Following on from the previous post, I realised I'd not shown other baskets I made earlier in the summer. First of all one of my daughters and her boyfriend had collected dogwood some months ago which they dried completely before soaking it in a river for several days before it was ready to weave. It was a first experience of weaving baskets for all of us and we were all pleased to end up with functional baskets. The dogwood was not the easiest and bendiest to work with.
Here are a few progress photos...
After completing this first basket, I was keen to make another but we had no more wood. That's when I discovered you could make baskets with rolled up newspaper! What a discovery. I've already made three of those and here is the second one I made. I tried painting the others but was not happy with the result and in the end, my favourite was this one, left showing the newspaper. I varnished it and have been using it to do my shopping. It's surprisingly sturdy to say it's only made of newspaper!
I like baskets a lot... I like using them and I like making them!
Have any of you had a go at basket weaving?
Frivole
I like the look of the dogwood baskets , be good for flower arrangements. But I’m really fascinated by the newspaper ones. How do you roll the paper? How big a piece do you start with?
ReplyDeleteHi Jane, so I use the full width of a double page of newspapers and about 12cm in height and I use a wooden skewer to roll the strips so it's quite tight and strong. Doing it this way, you end up with one end that is slightly tighter and thinner than the other which means that you can then slot the end of a roll into the tip of another to make a continuous tube to work with. When you run out of newspaper, you just slot in a new tube in and keep weaving. Works surprisingly well!
ReplyDeleteAha. Thanks very much. I thought it would be a bit difficult to weave with short lengths. Now I see. I might have to explore further. Thanks for the inspiration.
DeleteYou're welcome! Let me know if you try it. :-)
DeleteGreat baskets!! :)
ReplyDeleteLove Yours baskets!
ReplyDeleteI learned how to weave wicker baskets at the handicraft school (https://www.facebook.com/uniwlud). At home I do not have the option of weaving wicker, so I also weave from newspapers.
Thank you! And it's nice to know you weave newspapers too. Is there somewhere I could see them?
DeleteYes, You can see them on my blog: https://craftbymarfka74.blogspot.com/search/label/wiklina%20papierowa
DeleteYour baskets are magnificent. Now I want to try weaving newsprint. Thanks for the inspiration!
ReplyDeleteThank you! Let me know if you do give it a try! :-)
DeleteThe baskets be are gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteThank you! :-)
DeleteBeautifully done! One attempt was enough for me. I have not seen an overpriced basket since!
ReplyDeleteThank you Diane! And you made me laugh with your overpriced basket comment! :-)
DeleteI love, love, love the newspaper basket. Maybe you’ll make a “how to “ video? : )
ReplyDeleteThank you Michelle! Very glad you like it. Good suggestion, I'll have to think about how to make one. :-)
DeleteLove your baskets, they are gorgeous
ReplyDeleteSorry for the late comment I have been away
Hi Margaret, thank you for your comment, hope you had a nice time away and are keeping well.
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