Basket making is an ancient craft which utilizes simple tools and naturally grown materials. It is a good hobby that adds charm to your personal touch. Basketry kits can help you use your time well as you can sell what you make or even give your friends gifts. Here are some of the basic things one should know before getting started.

There are various tools you will require for weaving the container with ease. For instance, a scissor and a sharp knife is required to cut osiers. For chipping off the ends, you will need side cutters. A rounded nose pliers is important for kinking stakes prior to bending them. Other items required are measuring tape, knitting needle, clothe pins and protective water cloth for the work.

The principle of crafting is the same in spite of working on willow or cane. There is no difference between these two. Tender willow shoots are known as osiers and are cut into different colors and sizes so as to make baskets. They also are prepared in various ways since there are some which are cut when they are still thin as others are used when thick so that they can offer different weights useful in light and heavy work.

As you are crafting, there are two fundamental weights you have to work with. This can be the broad and heavy osiers or the cane normally used for stakes which form the structure and skeleton of a basket. In each work, more than a single thickness width of the stake is required. Heavy skates are crucial in weaving the bottom parts while the the light ones are used to craft the sides.

Soaking of the stakes and wavers should be done before weaving. Soaking them helps them to be soft enabling you to easily manipulate them. The ones soaked cannot crack or break while being used. After they have been soaked for around thirty minutes, they must be wrapped in a damp cloth for a given amount of time. The osiers to be used for stakes have to remain straight while weavers can be coiled and straightened when they are about to be used.

The baskets foundation is important as it is responsible for making the container strong. Traditional weaving is normally made using cane and willow throughout not forgetting the base. There are different ways one can craft the base according to the shape they want. This can be a square, oval or round base. The variance between the bases is shown early by the stakes you use.

The simplest way of crafting while making baskets is randing. When working around continuously, you need to use an odd number of stakes for the pattern to come out immediately in the second row. When working with an even number of stakes, make use of two separate weavers. Randing is normally used for larger areas of weaving.

Another method that you can use is pairing. It makes use of two weavers together since they are twisted around one another. Waling is a method that is used at intervals for controlling the shape of the basket towards the top. Remember to over-estimate the size of stakes instead of under-estimating as an oversize can be easily trimmed.