A tall woven Basket with a firm Base

1.   Use 30cm long wooden sticks for the tallest basket and use shortened 20cm long wooden sticks for the small basket. Use a mitre cutter for shortening the wooden sticks.

2.   Push the wooden sticks into the pre-drilled holes on the wooden basket weaving template.

3.   Make sure that each of the wooden sticks are pushed firmly into the holes on the wooden basket weaving template.

4.   Paint 1/3 of each wooden stick with Plus Color craft paint. Also paint the wooden basket weaving template and the edge.

5.   Use paper yarn for weaving the first section of the basket from the base. Double over the paper yarn, tie a knot at the end, twist it slightly and attach it around a wooden stick as shown.

6.   Weave the doubled-over paper yarn alternately behind and around each wooden stick as shown.

7.   Twist the paper yarn as you go along to ensure that it has the same thickness as that of the maize cord which will be replacing the paper yarn later in the weaving.

8.   When the painted area on the basket is covered with the woven paper yarn, finish the weaving with a knot around a wooden stick.

9.   Push the end of the thick maize cord into the hollow of the woven section by a random wooden stick and continue weaving.

10.   Tighten the maize cord each time you weave around a wooden stick.

11.   Pack the woven section together by tapping it lightly with a hammer at the top between each wooden stick.

12.   At the top of the basket, cut the maize cord at the shown length. Fasten it to the woven section to the right of the nearest wooden stick. NB: There may not be much room and a tool may be useful; sharpen a new wooden stick with a pencil sharpener.

13.   A woven “collar” at the top: Cut 9 pieces of maize cord, each measuring 25-30cm (depending whether it is a small or a large basket). Push one piece of cord into the woven section to the right of each wooden stick all the way around. You may use the tool from step No. 12 if the space is tight.

14.   Weave each piece of maize cord behind the next piece of maize cord in the row, all the way around, forming loops. Attach the last piece of maize cord in the loop made with the first piece of maize cord.

15.   Now push each piece of maize cord underneath every other loop all the way round. Tighten.

16.   From the inside take out every maize cord and push it in again through the 3rd loop. Tighten.

17.   Tighten the weaving and trim all the ends at approx. 2-3cm. Push these into the edge all the way along. Use glue to secure the ends.

Another variant   -