FAQs - Weaving Terms
FAQs - Weaving Terms
- Q: The pattern calls for the "weave and chase" method. Could someone explain this to me in simple terms?
Taper each piece for about 6 inches. Start weaving with one piece on one of the long sides of the base. Stop when you get to the opposite side. Now start weaving with the other piece until you catch up with piece #1. You'll soon find what works best for you - weaving until you catch up to the other piece, keeping the pieces close together and weaving over a couple of spokes with each piece, or keeping the ends on opposite sides of the basket.
When you run out, it's ended the same way as a start/stop weaving. Overlap the ends of the old weaver and new weaver for 4 spokes, hiding both ends behind a spoke.
When you reach the top of the basket, taper each end again for about 6 inches and stop them about where you started. Now weave a rim row and use this to tuck your stakes over.
Chicken Track
- Q: A pattern I want to try calls for chicken track around a base where filler reed was placed, what is the chicken track.?
to the top of the page French Randing
- Q: What is French Randing?
Hairpinning
- Q: I have a pattern that asks you to "hairpin the 52 pieces around the top of the basket". What does this mean?
to the top of the page
- Q: What does it mean when I see "trim the hairs"?
They can be singed or trimmed off with a sharp pair of scissors (like the Basket Shear). Some people will sand each piece of reed before they weave it into the basket, others will not remove the hairs at all. This is your choice. If you like a rustic look, leave the hairs. If you desire to have a finished, polished looking basket, make sure to sand all wood areas and trim or singe off all the hairs.
- Q: I want to work with cattails, the directions say to "mellow the cattails". What does this mean?
Lay cattails out on a plastic sheet and sprinkle them with water (or very quickly dip them into water), wrap the plastic around them and let them sit until they feel flexible. Cattails become waterlogged very easily and they will swell. This produces a loose product after they dry. Mellowing adds just enough water to become flexible.
Other materials can also benefit from mellowing.
The twisted natural grass rush should be dipped in warm/hot water and wrapped in a damp towel until the moisture seeps into the center and becomes flexible.
Try this with dyed reed to help keep the color from running.
Many natural materials like grasses and pine needles also benefit from mellowing. to the top of the page
- Q: The last direction in making the base says "Using 1/4 flat, miter the base." We're not sure what "miter" means.
Simply weave over/under the spokes, when you get to a corner, you will "mitre" the reed, simply fold it over itself so the opposite side is up. Continue weaving over/under. Make the fold or right angle at each corner. You must select a "nice" piece of reed as two sides of the basket will have the right side out, two sides will have the wrong side out. However, since it is on the base, it is not that important.
This is also called a "locking row".
- Q: What does it mean when it says to singe a basket as the last step?
Weavers have lost entire kitchens because their freshly stained basket caught on fire.
to the top of the page
Triple Twine or Three Rod Wale
- Q: How do I do Three Rod Wale weaving?
You now have 3 weavers out again and they have moved 1 spoke to the right. Go back to the original spoke #2, bring that weaver in front of #3 & #4, behind #5 and out to the front. Continue around the basket, always taking the weaver that is on the far left, in front of 2 spokes, behind 1 spoke and back out to the front.
There will always be 3 weavers coming from behind 3 spokes next to each other (one weaver per space between the spokes).