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 V. I. Reed & Cane
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(If you can't see the photos, it's
because you don't have HTML-enabled e-mail. Read this same newsletter at
www.basketweaving.com/handle_wrapping.com.)
Today's Topics:
Handle Wrapping and Handle Twisting
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Good morning, Basketweavers!
Today we have a variety of handle wrapping and
handle twisting ideas to share. Some will be shown with combinations of colored
or smoked reed so that you can see the patterns better. You can wrap a handle in
two colors for a checkerboard effect; you can use a natural and a color-
whatever strikes the mood of the your basket.
Add Value to your Basket
With the
holiday selling season beginning soon, decorative handle wrapping is a way to
increase your craft fair sales. It doesn't take that long to do- it doesn't take much more
reed- but it adds more value to your basket. It'll set your baskets apart as
being more intricately woven, and you can increase your price tags to another
level.
Wrapping Materials
Flat reed, wide binding cane, chair cane, smoked reed, dyed reed, seagrass
Wrapping an Oak Filler
or D-Handle
A curved oak filler is used as the inner core between
wrapped or woven reed layers. The oak fillers themselves are nice enough
to use as a simple handle on their own- as in the Passamoquoddy style at
left.
However, the filler isn't really thick enough to be notched, so
wrapping this filler is what creates a more substantial handle, and will lock
the handle securely into the basket weaving.
Tuck the end of the wrapping
reed into the weaving on the inside or outside of the basket. (a place where
it'll be concealed fairly well) This is the handle wrap method that we use on
our Church Supper Basket. (above right)
Wrapping a Rib Basket Hoop
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If you have a nice wide handle like this one, you can insert three strands
of reed and weave an impressive detailed handle. On this Hearth basket handle, I
did the same technique described above. Isn't this fun?
(Note: Another time I'll show you how to clip these strips onto
the handle before weaving the basket. In that case, you get to
weave the triple strand not only on the top handle, but also: down the
side and across the bottom of the hearth's D handle. Too complex to add
into this instruction today. ) |
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Variations on Wrapping
|
You can weave a variation pattern of your own. Design your handle weaving
with graph paper to try out designs. To weave, insert the reed as described
above and follow your graph paper to make the pattern..
You can even use seagrass, like the baby
seagrass, size #00, shown at right. |
|
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Making a Twisted Round Reed Handle
Round reed in the same size as the reed in your
basket can be twisted to make handles of all sizes.
This is suitable for a wall basket's twisted handle (as on our Mail Basket), a
carrying handle (as on our Easter basket) or for twisted side handles (as on our
Bushel Basket and Serving Trays).
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Example of a tray type
twisted handle: I've cut two pieces of #3 round reed, making each one
80" long. I fold the two wet pieces over to make a ratio of about 3
to 4. Don't get it? Copy me. One side of the fold is about 36" long
and the other is about 46". For fun, I've decided to make my example
on a wicker box. Thread the two strands through the side of the box about
an half inch from the top. Place it where you want the left side of the
handle to be located. |
Photo 1
above: Holding the 4 strands of reed together, make 5 twists. Use a clamp to
hold the twist in place. Use your awl to open up the space where you want the
other side of the twisted handle to connect. Pull the 4 strands through from
inside to out.
Photo 2 above: Remove clamp and twist the 4 strands back along the length
of the reed (which is now the beginning of a handle).
There are two ways to do this: wind WITH the
direction of the previous twists for a smooth twist, or wind OPPOSITE the
previous reed twists for a criss-cross handle twist. The smooth twist is shown.
Photo 3 above: Now, bring the reed ends from
outside of basket to the inside and twist back a THIRD time. Three layers should
be a substantial enough handle, but you can make your own judgment with your own
basket projects. When you get to the other side of the handle, take each of the
two SHORTEST strands, one at a time, and weave the ends into the basket at A.
Then, carry the two longest strands back along the twist to finish on the left
side at B. This will place the strand endings on both sides of the handle,
instead of bunched up along one side. Repeat with another handle on the opposite
side. If your handle is too lumpy, don't dwell on it- just cut it out, and do it
again! You're saying: "easy for me to say!" But frankly, it's always
best to do it over if it isn't right, or you'll never be satisfied with the
basket. With practice, you'll be able to make these twisted handles as smooth as
silk.
Whew! I hope you enjoyed this newsletter. Have a
great Sunday.
'Til October first,
Linda Hebert
http://www.basketweaving.com
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