple curls. You can watch video courses on weaving bends on the pages:

SIMPLE BENDING
FALSE BRAID BEND

6. The final stage of working with the basket is weaving the handle. You can watch a video course on weaving handles on the page:

HANDLE WEAVING

7. After finishing the work, you need to cut off all the remnants of the rods and clean the basket with a brush.

Weaving a willow basket with your own hands for beginners: diagram, photo. Weaving willow and wicker baskets

This is done to give the surface of the basket a natural shine. Decorative baskets can be treated with wood varnish. But I love natural shine, so I don’t resort to varnish coatings.

Weaving a basket from a wicker.

When and how to harvest vines for weaving

Master Class

Basket made of wicker. Master Class

Title: “Mushroom picking with a basket”

Goals: to introduce students to traditional nature management - the use of natural materials - vines for crafts - baskets to go mushroom hunting in the fall.

Age of children involved: 5-10 grades.

Required for work: desire, vine, awl, pruning shears, template.

Good afternoon Guess what the riddle is about:

It is comfortable and light

Its name is short

In the economy it serves us for centuries,

This word contains the name ZINA.

You can go mushroom hunting with her,

Can you pick berries?

It's not hard to wear

And very easy to break!

They weave them from twigs and bast,

Right- basket. This is what we will learn to weave. And let's get acquainted with the Cossack craft - wicker weaving.

Step-by-step work process.

1 step— Conduct instruction on work safety when harvesting vines, when working with an awl, pruning shears, and about your workplace.

Step 2— Prepare the necessary tools.

Step 3- Go to the forest, prepare a long vine - a little thicker and thin flexible (150 pieces), even different colors are possible.

Step 4— We use raw vine. Let's start work by designing the bottom of an oval basket in the future - for this we will make a cross from the intersection of seven rods located parallel to each other with three.

Step 5- Now braid all 20 twigs with a vine, starting from the thin end, cutting the twigs diagonally towards the inside of the basket

Step 6- Continue weaving for about 20 rows.

Step 7— At the end of the work, cut off the cross rods - the basis for the bottom.

Step 8— Insert the rods-ribs of the basket walls into the bottom between the woven rows of vines, later bringing them together at the top through an oval-shaped template.

Now build up the walls of the basket to the required height using multi-colored vines. Now start weaving from the thick end of the vine

Step 9— Place the rods-ribs along the top inside the walls, one after another.

Step 10-- Having selected 9 loops for the handle, pass them through the top rows and fasten them inside.

Step 11— You can weave a variety of baskets to go mushroom hunting.

Thank you for participating in the master class.

A basket full of mushrooms for you!!!

Participant in the competition for teachers “Best master class”

Tags: crafts from natural materials with schoolchildren, do-it-yourself basket, do-it-yourself basket, do-it-yourself basket made of wicker

Types and methods of weaving

There are four main types of straw weaving: spiral, straight, flat and volumetric weaving.

Before you start weaving directly from straw, it is better to practice weaving braids from multi-colored paper STRIPS.

Spiral weave(Fig. 98). The essence of this type of weaving is that a slightly twisted straw strand is wrapped with strong twine (linen thread, ribbons of vine, root, bast, birch bark) and laid in a spiral in tight turns. The thickness of the rope depends on the size of the product being manufactured, the volume of which is formed during the weaving process. Using a rope laid in a spiral, the volume is increased in height, while at the same time narrowing or expanding it. Therefore, the shapes of products made using the spiral weaving technique are usually round, spherical or cylindrical, with round or oval bases.

Weaving of any container begins from the middle of the bottom. Several thin stems, folded together, are wrapped with twine and rolled into a small ring. (A). After wrapping the ring several times with twine, gradually twist the remaining part of the bundle around it. After each turn, the needle is slipped under the next turn of twine located on the previous spiral (6). As the diameter of the circle being woven increases, the distances between the turns of twine increase, therefore, so that the distance between the turns is more or less the same all the time, from time to time they make “idle” turns of the twine around the bundle, after which they pick up the desired turn of twine with a needle.

In order for the bundle to be laid to be strong enough, it must be constantly twisted in one direction. It is also necessary to ensure that the thickness of the strand is always constant, adding new tufts of straw in time. It is convenient to control the thickness of the harness using a metal or plastic tube (V).

When finishing work on each product, the remainder of the strand is trimmed so that it smoothly passes to the thin end (G). After this, it is wrapped with twine, and the connection of the harness becomes almost invisible.

To weave a handle or an openwork gap in the wall of a vessel, the tourniquet is wrapped with ribbon for 4-7 cm and then attached to the previous row so that an arc is formed. You can repeat this technique along the entire row, and attach the next row to the formed arches. The last turn of the spiral is braided with ribbon (string), as usual, and then, going back, the gaps are braided.

If the bundles are wrapped with not very thick twines or thick threads, then it is convenient to use a special wooden shuttle instead of a needle. It is carved from hard wood of birch, pear, apple, and beech. A fairly large supply of threads is wound onto the shuttle, and this makes it possible to braid a straw strand almost continuously (d).

By laying the bundles spirally in one plane, flat circles of various diameters are obtained, which can serve as stands and rugs. If it is necessary to weave a dish, bowl or deep basket, then during the weaving process each turn of the rope is increased or decreased depending on the shape. In order to make the walls of the vessel cylindrical, ropes of the same size are extended vertically upward. As the diameter of each successive turn increases, the vessel expands, and as it decreases, it narrows.

Straight weave(rice.

What you need to know about weaving willow baskets: materials, technologies, manufacturing process

99). Direct weaving is similar to the process of making fabric on a weaving loom. It is made from straws flattened or spread into a ribbon. The moistened thick straw is smoothed along the stem with a knife or needle and smoothed on the board with a blunt knife, first from the wrong side, then from the glossy side, the operation is repeated several times until the straw becomes a straight ribbon.

Plain weave is carried out according to the scheme

meh A in the following sequence: lay the required number of straw strips, determined by the size of the intended braid, vertically parallel to each other and their ends are glued or pressed.

Raise four straws through one and under them, perpendicular to the odd straws, lay the first horizontal straw. Then the odd vertical straws are lifted and the second horizontal straw is laid, etc. The straws are tightly adjusted to each other. Dry the braid under a press.

With diagonal weaving (6), horizontal straws are placed not through one, but through two vertical ones, and in each row the weave is shifted to the right or left by one straw.

The surface of braids made using the direct weaving technique has the effect of a play of light and shadow, emphasizing the pattern and texture of the weaving. Such braids are used as a background in panels, napkins, fragments of appliqués and details of volumetric products.

Flat braids. Weaving flat braids allows you to obtain flat braided ribbons from individual straws. They vary in width, pattern, and density. The appearance of the braids, their strength, rigidity, and ductility depend on the thickness, number of straws and methods of weaving them. By sewing flat braids, you can make various items for household and decorative purposes. According to the number of straws from which flat braids are woven, they are divided into two-ends, three-ends, four-ends, etc. The widest flat braid has eleven ends.

Let's consider the processes of making the following flat braids: three-end, four-end, five-end, six-end, "catfish".

When weaving all these braids, you must observe

generally accepted rules:

*take for weaving the middle part of the straw stem, uniform along the entire length;

*choose straws of different lengths so that they do not run out at the same time;

*weave tightly, since when the straw dries, the weaving weakens;

*building up the next straw is done after the joint of the previous one is braided;

*extend the straw by inserting one end into the other, or placing one end on top of the other by 2 cm,

*or by hooking by splitting the stem;

*fix the bends of the edge straws exactly at the desired angle, ironing them with a strong movement of the fingers;

* weave braids from individual straws away from you, holding the braided part on your knees;

*thick braids can be woven towards you, having first secured the straws on the table;

*roll the finished wicker with a wooden rolling pin until it dries so that it becomes smooth and flat.

Volumetric braids. Their volume is achieved by weaving methods and the use of frames made of straw, wire, wicker, sticks, etc. These braids are used as parts, cords when assembling products from straw, for making jewelry (head hoops, bracelets, straw flowers, etc.).

The simplest and most plastic volumetric braid is "chain" (Fig. 105). It can be stretched, compressed like an accordion, or laid out in a spiral. A “chain” is braided from one straw, which is bent at an angle of 450 (A). As a result, its ends will be at right angles to each other (6). The fold line should be prudently shifted to one of the ends so that they are of different lengths and do not grow at the same time. At the next stage of weaving, the left

the end of the straw is bent at a right angle (V). In turn, the end of the straw located on the right is also bent at a right angle (G). The end of the straw that is at the bottom is bent from top to bottom (d). And now the other end of the straw is bent at a right angle from left to right (f). This is done until the “chain” of the required length is obtained. Extension is carried out by simply placing straws on their ends.

Wicker squares, polygons, and rhombuses are most often used for finishing boxes, decorating sculptures, and making decorative jewelry.

The principle of weaving all figures is the same, so it is enough to master the techniques of weaving the simplest of them - square (Fig. 106). Weaving begins by making a frame (A). Two straws (sticks) are placed at right angles to each other and tied tightly. At the same time, a straw ribbon is tied to the crosspiece. Then it is sequentially wrapped around the racks of the cross, thus obtaining the first spiral of the square (6 - To). The second, third and remaining turns are performed in the same way. When the straw runs out, a new one is inserted with a thin part (top) into the butt of the ending straw at the moment when the next turn around the stand is to be made (l). I bend the new straw around the stand, pinching the end of the old one. Having finished weaving, the end of the braid is sealed under the straw located on the opposite side of the square (cm).

Shape of each .polygon is determined by the shape of the cross: for a hexagon there are three intersecting straws, for an octagon there are four. Since the frame of the cross is completely braided with straw, it can be made of wire, which is very convenient when attaching squares and polygons to the walls of wooden or cardboard boxes. A square or other three-dimensional figure, woven from straw of two colors, arranged in a certain order, emphasizes the natural beauty of the straw and creates a special rhythm.

Wicker weaving for beginner needlewomen: tips and instructions with photos

Wicker weaving is a very ancient type of needlework. This kind of weaving is quite fascinating. And although some are now replacing wicker with ordinary newspaper tubes, wicker weaving remains quite popular among modern needlewomen. In this article you will find a master class on wicker weaving for beginners. This master class will help you understand the technique of wicker weaving for beginners and will reveal many secrets on this topic.

Before you start weaving things from wicker, learn a little about harvesting wicker. Harvesting vines for weaving requires special knowledge. Usually the vine is harvested in winter; it is necessary that the vine is made from mature wood. Next, you need to process the vine: peel it from the bark; to make this process easier, you need to immerse the vine in hot water, hot water, not cold, bring to a boil and cook for 20 minutes. To choose the right vine, look at the color of its bark; if it is red or orange, you can test it for strength: bend it to form a right angle; if the vine has passed these tests, you can safely take it for yourself.

Description of work

A wide variety of baskets and vases are created from vines. There is also do-it-yourself weaving of wicker furniture. But to weave furniture, you need great desire and experience in this matter. For beginners, it’s better to get by with a regular basket, which can also be very useful in everyday life.

To weave with wicker you will need:

• Hot water container
• Sharp knife
• Willow twig

First you need to weave the bottom, to do this decide what shape it will be. In our case, the bottom will be round. So, let's begin!

We take five sticks and make holes in the middle of them into which we insert the other five sticks. This is how we got the cross.

Weaving a fence: step-by-step instructions

We insert the braiding rods into the same holes and begin to braid the center with a rope of two rods. We weave two rows like this. Next, we move the two rods apart, leave the central one in place, and braid the two again. And again we weave two rows like this. Now we braid two rows of one twig.

Having finished spreading the risers of the cross, we begin to braid them with layer-by-layer weaving, as shown in the photo.

We insert under each riser the tip of a rod selected for layer-by-layer weaving, and continue weaving until we reach the desired size of the bottom.

In order to weave the walls of the basket, you need to lift the rods and begin to braid them. Raised rods are called risers.

There are many weaving techniques. The most common is with a rope. This is what we will use to weave our basket. We will do this with a rope of two rods, i.e. two rods. The previous rod presses the next one on top and, bending around the base rod from the inside, comes out. Then the same is repeated with the second rod and so on. Weave like this, gradually expanding your basket. Be sure to imagine how tall your product will be and, having reached half, insert into the weaving the ends of the rods bent in half, which will serve as the handles of your basket. Such handles most often consist of three or four twigs.

Next, continue weaving the walls of the basket. When you reach the desired height, braid the side of the basket and its handles, this will give the basket completeness and prevent it from breaking quickly. Weaving this edge also has its secrets. To properly weave an edge, you need to take any riser and insert it behind the next two with an exit to the outside. Next, take the next riser and do the same. And so on, with everyone else. We carefully cut off the excess twigs with a sharp knife. And that’s it, your wicker basket is ready!

Please note that it is important that the rods lie as close to each other as possible. To do this, many craftsmen tap them with a mallet while weaving.

And this is a basket created by layer-by-layer weaving. This weaving is also very popular among needlewomen. For things with layered weaving, we will need the same number of twigs as risers. This weaving is done simultaneously with all the rods: each rod bends around the next riser from the outside, then the next riser bends around from the inside and leads out. We repeat the same thing in turn with each rod involved in weaving. Weave like this until you reach the desired height. In the same way, gradually expanding if it is a basket.

Thematic videos

Weaving from vines is shown in the videos below. You will find many secrets that will be very useful to you in your work.

How to weave a willow basket. How to weave a willow basket with your own hands. Many people like wickerwork made from willow vines. Of course, in order to weave something serious, you need to study long and hard. In this article I will only set the direction, the vector of interest in this craft and introduce you to the folk wicker weaver from Chuvashia, Alexander Doronin, who will teach you this craft.
WHICH WILLOW TO WEAVE FROM
For weaving, willow is used, which grows along the banks of rivers, often in marshy and damp places. This willow is quite flexible and has a brownish bark. Its twigs that can be used should be as long and thin as possible (annual shoots without branches). The optimal length of the rods is 0.5-1.5 m.

ADVICE
It is very easy to check whether this type of willow is suitable - break the rod in the thick or butt part and, if it does not break, then feel free to take such a willow

HOW TO PREPARATE RODS
You need to start harvesting willow twigs at a time when the leaves on the tree begin to fly off and turn yellow (approximately the end of September). You can continue harvesting twigs all winter and spring until the first leaves appear. For the preparation you will need pruning shears or a knife and a nylon rope (clothes cord) to tie the rod together. You can carry bundles of twigs on your shoulder, in a backpack, and in winter - on a sled.

HOW TO CLEAN BARK FROM RODS
To clear the bark from the twigs, you need a low pan with a diameter of at least 40 cm. Take bundles of twigs of approximately the same length and twist them in layers into the pan. The bunches are placed around the circumference of the walls of the pan, and the middle of the pan should remain empty. Pour water into the pan 1-2 cm above the rods, put the pan on the fire, bring to a boil and boil for 25 minutes. Then turn off the heat and leave the rods in boiling water for 30-40 minutes.

Then they take the rod and remove a strip of bark about 10-15 cm long from its butt part, wrap the bark around the rod and, holding it between the thumb and forefinger, free the rod from the bark with a sliding movement.

ROD STORAGE
The cleaned rods are straightened, sorted by length and tied into bundles (photo 1). Store bunches in a dry, well-ventilated area.

TOOLS
For wicker weaving you will need (photo 2) pliers, round nose pliers, side cutters, a knife, awls of different diameters, a flat weight for pressing the bottom, elastic bands and a kochedyk (a thick curved awl).

WE WEAVE A ROUND BOTTOM
You need to take eight pieces of thick rods with a length slightly larger than the diameter of the future bottom. These rods should be soaked by placing them in hot water for 30 minutes. Then split 4 rods approximately in the middle with a knife and insert the remaining 4 rods in a cross. You will get a cross (photo 3).

To weave, you need to take 20-30 thin rods diameter 0.2-0.4 cm and 0.5-1 m long, which should be soaked in hot water for half an hour.

To weave a rope into two rods, you need to take two rods of the same length and insert the thin ends of the rods into the split of the cross. The first rod braids the cross from the outside (photo 4), and the second from the inside, overlapping the first (photo 5). The same technique is repeated during the final separation of the racks. In this case, the sequence of laying the rods should not be confused.

The crosspiece is braided, spreading the ends of the crosspiece in pairs (photo 6). Then any rod from the pair is cut with side cutters, all ends are separated completely and weaving is continued with a rope until the desired diameter of the bottom (photo 7). This is necessary in order to subsequently use simple weaving, which requires an odd number of racks. We must strive to ensure that the distance between the rods is the same, and the ends of the bottom rods are as close as possible in the same plane. The smoother the bottom is woven, the better the quality of the basket.

The finished bottom must be taken with both hands and, pressing with your knee, given a convex shape (photo 8), which is necessary for the stability of the future product. The protruding ends of the rods are trimmed as close to the weaving as possible.

MAKING THE BASKET FRAME
For future basket stands, you need to take rods 0.5-0.7 cm so that they are 25-35 cm longer than the height of the finished basket, and also soak them in hot water for half an hour.

The butt ends of the rods for the side posts are planed with a knife and inserted next to the bottom rods (photo 9). Having retreated 0.5 cm from the bottom, flatten the rod of the stand with round nose pliers and bend it upward (photo 10). Having bent all the posts, they tighten their ends with an elastic band. The result is a structure similar to the skeleton of the “Indian folk hut Wigwam” (photo 11).

The base of the future basket is braided with three rods of rope in three layers. To weave a rope into three rods, you need to take three rods longer than the circumference of the bottom with a butt diameter of 4-5 mm. Then select three racks in succession and insert the thin end of each rod into the bottom next to the rack. The leftmost rod goes around the outside of two posts to the right side, goes under the third post and exits outside the fourth post (photo 12). The remaining rods are braided in the same sequence (photo 13,14).

Using this technique, we form the frame of the future product, after which the elastic band is removed from the stands, the frame is placed on the table and the bottom is pressed down with a weight (photo 15).

WE BRAID THE WALLS USING THE “FRONT-BACK” TECHNOLOGY
After weaving the bottom, we braid the walls. Let's consider only one type of weaving - “simple weaving”. This is braiding of posts with one rod according to the weaving pattern “front-behind”.

We measure the circumference of the basket with a centimeter and multiply by 1.5 - this will be the length of the rod. Weaving begins from the thin end of the rod. We insert the thin end next to any post, pass the rod behind the adjacent post from the inside, bend the rod around the next post from the outside and continue weaving according to this pattern (photo 16). When the rod runs out, it is extended with a new one, replacing the thick end with the thick end, and the thin end with the thin one.

During the weaving process, it is necessary to monitor the shape of the product and maintain the same distance between the posts and the inclination of the walls. Each layer of weaving must be compacted by pressing with your fingers.

When the height of the basket is 2 cm less than the required height, you need to secure the resulting weaving with a rope of three rods in two layers.

SEALING THE EDGE
Having completed weaving the walls, you need to soak the racks for 20-30 minutes, lowering them into water with their free ends so that the finished walls are 2 cm submerged in water. Then each stand is crushed with round pliers at a distance of 1 cm from the weaving and bent in the same order as the weaving of the wall (photo 17). The ends of the rods should remain inside the basket. The ends remaining inside are cut off with side cutters (photo 18,19).

WE MAKE A HANDLE
For the base of the handle, we take a thick rod Ф1.2-1.5 cm, give it an arched shape and try it on the product (photo 20). The height is calculated from the bottom of the basket. After the length of the future handle is measured, we cut the rod in the right place and trim the ends.

Using a poker we widen the hole next to one of the posts and insert a rod there all the way to the base. Select the stand on the opposite side and insert the second end of the rod (photo 21).

To give the finished look to the product, the handle must be braided with a thin rod. To do this, we take 16 rods diameter 0.2-0.3 cm and a length twice as long as the braided part of the handle. We plan the ends of the rods and insert 6 pieces from the outside of the handle (photo 22-23).

With these rods we wrap the base in a spiral 3-4 times, bringing the ends to the opposite side inside the basket. We use a poker to expand the weaving near the base of the handle and insert the thin ends, bringing them out (photo 24-27).

To prevent the rods from falling apart when braiding the base, they can be secured with a piece of electrical tape.

We perform the same operation on the opposite side. If gaps appear between the rods, then insert an additional 1-2 rods until the base braid looks continuous.

We wrap the thin ends of the rods around the base of the handle and tuck them into the weave of the basket from the outside in (photo 28). From the inside, the ends of the rods are secured under the braid at the base of the handle and cut flush (photo 29)