How to make a basket: EP06 Starting the basket

In this episode of ‘How to make a basket’, we’ll look at how to start the basket. This is one of the trickiest parts of the whole process and sometimes you may need to start two or three times. Getting the first bind is essential and the two or three follow-on binds will determine the spacing of the stitches and the thickness of the basket.
Buy Cræft: An enquiry into the origins and true meaning of traditional crafts (USA) wwnorton.com/b...
Buy Cræft: How traditional crafts are about more than just making (UK) www.faber.co.u...
‘How to make a basket’ is a chance to connect with the world of traditional and heritage crafts but also to see the kinds of things that you can do in your own back shed. The natural world provides a vast range of natural materials that, since primitive times, have been used to make many of the day-to-day objects that we surrounded ourselves with. Many people the world over still use natural materials and craft skills to make stuff and in Britain, up until the early twentieth century, many of these skills still resided amongst the rural community.
If you’ve enjoyed the BBC’s Victorian Farm, Edwardian Farm and Wartime Farm, then hopefully you will enjoy my lockdown project: 'How to make a basket'. I am spending so much time in my shed at present, that I thought I might as well film it. So, follow me in this series as I go about showing you how to craft a traditional coil basket. On the way, we’ll look at the different kind of plants that you can use, the skills and techniques, the key tools, and I’ll throw in a few juicy historical facts.

[@TheJoshWatson]

This is amazing!! I watched all the BBC farm series multiple times and just stumbled across your channel when I was looking for some good basket tutorials. I’m so excited to binge all your videos!! You’re so good at explaining things!! Thanks for making all these!!

[@Jos-scifiwriter]

Great videos, I got so into watching one after the other I forgot to click the 'like' for them,😂 which I think a lot of people did because they were just so interesting. Thanks so much for posting these from southern New Zealand 👍🥰 tremendous stuff 🥰 ( I did go back and click like by the way 🤦)

[@iknowyouwanttofly]

This was really helpfull! :D Thank you and greetings from sweden

[@CDLuminous]

Lovely

[@masozzisanyu]

GOOD WORK MAN❤🎉

[@michelleprimiano4987]

Ah! Wow! When watching the episode on the needle options, I couldn’t visualize how they’d be used. Seeing it in action, this makes so much sense. Such a handy tool!

[@chickadeeacres3864]

Just read your bio. I thought you looked familiar! How wonderful that you are still pursuing these practical crafts! I recently purchased basket willow cuttings to grow my own, but phragmites are everywhere here. I'm inspired!

[@masozzisanyu]

NICE😂

[@AR-mu4zq]

Phragmites?

[@masozzisanyu]

You are good in what you are

[@HeidiSue064]

I kept wanting you to turn the work see we could see what you are looking at. Never did. Now my neck is sore.

[@timothymitchell8310]

Watching again and I was wondering. Can bamboo split thin be used for weaving a skep ?

[@Rooted1]

nice, i might have gtoive it a try!

[@timothymitchell8310]

I have now made several skeps and several starts . I gather wild grasses and vines for synching up the grass coils . One has a brood chamber and a skep super on top. I am looking to cut out the early weaving from top to bottom and am wondering if starting from a wooden ring, cylinder or even weaving around a bottle would be easier and it would give an easier way of adding a super from time to time. Working bottom to the top seems easier starting out but I ran into the problem of reducing the amount of grass to close up my pointy top. Thank you in advance and I would love to hear your thoughts.

[@ragnkja]

A coil basket starts with the coil in the middle of the base (which is on the top of a skep).

[@MelissaElsworth]

That beginning looks tough. Probably will be said in a later episode but would your practice or first basket bases work well as trivets?

[@Stellar_Drift]

What has happened to your hair!

[@hrxy1]

annoying irritating intrusive awefull background noise