Weaving Alterations

With the multitude of eggs we have been blessed with by our chickens lately, the boys have been requesting a new egg basket. Our old ones have gone by the wayside and I have been intending to craft one for a while. The necessity was becoming increasingly critical with sometimes over two dozen eggs in a day. It becomes difficult to carry that many effectively up to the house in the tail of one’s shirt!

At length, the day came when I had the presence of mind to begin a basket. I realized that it would be different from any other I had created in the past. I mostly fabricated flat bottom baskets, and I planned for this one to be rounded. My square baskets and round baskets all possessed flat bases that would allow eggs to roll around and crack. This handbasket needed to be different.

I realized there were metal egg baskets available, but that wouldn’t do, bearing in mind I was in possession of a cupboard full of reed in the laundry room. It was simply waiting to be formed into something useful.

I perused the styles online and at length found directions for a rib construction basket from basketmakerscatalog.com. The description read, “In south central Kentucky, the rib construction basket is commonly called the Egg Basket!” Perfect! Rib construction was what I was looking for. The only challenge was that this pattern was for a basket that measured four inches in diameter. I determined that all I truly needed was the fundamentals and I could creatively determine the basket alterations necessary as I worked along.

I crafted the two hoops without much difficulty. The lashing, otherwise known as God’s Eye, was a new skill for me. I had seen the technique many times but had never actually performed it myself. It is what secures the two hoops in opposition to develop the mouth of the basket as well as the handle and base structure of the basket. The ribs came next. They were positioned under the lashing on each side. Then came the weaving. The pattern I was reading called for using round reed as weavers. I tried this with my basket and supplies until I realized that it was impossible to get my large diameter weavers to lie close together. 

That is when my improvisation began! I switched and began using flat reed and finished the basket after adding in several more ribs for strength.

It was enjoyable fashioning this basket for gathering our eggs. It was a pleasant challenge to make it effectual and lent a sense of accomplishment when it was completed. I imagine it will serve our family well for numerous years to come.

~Rhonda