Baskets are wonderful additions to a home. They are not only beautiful decorations but they are also very functional and can serve as storage for magazines, remotes or as a display for your homemade potpourri. Put your backyard bamboo to beautiful use and weave your own bamboo basket. Get started now and it might be done in time to make a thoughtful and useful Mother’s Day gift!
Here’s what you need to weave your own bamboo basket:
- Bamboo
- Knife
- Scissors
- Tapestry needle
- String
Here’s how to weave your bamboo basket:
- Cut a three foot piece of bamboo into four planks by using a large knife to cut vertically down the bamboo.
- Cut each plank in half using a knife.
- Cut the plank halves into long strips by using a knife to cut them into layers. Start cutting the strips from the back side of the bamboo first.
- Use scissors to cut the ends of the bamboo strips so that they are all equal in length. Peel apart each bamboo strip so that you have multiple miniature strips of bamboo.
- Cut a five foot long piece of string and thread it into a tapestry needle. Grab a small bundle of two to three pieces of bamboo and coil the loose end of your string around the end of the bamboo bundle for approximately ¾ of an inch.
- Bend your wrapped section of bamboo into the shape of an U and bind both sides of the “U” together by wrapping it with the string six times. This will create a small loop.
- Wrap the string around the loose bamboo pieces and run it through the small loop. Continue wrapping the string around the bamboo and through the small loop with the tapestry needle until you make a complete circle. This should take anywhere from 10 to 20 stitches.
- Add another bundle of bamboo to your basket by adding underneath the loose bamboo from your ring and wrap the string around the combined bundle six times.
- Start coiling the new section by wrapping the string around the bamboo and through the coil of the previous row, using the tapestry needle. Continue adding bamboo in this manner until you are satisfied with the size of your basket.
- 10. Finish off the basket by simply wrapping string around all the way around the top coil of the basket. Cut the string and tie a knot at the end of it. Tuck the knot into the coiled string.
For more fun with bamboo, visit the Green Earth News section on Bamboo Crafts!
