Basket Weaving Kit, Set of 4 Small Baskets, Round and Square

This kit holds the materials for four small baskets, each about 5 to 7 in across: four wooden bases with the stake holes already drilled, two round and two square, natural round reed for the stakes and weavers, and printed instructions.

Because the bases are pre-drilled, nobody has to learn to weave a bottom before the fun starts. Every basket begins the same way: soak the reed, push one stake through each hole, weave the short ends into a border underneath, then weave the sides and finish with a border at the top.

Who it is for:

• A workshop or class, with one basket per person
• A family afternoon, a birthday or a get-together with friends
• One maker who wants to practice, working from round to square

If you are weaving all four yourself, start with a round one. Weaving around a circle is the gentlest way to learn even tension. Square baskets take more care at the corners: the weaver tends to pull the corner stakes in and round off the shape, so check the corners every few rows and press them back out while the reed is damp.

Before you begin, set out a bowl or tub of warm water for soaking, sharp scissors and a towel for each person. Clips or clothespins help hold the weaver when someone needs to stop.

The finished baskets are small and useful, for keys, coins, sewing notions, napkins or as gift baskets. The photo shows the four baskets after weaving; the kit comes as materials ready to weave.

Choose this set when four people will weave at the same time, or when one person wants to make several baskets and try both shapes. For a class, one set covers four students, so a group of twelve needs three sets.

If you only want to try basketry once, the beginner basket weaving kit makes a single round basket, about 7 in across. For bigger baskets or your own choice of sizes, buy wooden basket bases and round reed separately.

For a group, set out one bowl of warm water for every two or three people, and keep spare towels handy. Soaked reed drips.