Egg Basket Tips and Techniques: Part 3

Last time, we ended with two long weavers ending on each side of the basket.

Take each weaver and go all the way across the basket one last time, looping it around the opposite rim and then stop.

The technique I am going to show you is called a "gusset".  There are several ways of filling in a ribbed basket, and this is only one of them.

For a WONDERFUL tutorial on filling in, I recommend this one by Tony Stubblefield, from JASkets Blog.  Tony's method shows you how to fill in before you have run out of room on the rim and handle hoops.  That way the last rows of weaving you do are a straight shot, and you don't have a seam up the middle of your basket.  Definitely give his method a try sometime....he does an awesome job of explaining how to do it!

In the photos that follow, I am weaving with two different colors of reed to make it easier for you to see what I'm doing.

In the photo below, I've switched from natural reed to orange.  Each half of the basket will now be woven separately.  In other words, complete this half as shown, then turn the basket around and complete the other side in exactly the same way.  I am showing the filling in technique for one half of the basket only!

Now take the orange weaver and weave across until you get to the rib just before the bottom hoop.  Turn around on this rib.

Now we will be adding a new weaver.  On my example, I am adding black, but you will be adding a natural weaver.

I have looped the black weaver around the first rib just below the rim.  Weave with this weaver towards the bottom of the basket.  

You will then loop this (black) weaver around the rib just before the one you turned around on with the orange weaver, as shown in the next photo.

Now drop the black weaver, pick up the orange one, and weave it back across the basket towards the rim again.  Loop this (orange)weaver around the rib just before the rib you looped the black one around.

Continue alternating weaving in this manner, first with the weaver on the left, then with the one on the right.  

You will always be turning the weaver you are working with around every other rib, both at the top and at the bottom of the filling-in area.

Hopefully the next photo will make this clear.

When you run out of ribs to turn on, simply tuck the ends of each weaver to the inside of the basket and hide them under a row of weaving.

Here is a photo of the basket with the filled-in area done in natural reed.

Not too bad!  

Well I hope I've been of some help in making a ribbed egg basket and making the steps a little clearer.  It does take some practice and persistence, but you can do it!