Make a Lavender Stalk Basket

After you have harvested your lavender for the fragrant flower buds, why not make use of the stalks by using them as the core in this simple coil basket. A quick craft project for a summers day.
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[@Marialla.]

I made one of these when I first saw this video, and it has sat on my desk ever since, holding a few sewing supplies for when I like to do a quick mending. I love this basket! I'm so proud to have made it myself, and grateful to you for showing me how. When I made it, against your clear instructions, I used fresh stalks because I was impatient, and wanted to see what would happen. After a week or so the basket became really loose as the stalks shrank. So I tightened it all up by going over the coils again with more string, and that fixed the problem. But it was so interesting to go through the process! Part of me still thinks there ought to be a use for the loose, wiggly, almost collapsable basket that had resulted. Like, idk, maybe a strainer or something? But I couldn't think of the use, whatever it could have been. Thank you so much, Sally, for your generosity in teaching and showing us these things! You are a treasure and I look forward to every video you make!

[@denises9207]

I haven't watched the video yet but am about to and excited!!!, As for your loose basket having a use... A seed sifter? If that makes sense! I'm sure you'll figure it out :)

[@rachelboersma-plug9482]

Delightful, like all your crafts. If you kept it flat, you could make a heat mat for a tea pot (you'd want a tea that would go with the scent of lavender).

[@mariahspencer]

That’s such a good idea!

[@Yoyocreative]

Sounds wonderful! 😍 I think the scent would work really well with a nighttime chamomile or lavender tea!

[@lizstrangesavage7948]

It's quite lovely! Thank you for sharing it!

[@melissajarvis4829]

Lol! I'd been looking at crafts using blackberry brambles, including baskets. Then today, KZbin suggested this video. Perfect timing! Why? Because I got a fresh lavender bunch with my last Imperfect Foods order. It's dried now, so this is perfect!

[@loriparker2440]

Just discovered your channel. I sincerely appreciate the fact that you are teaching us traditional methods using natural tools and materials. Without people like you, this wonderful knowledge would be lost to time. Yes, I am now a dedicated subscriber. PEACE

[@lspthrattan]

Oh my gosh why did I not think of this?? I mean, I already knew about pine needle baskets, and lavender is abundant where I live. What was wrong with me?? Oh yes, I have to make one of these, asap! Thank you!

[@emmabroughton2039]

My nose is itching just watching this. Lovely little basket though, and another lovely little tutorial. Thank you, Sally,

[@esmecat]

one thing i have no shortage of in this area is those long pine needles that are a good 6-8 in long. they are wonderful for basketry. i had never thought if lavender stems... but now i have to save them and give it a try! i imagine the basket must smell amazing :) seems like it would be great for things you don't want the buggers getting at.

[@CUThereVirtualTravel]

Wonderful! I'm eager to give this a try because I love lavender and also like the idea of using all the useful parts instead of composting them!

[@dianadavisbarton7523]

Sally, I am so glad that you mentioned your KZbin channel on IG. This was such a relaxing treat to watch and remember the pleasures of making a coiled basket.

[@christiandonaldson31]

Hi Diana

[@cynwarnerknight3829]

You explain so well. I watch a lot of basket videos and this is the best.

[@yvonneholmes9661]

I am going to make a few of these and give them as little gifts with a bar of my home made Cold press Lavender soap!!! Thank you Sally for your time and knowledge you so graciously share! Yvonne ( BC )Canada

[@christieheyblom]

Very cute

[@cheshirebowman4465]

Beautiful Sally. Basket is pretty nice too. I live on a marina and lavender is all around the place. I hang it all around the boat. I dunno but it seems to keep midges out of the boat. I may be wrong but seems to.

[@user-ms6mt7tr5h]

I fell in love with your work the first minute I saw this video. It's absolutely gorgeous as long as your English. I am ready to listen to your voice over and over again just to repeat after you and learn to speak English. Thank you for sharing.

[@vanessaboman8143]

I am so excited to find your channel and find fascinating ways learn new skills, thank you!

[@the-nomad]

Very like make bee skips!

[@SallyPointer]

Very much like indeed!

[@az-yq3rk]

Sally Pointer reminds me of Mrs. Tiggywinkle, pure gold

[@stephanielovatt2787]

Thank you, Sally! This is just the sort of rustic dainty which I have wanted to know about. 😀

[@janetdiaz8916]

Lavender makes me nauseated. But I am going to experiment with other stalks growing wild around here in South Dakota USA.

[@betula-pendula]

Very fine! I like it very much. This year, when I cut my lavender, I will collect the stalks to try this too. Thank you so much for that lovely lavender-basket.

[@leslyeschoenhuth1107]

* Thank you for the close-up views of the work in progress. The basket looks lovely as it grows. ~ My neighbor made a stunning Wreath from her Lavender,,

[@ludouglas1]

If you just placed the tail ends to the LEFT, you woldn't have all that straggling end part to try to wrap around. it's easier to wrap around the core rather than the tail ends.

[@x1435]

So cute! I remember making these in school. This would be a great way to use up some of my stash yarn :)

[@GutterpressFerret]

What a lovely wee basket and how well you explain and demonstrate what you're doing. Thank you!

[@ritaparker478]

How lovely you are. Thanks for this idea and for sharing with the bees.

[@bronwynthompson3403]

how suprisingly beautiful thanks KZbin for allowing me to stumble upon you

[@francafarfoura4076]

Excellent i liked your work and you explanation

[@walkingthemiles4613]

This is a fab idea!!

[@joancook8454]

WOW ! I never thought of using the stems for a coil basket. When making a pine needle coil basket you soak them just as you did, I treated my pine needles with glycerin so they stay pliable and can use them at any time. Do you think it would work for lavender stems? I may have to try it. This tutorial is a great SURPRISE for me to find , I have about 15 lavender plants and have been weaving lavender wands for 2 weeks now. Anxious to try this , thank you. Joanie from Northern California, USA

[@1Lightdancer]

I have also made many pine needle baskets and lavender wands over the years - learned from a book I got at a yarn shop in Sisters, on a visit to my folks in Redmond in the late 70s! My mom took a basket Weaving class, but wasn't happy with the green raffia they used on the pine needle basket - she preferred the tan of natural raffia. This would be lovely using lavender. A Potter friend worked with a basket maker to make bases of clay, with holes around the shape, then need pass them on to the weaver to finish ❤

[@melissajarvis4829]

How much glycerine did you use? And, what do you mean by a lavender wand? I'm confused...

[@heatherinparis]

Hi Sally....new Subscriber here in Canada. Love how clearly and simply you explain and illustrate your working methods. Such a cute little project

[@johnomalley5712]

Unfortunately Lavender is tricky to grow in North Florida. The climates water content is friendly but the heat is not. Often times lavender will not flower for very long or at best flower only in Spring and Autumn. The stalks often get as thick as thrushes though and can be used for basket making.

[@phyllisjeanfulton]

Perhaps you could have lavender shipped to you in Florida from Oregon Lavender Farms. I’m a new starter in Lavender. and have about 50 plants with 60 more coming in the fall. I’m gradually filling my acreage with Lavender and drought tolerant trees. 👩🏻‍🦳🌺

[@Ilovethebush]

Banana stalk fibres are great for string, used to make kimonos and other very fancy things. Cordage from 'Gomphocarpus spp' a.k.a. the balloon plant.

[@SallyPointer]

Would be lovely to be able to try that. Sadly not common in rural Herefordshire

[@annanelson6830]

Thanks so much for this. I have never made a basket; you present it in a way that makes it seem possible.

[@christiandonaldson31]

Hello Anna

[@ruysclan]

All your videos are so beautiful! You've inspired me to wander around my Australian neighbourhood to find similar materials- I've already found some strong fronds and made cordage from them!

[@karennewberry4694]

Lomandra and pandanus make good, traditional coverage materials.

[@catherinefleming3112]

Very crafty, I've never saw this before. Yet looks very simple to make.

[@googleyeyes5122]

I like you so much! You remind me, though, of Daisy, Hyacinth Bucket's (that's Bouquet) sister, but much more intelligent and culturally sophisticated. 😂 I do enjoy your videos. One day soon I will be able to successfully: make my own cordage, dye my own wool/ linen/ cotton, make a net, easily make hair garment and bags with the different weaving techniques, etc. (When I say "soon", I mean sometime this decade. 😂 It's many a work in progress!) But I really do enjoy your videos and what you do. Living history is just so wonderful!!

[@stephinehendrix7388]

How lovely!!💜 I can't wait to try one. Thank you for such great and detailed instructions! From Missouri, USA

[@lenabreijer1311]

How lovely to use the stalks for a basket. Mind you my nose itches at the thought of doing it because I am allergic to lavender, so sad. I would have to find another plant to do it with.

[@pollyhg2826]

Such a lovely use of lavender.

[@dawsie]

The one plant we had to have removed from the garden as I allergies to lavender, even the smell has me sneezing non-stop😿😿😿

[@SallyPointer]

You could use something else for the core, long grasses work

[@paularomanopaula5425]

Very beautiful little basket! You are always inspiring us for simple and beautiful things. Thanks!!

[@denisemotley6639]

Your channel is just wonderful. I have really enjoyed them during the lockdown. I tend not to comment often. Currently I am enjoying looking at my lichen, acorns, chestnuts, horse chestnuts, beechnuts, sycamore wings, pine cones and so on. I have made one willow basket but the willow was already prepared. I shall try making a lavender basket. Just bought balls of 100% cotton from Poundland!!! So will use that. Thank you.

[@heidicools931]

thank you for this.

[@ladyofthemasque]

I think that was an excellent choice of yarn color.

[@rasitawinner8203]

Love lavender can not wait for it to get long enough this year

[@erikajarosova7914]

Beautiful, I have plenty of material and I am going to start a basket tomorrow. You are a great inspiration. Btw. I really like your scissors :)

[@rosalie4069]

Thank you for sharing all of your wonderful knowledge with us.

[@katerinasuniversalhealing2804]

Thank you for a great idea , never seen before how to make baskets out of lavender😊👍🏻

[@jules2713]

Fabulous! Excited to try and learn a new skill!

[@analuchessi9259]

Que placer este trabajo!!! Que placer escucharla también. Honrar la vida. Muchísimas gracias.

[@carolschedler3832]

You are an absolute delight!!! Looking firward to making a little basket!!!

[@j.s.1816]

Ooh. I bet that the water used to soak it would smell wonderful if heated.

[@maryannarobinsonn1199]

Thank you for your instructions.

[@APZANATTA]

beautiful work I'm starting to make baskets with bamboo and pine branches I'm loving it very much, thank you for sharing the hugging technique I'm also making kumihimo and frivoleté

[@hannahtv7097]

Thanks for sharing great video my friend

[@ragnkja]

I don’t have any lavender, but I will most likely be able to use oregano, peppermint or spearmint.

[@violetaafricana1]

Cute!!!💜

[@ladyjrider666]

Absolutely love this! I planted a lavender hedge last year so am excited to try this. 💜

[@apple6ification]

So inspiring and a lovely demonstration, thankyou! 🌿💜

[@jonquillehhh6657]

so relaxing, thank you

[@lcunningham1776]

Thank you❤ have a bunch from last year. Going to give it a go.

[@aspenram3885]

Gorgeous! Thank you so much! Such a good idea 💖

[@helykhomesteading4636]

thank you for sharing. Off to the lavender fields tomorrow to give it a try.

[@rebeccafionacornel6558]

Thank you for the tutorial Sally ma'am! i live in India and i wish that we could grow Lavender in India as well.... but well, i think it's difficult to find plants to grow at home........ but we do get to buy dried lavender flower buds........ but i would rather have plants of different kinds and try making different things, like paper, fiber, floral water and other such things....... and also i love to learn new things everyday..... keeps my mind working continuously.......

[@smurph4959]

Such a fantastic idea! Thank you 🌼🌸🌼

[@rebeccaboulton6587]

Made mine!! Loved this, thank you...

[@lesdrinkwater490]

Very nice work. Thanks Sally.

[@elegantsufficiency2866]

This is beautiful! I'll definitely be trying this. Thank you for your demonstration. 💚

[@phyllisjeanfulton]

Eager to get started!! I just harvested snd have hung to dry. Now for a new project. I’ve never made a basket. I’m loving this. 😁♥️

[@juliad1768]

Love this, I’m a crocheter and I will make a few of these, only just discovered you channel, I’ve watched a few of your videos already, very interesting xxx

[@sheenalittle4246]

That’s lovely thank you for all your fabulous videos, they are really helping me. 🥰

[@toadallyneedleandthread1057]

This makes me wonder if there just so happen to be lots of lavender in my mother's garden that she won't miss

[@trinaroberts9883]

What beautiful scissors. Love your videos.

[@kimcory6129]

❤😊

[@MoniqueAO888]

Wonderful video !!! And I'm so jealous...I just love lavender... :-)

[@intuitknit]

Thank you . I am trying this. My lavender is not quite as thick as yours but I am hoping it will work.

[@oliverg6864]

This basket is beautiful. I'm curious why in this basket you chose to stitch straight around the coils, but in your video on the bramble and burdock basket you do a figure 8 around the coils? Does the stitching technique have something to do with the properties of the materials? I've almost finished making my first bramble basket, I'm very proud of it!

[@SallyPointer]

It's more a matter of inclination on the day I suspect!

[@melanieriley-brown2766]

Sally, what a wonderful video, does it smell wonderful on your dressing table?

[@SallyPointer]

It does smell nice!

[@christiandonaldson31]

Hello how are you

[@annep.1905]

I was thinking that a hat made from lavender stalks might be really nice - especially for the smell. Would this work, or be too much work, or just too much to keep the stalks supple?

[@SallyPointer]

That's a great idea. Try it and see!

[@annep.1905]

@@SallyPointer Thanks!

[@thornhedge9639]

Sally: could you just cut off the flower heads and dry them for stripping later and just use the stalks green? Great project as always, I look forward to giving this a shot! Thanks so much!

[@SallyPointer]

It's usually best to let any basketry material dry first to get shrinkage out of the way, saying that, you'd do fine for baskets you didn't want to keep long term with fresh stalks

[@thornhedge9639]

@@SallyPointer Thank you Sally!

[@Kayenne54]

Looking at my lavender about an hour ago, thinking...What else can I do with this?

[@AliciaB.]

does the basket have a noticeable lavender smell ?

[@SallyPointer]

It does yes! Not as strong as the flowers, but there is a lot of scent in the stalks too.

[@chickenpermission6969]

unfortunately, i don’t have lavender near me, but i do have an abundance of russian sage, whose flowers are very similar in shape to lavender. do you think i could use that?

[@SallyPointer]

It's certainly worth a try, do something small like a coaster to start with, see how it goes

[@Appellonia]

Im in America, Indiana, So just curious 🤔 anyone know any widely available local plants that could also be used for this project? Great video Sally!! 😀

[@gertysburg]

I would love to do this at a living history village that I work at as an interperater (Genessee Country Village and Museum, New York) Do you have any documentation for using lavender stems in the 19th century? Or ideas where I might find info? Being a museum , why wouldn't they, isn't A good answer. Enjoy your day and thank you for your mentorship!

[@diannedogwalker1268]

Thank you Sally I really want to have a go at doing this. What mm thickness is the string to make the basket? Kind wishes

[@SallyPointer]

It's the type of cotton yarn used for dishcloths, so about a DK weight, ish.

[@Yoyocreative]

Oooh! I just planted lavender this year (just about 5-6 plants) and was wondering what I should do with the stalks I harvested! First of all, that technique for removing the flowers is genius! Thank you for showing! And now I also have a wonderful way of using the leftover stalks! One question though. Could I use lavender that's been dried last year? I only harvested around a fourth of the bundle you soaked (first year plants and all), so I was wondering if I could save the stalks and use them next year. I'm hoping the harvest will be better by then too, so if I can't save them, I'll try again next year!

[@SallyPointer]

Yes absolutely, I've used stored lavender often

[@Yoyocreative]

@@SallyPointer oh wonderful! Thank you for your reply! 😊

[@melissajarvis4829]

@@SallyPointer Somebody mentioned adding glycerin. Would you suggest that? If so, how much?

[@SallyPointer]

@@melissajarvis4829 I've never found it necessary

[@sagiorart6224]

Hello! I was wondering how long the lavender can be dried for, a week I assume is fine but is there a point when they've dried for too long for this project?

[@SallyPointer]

I save my stalks for months sometimes. Just keep them dry and shady, maybe wrap in a paper bag, and it's all fine.

[@elegantsufficiency2866]

Quick question: do you think this could work with copper wire binding the lavender stems together in lieu of thread?

[@SallyPointer]

That's a lovely idea, I'd suggest taking several turns round the core for each one through both layers for ease of working, but yes, well annealed wire should work fine.

[@MichaelBerthelsen]

Couldn't think of anyone more perfect to ask about this: We have a TON (literally, it's invasive and everspreading) of ground elder (Bishop's Weed en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aegopodium_podagraria) that used to be used for dying wool yellow, growing all over the forest where I live. But are the fibres in the 50cm stalks any good for rolling into string? I want to use some natural string to tie the heads of some garden bamboo into a brush or broom for use in the garden, and am curious as to whether it's worth trying with ground elder.😅 I just had the idea for the broom yesterday during some trimming, and this video reminded me you're an expert on long plant fibres and all the creative things we can do with them, felt it might be worth an ask.😊

[@SallyPointer]

It's certainly worth trying, bit it's not one that has a wide useage as cordage. You might find better sources, but if you have lots, no harm in seeing how you get on with it.

[@MichaelBerthelsen]

@@SallyPointer In that case I'll try to follow your recipe for nettle cordage as best I can, see what I end up with, and possibly get back with results, even if they're poor.😅👍

[@MichaelBerthelsen]

@@SallyPointer Had a bit of a go. Does have some very strong fibres in them, but they're pretty much impossible to extract in a useful way.😅 I'll try something else, then.😊👍

[@SallyPointer]

@@MichaelBerthelsen was worth a try! Thanks for letting me know how it went.

[@MichaelBerthelsen]

@@SallyPointer You might be able to get something out of it, but nettles are far easier, so not really much point.😅 Sadly somebody goes around with a trimmer and cuts down all nettles around here, so I'll have to look for alternatives.😅

[@AKAndrew]

Great tutorial thank you!! How long after you cut the lavender stalks can you keep them before you use them? Days, weeks, months?

[@SallyPointer]

Years, I have some stored for use from two years ago

[@AKAndrew]

@@SallyPointer thanks so much! V. Helpful.

[@sandracheckley5407]

how long are you leaving the lavender to dry please? I have a lot in my garden right now lovely to find something to do with the stalks

[@SallyPointer]

Just until the flowers are dry and can be rubbed off, maybe three days in this weather?

[@sandracheckley5407]

@@SallyPointer thank you

[@diacaster7244]

Do the stalks have to be green when you pick them, to can they be picked and soaked at any time during the winter?

[@SallyPointer]

As long as they aren't too dried out and brittle from winter weather, you can pick them whenever really.

[@Sheepdog1314]

very cool...my lavender is not the right kind....

[@SallyPointer]

What sort have you got?

[@juliad1768]

How long do you dry the lavender form i so want to make several baskets with this technique with my crochet xxx

[@SallyPointer]

It dries fast, a day should be enough

[@juliad1768]

I have inspired over 470 crocheters to make a teapot mat and coaster with cotton yarn and the lavender as it’s what I wanted to make but will make a basket as well, so thank you for inspiring me, I’ve also got an order to make one , so my first sale of them, thank you for inspiring me, I crocheted with single crochet into a magic circle before increasing over each stitch until the size I needed, I used cotton yarn. Xxx love all your videos slow watching them all xxx

[@loiscutting1716]

The sound on this video isn't very good early on. On the second part of the video showing "the next step" the sound is so much better. The two ladies at the table needed to speak up.