Vine weaving lessons for beginners. Weaving willow for beginners step by step: technology, master class, patterns, interesting ideas and recommendations. From household utensils to designer items

The art of creating various products from vines or willow twigs was known more than a thousand years ago. Then it was a necessary skill associated with the satisfaction of the everyday needs of a person.

Currently, weaving willow baskets for beginners and experienced craftsmen is rather a fascinating hobby that allows you to get beautiful products intended not only for collecting and storing mushrooms, berries, fruits and vegetables, but also for decorating rooms.

Modern designers are increasingly resorting to the use of all kinds of baskets, since they allow filling the space with a unique rustic "spirit" and coziness inherent only in rural houses... This is especially true in rustic, country and, which are now becoming more and more popular among residents of various private houses.

Basket weaving technology

For weaving a basket, you can purchase ready-made willow rods or assemble them yourself.

Freshly cut rods filled with juice must be dried well, and before starting to weave the product, soak for 30-40 minutes in hot water to make it more flexible.

Tools that will be needed for the job are a pruner, a sharp pocket knife, scissors, and an awl or screwdriver.

The art of weaving baskets has its own simple terminology. If you look at the bottom of the basket, you will see thick straight rods that radiate from the center in the form of rays and are called "spokes". After they are bent upward in the process of work to form the walls of the basket, they become "racks" (or "boxes").

All sections of thin willow twigs that bend between the knitting needles and uprights are called “knit” (or “weave / weft”). Usually, baskets start from the bottom. Sometimes it is also called the base. Then the walls, the fold and, if necessary, the handles are weaved.

Weaving willow baskets for beginners step by step

Consider one of the methods of weaving a basket with a diameter of about 28 cm and a height of about 12 cm.

We need the following materials:

6 thick willow branches (future needles);
24 rods of medium thickness (for the side parts of the bottom);
50 thin branches (25 for racks and 25 for walls);
12 rods of medium thickness (for special weaving, designed to connect the base and walls).

In total, there are five stages of basket weaving.

Stage 1: basic

Cut 6 twigs 35-40 cm long from a thick shoot with a secateurs. They will serve as base knitting needles.

In the center of each of these three rods, use a knife to split 4-5 centimeters long. This split is called a "slot".

Place the three split rods together, and insert the remaining whole rods into the slots so that you get a cross.

Now we begin to weave the base itself (bottom).

Select the longest and thinnest rods. Take two rods and insert their thin ends into the slot of the slot, as shown in the photo.

Separate the twigs, pass thick knitting needles between them and braid them like this, passing from above and below alternately. Thus, you need to make two circles to make a weaving of two thin willow twigs.

Then continue to make the same weave, only single, pulling the twigs tight and bending each of the needles outward in turn. It is necessary to try to ensure that the distance between the large branches is uniform, as you should get a structure resembling the spokes from a bicycle wheel.

The next picture clearly shows what exactly the pattern should be, obtained in the process of weaving around the knitting needles.

In describing the method of weaving baskets from willow and vines for beginners, one important detail is often overlooked, on which the quality of one of the most important elements - the bottom - directly depends. This is the need to tighten the twigs as tightly as possible after each weaving of the knitting needles, without moving them up or down!

Using the described method, continue working in a circle until the twig ends.

To increase the length, do not use two new branches at once. Simply slide the sharpened end of a twig between the old twigs from the last rows, bend it in the desired direction and continue weaving at least a few more strokes forward before changing the second twig. Carefully cut off the remaining ends. As a rule, the replacement should be done when there is still about 10 cm left to the end of the branch.

The base of the finished product should turn out to be slightly concave so that the basket can stand firmly on the veranda or. The bottom execution technique clearly demonstrates that when a diameter of 7-8 cm is reached, you need to grasp it tightly with your hands and "push it out" a little. thumbs very center outward. However, here it is important not to overdo it and not bend the base too much.

Continue weaving until the bottom reaches about 22 cm in diameter. It is advisable to guess so that this moment coincides with the end of the next twigs, the ends of which should be fixed by tucking between the branches of the previous row.

Cut the ends of the twigs with pruning shears as close as possible to the braided base itself, but so that they still rest against the knitting needles.

Here is the bottom and you're done. For beginners, the result may be slightly different from the photo, but this is completely normal.

Stage 2: breakdown of the base

At this stage, new branches are added to the weave of the base to each spoke, which will then play the role of racks for further creating a basket.

It is important to consider that every willow twig has a natural bend with an inside and outside.

For high-quality weaving of our basket, you will need 24 such branches. Cut each of them with scissors or pruning shears to get a pointed and long oblique cut, located strictly on the inside or outside of the rod, but not on the side.

Holding the base with the concave side down, press with an awl or screwdriver into the weave next to the spoke in the manner shown in the photo.

Remove the awl and immediately insert the prepared rod with its inner side down and another rod on the other side of the knitting needle. Using the same method, insert two branches of the will of each knitting needle.

In various descriptions of weaving strong willow baskets for beginners, it is always indicated that the rods must be inserted precisely with the inside down, so that the product itself bends beautifully. If, instead, insert them upside down, the basket will move to the sides.

On each stand, make a kink a short distance from the beginning of the base weave (about 5 mm) by simply pushing on them with your thumbnail.

Lift all the racks up, secure them with a hoop or tie them, making sure that there is no bending inward and skewing in one direction.

Cut the base knitting needles of the bottom flush with the edge of the weave just below the bend of the struts.

Stage 3: connecting the bottom to the walls

One of the most important milestones in basket weaving is the connection of the finished bottom with the uprights with the side part. In order for this transition to be uniform and look neat, use the softest light twigs of medium thickness in the amount of three pieces.

Place the basket on your lap with the base towards you - this will be the easiest way to work with it.

Take three sticks of even medium thickness and trim them to the same length. Insert them with their tips into those weaves on the bottom that are adjacent to the uprights. In order for the rods to hold tightly, their tips should go deep into the base by about 5 cm.

Start with the left-most twig to create the braided pattern. Hook it and throw it over the first and then over the second post of the second row. Keep in mind that the weaving should not be on the side, but on the edge. This will allow you to get the most aesthetic connection.

Take the next twig, moving from left to right, and braid it around the posts in the same way.

Continue braiding around the entire base, always picking twigs one at a time and making sure that the twig you are working on is on top of the other twigs.

It is important in the process to always tighten the twigs tightly, which will allow the product to get a beautiful shape due to the good fixation of the racks at the very bottom. After the first circular weave, place the basket upright on a table or other comfortable surface. This will facilitate the further process of work.

Leave the small end of the twig sticking outward, as shown in the photo. Start adding new twigs from left to right, just pushing the old twig back a little and inserting a new one into the resulting weaving gap. Make a few braids before adding the next twig.

Typically, a few circular weaves are sufficient to create a beautiful transition from base to wall. Pull the remaining loose ends down through the entire weave, and then cut with sharp scissors.

Stage 4: weaving the walls

There are many patterns of twigs of varying degrees of complexity, but when weaving a willow basket for the very beginners, it is better to use the simplest option, the diagram of which is presented below.

With an odd number of racks, it is permissible to use one rod as the basis for weaving, however, we got 24 racks, so the best option is a weave of two branches.

Place the blank of the basket on a vertical surface, place some weight in it, which will prevent the product from falling, and start weaving. First add one twig, and only after throwing it several times over the posts in front and behind (approximately to the middle of the basket diameter) add the second. Next, the branches need to be alternated, using one or the other in turn.

When the twig is finished, add a new one as shown in the picture. Always prune the branch before it starts to taper off too much so that there are no too thin pieces in the weave.

After making a few circles, remove the hoop that supports the posts. If at the same time they begin to disperse too much to the sides, return the mount to its place. In total, you need to move up about 9 cm.

After completing the main weaving, take three of the same twigs that were used to create the connection of the bottom and walls. Secure them by simply sliding the tips under the racks.

Make several circles of weaving light rods of medium thickness and secure the ends tightly in the same way as described above at the stage of joining the base and walls.

Stage 5: weaving the fold

The final stage of making the basket is weaving a fold, to create which you need to bend the vertical racks and continue the pattern with their help.

Take the three light-colored twigs used in the previous weave, attach them to one stand and bend it to the right. Do this for all vertical branches.

Then take one bent post and run it from the bottom of the third post, skipping over the previous two.

Do the same with all the uprights in turn, moving to the right side. Make sure each branch is folded down tightly before using the next.

When in upright position only three racks remain, stretch them according to the same pattern, only start the ends behind the already existing weaving, tightening it tighter.

As a result, long ends sticking out should remain. Cut them off with an oblique cut.

As a finishing touch, carefully inspect the product and use sharp scissors or pruning shears to remove all small tips, trying to make an oblique cut flush with the rest of the plane of the walls or bottom.

That's the whole technology of weaving different willow baskets for beginners. With its help, both ordinary things and real masterpieces are created.

The original appearance products are obtained when used in various combinations of willow twigs of various shades.

Do-it-yourself baskets from the vine began to weave a long time ago. This material was used in the manufacture of fences and cradles for babies. They even made dishes from the vine. Nowadays vine baskets owe their popularity to mushroom pickers. They are the ones who use such products more than other people. A good solution is to weave a separate option for picnics or household items. There are many design ideas - from the simplest to the most stylish and fashionable. At the same time, it is easy to make this item yourself.

Choosing the right material

The first thing to do is to pick up the material. It must be of high quality. The service life of the product depends on this indicator. Usually the vine is cut at the very beginning of spring or autumn. It is believed that at this time it has great strength.

A quality vine branch is defined as follows: in the thickest place, bend it all the way. It should not burst or crack. Material that meets these parameters is suitable for weaving. An important nuance- each branch must be ripe.

The vine needs to be processed, because recently cut wood will not be able to keep the shape of the basket. There are two schemes for preparing branches: soaking and leveling. In the first case, the rods are treated under running water or placed in a container and the liquid is changed every day. The water must completely cover the wood. To prevent it from floating up, it should be crushed with a load. You need to carry out a similar procedure within two weeks.

The second method is faster and will take three hours. The rods must be folded into a large container and filled with boiling water. The mixture is boiled for about two hours. Cool the vine and start separating the bark from the twigs. The peculiarity of the second method is that the branches of the vine will acquire brightness and shine. They are also easy to clean and wash.

Making a list of tools

Before weaving a basket from a vine with your own hands, you need to prepare the following tools:

awl;
side cutters;
weight - it will hold the vine in a certain position;
pliers - they are used to bend the rods.

The fixtures should be prepared in advance. This approach will speed up the creation of the cart.

Work algorithm

How to weave vine baskets? First, you need to divide the work into several stages, they will help you quickly understand the algorithm of actions and master the technique:

1. Weaving the bottom begins with the need to take 8 twigs. In half of them, a hole is made. Each of them is 3 centimeters. The second half of the branches is threaded through these cuts. As a result, a cross is formed.

Making a cross for the bottom

2. The next step is to wrap around the base. You need to take two branches and circle them around the four branches. So two circles should be woven. Upon completion of this action, they begin to wrap around each of the rods. Two more rows are created. Elements must be evenly spaced. As a result of weaving, a circle is obtained.

3. Another rod is added. It is placed in the extreme row, bent. It is worth noting that the previous warp is cut off (due to lack of length). In the same way, all the rods are replaced and two rows are woven. The vine should bend around the twig inside and out. This principle is maintained until the bottom is completed. There are 16 main rods. At the end of weaving, you need to add another one. It is placed between the rest of the branches in the last circle.

Making the foundation

4. Having weaved the base of the intended size, you need to start creating the walls. Choose medium-sized rods. They are attached to the bottom of the basket - into the weaving itself. The bases of the walls are bent to a right angle, and the tops are tied. The folded ends are inserted into the bottom of the basket and wrapped around them. You should take three twigs. With their thin side, they are inserted into the holes next to the main rods - one per rack.

5. It is necessary to weave a "braid" and repeat the pattern of the base. It should resemble a diamond in shape, and it goes around each vertical rod. In this technique, 2-3 rows are performed. Doing so will create the base of the form.

We make a frame for the walls

6. It's time to start weaving a common "canvas". In this case, the method of setting the vine in one rack and raising it in front of the other is used. When the desired height of the basket has been reached, the vertical branches are cut and their ends are hidden in weaving.

Weave the walls

The vine basket is ready. It remains only to make a pen. First, you should measure the length for the handle and choose a thick branch. It is bent and shaped to fit the basket. The ends of the rod are sharpened and inserted into the walls of the product. Place 6 thinner rods next to the handle. They go around the main branch, which allows you to firmly fix it in the weave. To prevent small branches from moving, they are fixed with adhesive tape. The "tails" of the twigs should be hidden in the walls of the basket.

Making a pen

To start using the basket to its fullest, you need to let it dry. It will take several days. This simple method is used by most novice masters. In the future, it is recommended to develop your weaving skill and create more complex designs. Not only baskets are in demand, but also furniture, decorative elements from a vine.

Weaving instructions (2 videos)

Options for ready-made baskets (38 photos)

Vine products can serve for decades, filling the house with coziness. They are appropriate not only in a village hut, but also in a city apartment. Are you ready to master a new hobby and learn how to create masterpieces?

Vine weaving is the oldest art, with the oldest baskets dating back to 6500 BC. Wickerwork is mentioned in the cultural heritage of almost all corners of the planet. Baskets, trays, baskets and baskets are very diverse and beautiful, literally eye-catching. Wicker items were so widely used that they were reflected even in the canvases of famous artists. Today, ancient vine weaving techniques have returned and added to the list of fashionable hobbies.

Cradle

From household utensils to designer items

The use of baskets and wicker furniture has greatly expanded the scope; these are no longer only country accessories, but full-fledged residents of modern city apartments. Now these things are used not only as household or utilitarian, but also as bright design accents. It should be noted that harvesting vines for weaving does not cause any harm. environment on the contrary, it rejuvenates willow thickets.

They are engaged in this craft with equal success in countryside, and in big cities. An indisputable advantage is that there is no need to buy raw materials for work, it is quite possible to prepare it yourself. Willow thickets abound in almost all regions of our country. For those who like long walks in nature, the preparation will only bring pleasure.

How to prepare a vine for weaving

However, there is an opportunity to buy raw materials for this hobby, although this industry is only gaining momentum. You can weave not only from willow, but also from a nut twig, deren and other sufficiently flexible species of trees and shrubs. Long and not very thick shoots should be chosen, they should not branch.

Both unbarked (unbarked) material and refined material are used. Mainly household products are made of unrooted twigs: wattle, baskets for vegetables or mushrooms. More elegant, small things are made from debarked material. It can be all sorts of vases, rusks, boxes for linen and a huge variety of other products.

You should not harvest the rod for weaving in the summer. At this time, it is often brittle due to its rapid growth. To avoid disappointment, harvesting is carried out in the spring or fall. In winter, it is also quite possible to do this, but the work will be difficult due to snowdrifts and frost. The twigs cut in the spring are peeled from the bark without preliminary preparation, the autumn twig is first boiled, then cleaned. Processing is simple, but it will take time.

The weaving process quickly enthralls and delays, the natural material in the hands takes away negativity and bad mood. And a ready-made little thing, made with your own hand, will delight you with both grace and convenience.

Where to start weaving

In order to try making your first basket, you need to be patient. Natural material does not yield as quickly as, before laying it in even rows, a considerable number of blanks will be broken. You need few tools, they are very easy to get, and they are inexpensive. First you will need:

awl;
secateurs;
stationery knife;
side cutters;
The spray bottle will help moisturize the rod during operation so that it does not break.

Classic products begin to weave from the bottom, then the walls are weaved, bend and handle are performed. When taking your first steps in this craft, it is advisable to start with a simple round basket.

Before making it, you need to familiarize yourself with just a few weaving techniques:

weaving a round bottom;
ropes;
layered weaving for walls;
design of the bending of the product.

The weaving should be periodically pressed and tamped so that it does not turn out too loose as a result. It is necessary to ensure that the rods lay down evenly and tightly, without overlapping each other.

Having mastered the basic techniques of weaving from a vine, the craftswoman can switch to openwork or other more complex things. You can decorate baskets with various braids, weave other materials, such as straw, birch bark or wooden beads.

The flight of creative thought in this matter is guaranteed! The finished product is varnished, preferably water-based. It is environmentally friendly and odorless, and the processed item can then be successfully used in the kitchen or in the nursery.

Contemporary uses and examples of wickerwork

Weaving from a vine is a very flexible skill, its use is limited only by the imagination of the master. Fashionable landscape designers specially order vine sculptures to decorate the site. Watches, which can be made by yourself, are in great demand. Elegant and cozy rocking chairs deserve special attention.

The possession of this accessory already speaks about the status of the owner, about his achievements. You can come up with and make designer jewelry and gifts for the holidays, for example, for the New Year.

A special place is occupied by vine cradles. Natural, raw material is perfect for children's rooms. Babies fall asleep really well and calmly in a wicker cradle.

Various shelving baskets will fit almost any interior, very convenient for storing little things that you have to keep close at hand all the time.

Each hostess will find a lot of opportunities for using such products in her home. For a modern lady with imagination who knows how to weave from a vine, the question of gifts to loved ones immediately becomes easier. It is unlikely that there is such a thick-skinned person who does not appreciate a specially woven thing for him, author's and so warm.

First you need to prepare the rods. To weave a basket, we need rods with a thickness of 2-10 mm of various lengths. You can calculate the flow in the following way:

1. For weaving the bottom - about 30-50 rods, with a thickness of butt(cut point - the thick end of the rod) 2-4 mm, 8 sticks with a diameter of 4-6 mm.

2. For risers (racks) - 16 main, 16 additional (for bending), spare 5-10, total 42 rods, butt diameter 4-6 mm.

3. For the side part - the quantity depends on the number of layered weaves. In this model, there are 5 layer-by-layer weaves, which means that 16 (the number of risers) must be multiplied by 5, we get 80 rods, the thickness is 4-6 mm at the butt.

4. For weaving ropes - 3 ropes of 6 rods (with replacement) -18 rods, stock of 10 rods, in total 28 rods, 4-6 mm thick in the butt.

5. For weaving the handle - 1 thick rod with a butt diameter of 8-10 mm. For braiding, you need 8-10 rods, 5-6 mm in diameter at the butt, a stock of 5 rods.

TOTAL: about 230 rods.

You can watch the video course on the preparation of rods on the page:

Collection and preparation of willow twigs

The main stages of weaving baskets

1. Weaving of the bottom 4x4.

Do-it-yourself willow basket weaving technique

You can weave a 3x3 bottom (for a small basket, or build up risers in the cross). You can 5x5. The more numbers of the main rods in the cross, the smaller the distance between the risers, which means layer-by-layer weaving looks more dense, and the work is more aesthetically pleasing. Large 5x5 or 6x6 bottoms can be woven into a large basket. You can watch a video on weaving bottoms on the pages:

WEAVING BOTTOM 3x3
WEAVING BOTTOM 4x4
WEAVING BOTTOM 5x5

2. Next, you need to prepare and insert the risers. For a 4x4 bottom, 16 rods are needed. Be sure to take stock, because risers break during operation and must be replaced. You can watch a video course on inserting risers into work on the page:

INSERTING STANDS

3. After insertion, the uprights must be secured with ropes, first in a plane, thereby securing the bottom, and then at the bend again. Sometimes I fasten the bottom with 1 rope in 3 rods 2 through 1, and the place of the fold with 2 ropes in 3 rods 2 through 1. You can watch the video course of rope weaving on the page:

LAYER WEAVING IN 1 ROD

In this work, I braided a layer by layer weaving in 1 rod. In fact, you can braid in 2 and 3 rods, one or 2-3 colors. The colors that can be obtained by conventional water treatment (boil the rods) are white, light orange and brown. Options for working with different colors of rods and different kinds layered weaving:

5. After the side part is ready, we fasten it with a rope in three rods 1 through 2, the rope on the front side will be under the fold, so I am braiding this particular rope. You can watch a video course for weaving such a rope on the page:

ROPE IN 3 RODS 1x2

6. Finish the work by braiding the fold. Again, there may be options. In this model I have braided a "false braid" fold, you can use different options for braids or simple folds. You can watch video courses on weaving bends on the pages:

BENDING SIMPLE
FALSE BRAID BEND

6. The final stage of working with the basket is weaving the handle. You can watch a video course on weaving a handle on the page:

WEAVING HANDLE

7. After finishing work, you need to cut off all the remnants of the rods and clean the basket with a brush. This is done to give the basket a natural shine. Decorative baskets can be treated with wood varnish. But I love the natural shine, so I don't use varnishes.

How our baskets are created

Wicker baskets are a product that can be used in a wide variety of areas of our life. They can serve as an ideal gift wrapping, a frame for a flower arrangement, as well as a useful household item. Baskets woven from natural natural material are very beautiful, therefore they are often used as decorative elements of interiors. For whatever purpose, wicker baskets are used, they are consistently popular with buyers.

Factory for the production of baskets.

The basket factory sells its products in bulk.

Vine crafts master class

We have large production areas where baskets are created literally from scratch. The first stage of manufacturing is obtaining the material, that is, growing the vine. For the manufacture of baskets, willow vine is used - it is quite soft and well amenable to weaving, but at the same time very durable. The vine is grown in separate areas belonging to the factory.

When the vine reaches the required size in length and diameter, it is cut and sent for processing. This process includes sanding, whitening, if necessary, for certain basket models in white, or painting with environmentally friendly paints.

Next, the vine, ready for weaving, is sent to the basket production workshop. It is here that our products are created directly - a variety of baskets for flowers, gifts and other purposes. We create wicker baskets of a wide variety of models, which are developed by our designers. These are deep baskets for gifts, and small baskets, models of different shapes, sizes and colors. Some basket models are made using a combination of light and dark, thin and thickened vines to create an original weaving pattern and, in fact, the final result.

Finished products are packaged and sent for sale. Baskets are released from the factory in bulk, in any volumes necessary for the buyer.

Natural materials, high quality.

An important characteristic that all our wicker baskets have is environmental friendliness.

A willow vine is used as a material for creation. Willow vine shoots of different thickness allow you to create interesting design solutions for baskets of different models.

Modern technologies for processing vines and weaving baskets for gifts and other areas of application allow you to create products High Quality... Each basket is characterized by high reliability, sturdy construction, well-made handles that can hold any load placed in the basket. This makes our wicker baskets versatile, suitable for a wide variety of needs.

With large production volumes, the factory maintains excellent product quality while keeping natural resources intact due to
using your own willow plantations, designed specifically to create baskets.

Wholesale baskets - a profitable investment

We suggest that you purchase baskets in bulk from the manufacturer. As noted above, these products are in steady demand: baskets for flowers and gifts never go out of fashion, and interesting weaving options and functionality of baskets help housewives with their help to equip home life. Therefore, buying baskets in bulk is a great investment for:

Stores selling consumable such as flower baskets, etc .;
. flower shops;
... shops and boutiques of gifts and souvenirs;
... shops of household specialization.

By purchasing baskets in bulk from the factory, you are reaping a huge price benefit while getting these great items at cost.

Who needs wicker baskets? →

How to weave a basket

In the recent past, the ability to weave baskets taught in every family. Weaved shoes, baskets, bodies for sledges, carts, individual pieces of furniture from the vine. But along with the old way of life, many of the then widespread types of applied art began to decline. Gradually, weaving from the vine almost disappeared from our everyday life. And then it turned out that the basket for picking mushrooms and berries cannot be replaced with any bag or bucket. In a wicker basket, the contents are well ventilated, and potatoes, for example, are easily freed from sand - it spills out through the holes. Wicker baskets and baskets are convenient and practical.

Today, due to the interest in antiquity, as well as the increase in free time and the desire to do things “for home and family” with our own hands, weaving, like other types of applied art, is experiencing its rebirth.

With which basket to start learning weaving

To start learning weaving, in our opinion, it is necessary to start with a simple basket, strong and beautiful design, which is called cat(photo above). Making such baskets is not difficult. They differ in capacity, strength, stability (which is especially important when picking berries, mushrooms, potatoes), easy to carry (on the arm bent at the elbow). A skillfully made cat looks beautiful, filled with gifts of nature, fits well into the interior of a modern apartment, makes it more comfortable and homely. In the kitchen and in the closets, onions, garlic, cranberries, potatoes, etc. are stored in baskets.

Amateur weaving does not require a special tool or workshop. It is enough to have a knife, a piece of wire and pliers.

What baskets are made of

Branches and twigs are used as material for weaving baskets. First, the blanks for the rings are selected. These are branches or shoots of willow, buckthorn, bird cherry, oak, hazel, etc., without damage, twigs and other flaws. One ring will serve as the handle of the basket and the other will serve as the base. After inspecting the workpiece, it must be worked on on the knee, slightly bending and securing with your hands. An unconnected ring is a compressed spring, and if one of the ends pops out, it can hit hard.

If the workpiece bends well and no breaks are formed, then a ring can be made from it. To do this, at a distance of 8-20 mm from the end of the branch (depending on the diameter of the thickened part), a smooth cut is made from the outside. The same is carried out at the thin end of the workpiece, but already from the inside. This is necessary so that the thickness of the ring around the entire perimeter is approximately the same. After that, the ring blank is overlapped. First, the ends are tied with twine, and then, having made cuts on both sides, they are neatly pulled together with wire.

Bending a small ring does not require much effort, but when working out on the knee blanks for large baskets will require significant efforts and a safety net with your hands so that the blank does not crack or break. The skill is not developed immediately, and therefore, in case of failure, one should not despair.

Having made the outer ring, proceed to the inner one. Since it is braided, then such high demands like a pen ring. Having made both rings, put them aside and proceed to the ribs.

The living lower branches of 10-20-year-old Christmas trees serve as a durable material for the ribs of the basket. Having peeled off such a branch from small twigs and needles, it is worked out on the knee, cut to the desired length and peeled from the bark. The same is done when making ribs from other types of trees or shrubs. The length of the main ribs should be more than half of the inner ring, and the additional ribs should be somewhat shorter. The rib should bend evenly along its entire length. To do this, its thick end is cut off, like the blanks for the ring.

Materials for weaving baskets

The material for weaving a basket-cat is willow rods, walnut shingles, wire, PVC pipes, etc. The most common and readily available are willow rods. Many willows grow along rivers, in meadows and in low places. However, not all rods are suitable for weaving. Annual shoots 60-80 cm long are used, and the thickness is selected depending on the size of the basket. The rods, harvested in spring and summer, can be used immediately, and cut off in winter they are first warmed up.

The workpiece is cleaned of bark, knitted in bunches and folded in a blown barn or in the attic. In winter they are steamed. Such a rod bends well and is very convenient to work with. With a lack of a twig, as well as for the ease of baskets, the shoots are split in half. Baskets for potatoes are weaved, as a rule, from unpeeled twigs. Willow trees are used for rings, ribs, and thinner rods are used for weaving.

Sometimes hazel is used to make baskets and boxes. For this, hazel sticks are harvested with a length of 1.5-2 m at the age of 4-6 years. Their diameter at the butt should be from 15 to 30 mm, and the sticks themselves should be straight, without knots and damage. Cut off the hazel shoot with a knife or chop it down with a hatchet at the very base, so that the butt part does not get cracks.

Usually, the material is harvested into several baskets at once. For beginners, we recommend cutting off a few extra blanks, since the first time not every one will turn out a ring or it will be possible to make shingles.

To make a small basket (for 3-4 liters of berries), 2 hazelnut blanks are used for rings and 4-5 for shingles and ribs. Hazel has no waste, since, after removing the shingles, the core is used on the ribs. Shingles are obtained as follows. At first, the hazel is slightly bent at the knee along the entire length, and then an incision is made with a depth of 1-2 annual layers for ¼ of the circumference of the stick. From the notch as a result of bending, the shingles peel off. The hazel is taken under the arm and the shingles are carefully peeled off along the entire length. As you gain skill, this operation becomes more and more confident. The main thing is to “feel the layer”. In the same way, the shingles are ripped off from the opposite side and from the sides.

Hazel shingles are removed completely from the entire workpiece. Having peeled it off with a knife, it is immediately used for weaving, since it becomes brittle when it dries. Getting a hazel shingle takes experience. Therefore, it is better to start weaving your first cat from willow twigs. In addition to willow twigs and hazel shingles, roots of pine, spruce and other trees are also used for weaving. Usually roots of 0 to 10 mm are used. They are carefully removed from the ground and, without being cut off, they begin to be lifted in one direction and then in the other direction. Thus, sometimes it is possible to obtain a root with a length of 3-4 m. It is split in half; peeled from the bark and used for weaving. Weaving from the roots quickly, the products are light and elegant.

Nowadays, wire is sometimes used for rings and ribs, and for weaving - artificial materials different profiles (round, oval, flat) and colors. We recommend using these materials, in contrast to natural ones, for the initial acquaintance with the design and weaving of baskets - for educational purposes. Such a cat easily unravels, and the material can be used many times. The baskets, woven with the use of plastic materials, look elegant, but they have significant disadvantage: it is much more pleasant to pick and take a handful of cat berries made from natural materials.

Four steps when weaving a basket

Braiding the cross. Insert one ring at a right angle. Then we take the prepared rod (shingle, root) and, holding one end between the rings, we braid the cross, as shown in the photo. The end is tucked in and tightened. We also braid the second crosspiece.
Next, insert the first three edges on each side with sharp ends. We braid them first on one side and then on the other. Check if both halves of the cat are symmetrical. To do this, we tie the middle of the rib with a cord. If the contours of the future basket are successful, weaving continues. When the distance between the ribs increases, additional sections are inserted into the gaps between them.
At the end of the weaving, when all the ribs are inserted, it may turn out that the weaving comes to an end at the inner ring, and there is still a gap in the middle.
In this case, it is necessary to align the basket along its entire length by means of parallel weaving on each side. In this case, the ends of each twig (shingle or root) are laid under the edge and cut off.
When braiding the last rows, threading a twig between the ribs resembles sewing with a needle: it is pulled with effort so that there is a uniform density and symmetrical alternation. Finishing of the woven product consists of deburring, cutting off long ends of rods, file cleaning or sanding.

Try to weave the simplest cat basket. This is not only useful, but also very exciting.

If you are attracted by the original design and elegant appearance of wicker baskets, then you can safely purchase them for home use - you will not have to be disappointed.

Weaving from a vine

The advantages of wicker baskets, in addition to their external characteristics, are really many:

Products are made from environmentally friendly natural material - willow vine
The tightness of the weave allows you to adjust the level of air permeability inside the product
The willow twig gives the products lightness, strength and durability.
Products of any complexity are handmade by craftsmen
Wicker baskets are sold at low prices due to the availability of the material
Products can be painted and varnished to match the interior

The purchase of wicker products makes you think about how to maintain their neat appearance for a long time and prevent spoilage. We will delight you with the fact that another significant advantage of vine products is their easy care.

As a rule, wicker containers for any purpose, be it storage boxes for vegetables, baskets for sinks in bathrooms, external furniture baskets or built-in baskets for cabinets, do not require special external cleaning. It is sufficient to wipe them with a dry or damp, lint-free cloth. Vegetable baskets and breadbaskets, of course, must be emptied periodically, shaking out the accumulated debris and crumbs, and the rest - depending on their current state... If you used a basket for harvesting fruits, berries or mushrooms, and it gets dirty - just wash it with water or soapy water, rinse well and dry.

When stains appear on the wicker basket, dry cleaning and rinsing is no longer enough. You will have to dilute the solution of detergent with salt and rub it over the contaminated areas with a sponge or soft brush. Then rinse the product with non-hot water and leave to dry away from heating appliances and direct sunlight.

Do not use abrasive detergents when cleaning wickerwork - this may damage the surface. The same goes for sand or soil particles that accumulate in the cracks of the baskets if they are used for garden work. You must first carefully remove the sand and only then wipe the product. If scratches do appear, they will be especially noticeable on the surface of the large basket. To get rid of them, it is enough to lightly coat the damaged areas with polyurethane varnish.

To prolong the life of wicker products, try not to expose them to too dry air and high temperatures - this can cause cracks in the willow baskets. But the wicker products are resistant to dampness. This does not mean, of course, that the baskets should be left out in the rain. It is best to store wicker baskets at normal temperature and humidity levels. Note that a slight deformation of the basket, like a dent, can be eliminated by soaking this place with water until it is flexible and trying to reshape the product.

By the way, if the wicker baskets that have already been in service clearly lack the original gloss and color, it's time to get down to business and return them to their former appearance. There are several ways to remedy the situation. You can, for example, apply a thin layer of drying oil on the surface of wicker baskets that need restoration. Let the linseed oil dry, and then cover with a layer of colorless varnish. You will immediately notice how your wicker products have changed and "rejuvenated". And in order to change the shade of the baskets, you should use wood stain. The surface of the product, slightly sanded with fine sandpaper, must be covered with stain in several layers. A medium-sized brush, which is not too hard, is suitable for this. When the stain is absorbed and dry, you can cover the surface with a clear, colorless varnish.

Did you know that willow wickerwork changes its color to a darker one over time? This is due to the fact that the processes of pigmentation under the influence of tannins and dyes contained in willow branches continue in ready-made baskets woven from them. New products, especially from a rod subjected to "debarking" - removal of the bark by artificial or natural means, are usually white. Over the years, the color of wicker baskets takes on shades depending on the type of vine used: from golden and copper to chocolate.

Vine weaving has been known since ancient times, even when our ancestors made bast shoes. Over time, people began to weave various kinds and purposes of containers and household items (boxes, baskets, cradles, etc.). Nowadays, wickerwork allows you to create unique and unusual decorative elements, and household items have simply diversified their arsenal and style.

Christmas wreath

Necessary materials:

grapevine (you can use any grape plant, both wild and cultivated), you will need about 10 vine sticks 0.5 cm in diameter and about 2 meters in length (the number of vine sticks depends on the desired thickness of the future wreath);
glue gun;
natural materials for decoration (cones, branches of a Christmas tree, acorns, berries);
decorative materials (burlap, balls, bows, beads, money, boxes).

Weaving is best done from freshly cut vines. If the vine is dry, you can moisten it and it will regain the necessary moisture and elasticity.

The order of weaving a Christmas wreath:

Take one stick of vine and fold it into a ring, as shown in the picture.

With the second stick, you need to braid around the previously obtained ring.

At the beginning and at the end of the action, the edges of the working vine must be fixed between the rods of the first row of weaving.

In the process of weaving, the vine tends to break in this case, at the place of the break, you need to cut off the twig, and tuck the end between the previously woven rows.

For the neatness of the finished product, you need to make sure that all the rods during the weaving process lie in the same direction.

The finished vine ring can be left without decor, as a talisman, or you can decorate it.

Using a glue gun, you need to glue all previously prepared decorative elements to the vine ring.

You can fill the wreath with twigs and cones using your own imagination.

You can add various kinds of bows and even artificial snow to the wreath.

Weaving a decorative braid

This example will follow the contour of a plywood board with rounded corners.

Necessary materials:

plywood board with rounded corners;
nail;
hammer;
pencil;
drill and drill, depending on the thickness of the twigs of the vine;
nippers or pruning shears;
vine.

First you need to take a plywood board and on the sides you need to mark with a pencil the future holes for inserting the twigs of the vine, about 3 centimeters should be left between the marks.

Use a nail and a hammer to make small indentations in the marks. Drill about 2 centimeters of depressions with a drill.

The rods are best used wet as they are more flexible, so insert rods into the holes as needed during the weaving process.

Insert about 30 centimeters in length into the holes along the rods.

Weaving the braid should be started from left to right from the place where the three paired holes are drilled one after the other. From three places we will have four twigs of vines.

For convenience, we will call these structures made of rods “strands”.

Take a separate stick and bend the middle strand over it, using the tips from the picture.

Take the first strand of twigs and wind it behind the third, over the second.

Bend the third strand over the first strand wound up behind it

We take the second strand of four rods and start by a strand of two rods above the third strand, which also consists of four.

We bend a pair of strands of twigs.

We attach four rods from the first to the already bent paired strand. We have formed six rods in one plane. Further, the upper waves of the braid will consist of four rods, and the lower waves of six.

Wind the third strand of four strands over the next pair of strands.

Bend the paired strand of the twigs.

To the already folded paired strand, attach four rods from the second strand.

In the fourth strand, we have already formed six rods. We take only four of them and start the next paired strand for four rods.

We bend the paired strand from the rods by attaching four rods to it. This is how a wave of six rods is formed.

Repeat the step in which you need to take four rods out of six.

Continue braiding in a circle until the end and beginning of the braid come together.

Take four of the six rods in the top wave and loop them past the first strand.

The last time you need to start the next four rods out of six, for the strand from which the braiding began (the strand, which was first bent through the auxiliary stick).

Finish the bottom wave with the rods that remain and add four rods to each braided section in order, two more. And cut off two unused rods at the end of the entire weaving.

Also, at the end, you need to cut off all the sticking out rods only carefully so as not to spoil the leading ones.

Basket weaving

For weaving, you need a willow vine, but not all vines are equally good for this business, some types can break when working with it. To test if the vine is good for the job, bend it 90 degrees, if it doesn't break, then it does. The vine needs to be dried before starting work with it.

However, before the process, the dry vine needs to be moistened to make it easier to work with it. The duration of the soaking of the vine depends on its length, the longer the vine, the longer it needs to be soaked.

In addition to the vine itself, you will need:

scissors;
secateurs;
long nail or sharp stick.

The initial stage is the creation of a base for the basket. Cut eight sections from a fairly thick vine. For a basket of the same size as in the master class, segments about 30 centimeters long are enough.

Take four lines and cut about 5 centimeters in the center of each line.

Insert the uncut lines into the cut lines in the middle to form a cross.

Now inspect the sections of the twigs and select the thinnest of them, as well as the longest. It is best to start weaving from them. Take two lines and insert the thin ends into the cuts as shown.

To start making the basket, we will use the Twist weave. This is actually a fairly simple technique, but it may not work for you the first time if you have never experienced it before. It consists in the following: you need to hold two twigs, and then twist them one above the other so that they change places. Each twist is always done in one direction. For a better understanding of the technique, look at the pictures.

Wrap four sections each time, make two rows. This will help secure the base of the basket. Try to pull the twigs as tight as possible and place them as close to each other as possible.

After you finish two rows using the same twisting technique, you need to twist each piece separately with twigs.

Separate the line segments by tilting them. Make the distance between the lines as even as possible. After you finish this row, your twigs should be spread out like the spokes of a bicycle wheel. Make a few more rows.

Soon your braiding sections will be too short and you will need to lengthen them to continue working. It is best not to add two vines at the same time, as this can make the weaving weak. To understand how to do this, see the figure.

The end of the new segment must be inserted between the last two rows, and then folded. After that, cut off the old vine and continue to weave the basket. When adding new twigs, connect the thick end to the thick end and the thin end to the thin end.

After making the base for the basket, insert another vine to the 16 that you have at the base (just sharpen the end of the vine and insert it into the last two rows). You will have to make some effort, if the need arises, you can widen the distance between the braided rows to make it easier to insert the segment.

Cut off those twigs with which you weaved earlier, and continue to weave with only one inserted (above the twig, under the twig, and so on). You can add new twigs by simply tying the new to the old. Continue braiding until the base is the diameter you want. In this case, the base is 20 centimeters.

Now take some medium-sized vine pieces. You need to create the sides of the basket. Sharpen the thick end of each. Insert these segments next to each of the “knitting needles”. Cut off the ends of the old knitting needles at the level of the warp.

One of the new twigs, bend it to the left under the two adjacent ones, and then bend it up, as shown in the figure. Repeat in the same way with the rest of the twigs. After that, take all the twigs in a bundle and tie.

Now insert three twigs to the left of the three twigs at the bottom of the sides. Take the far left, bend it to the right behind the two adjacent ones and in front of the third, then twisting it out. Continue in the same way and make two rows, then untie the twigs.

Count the number of twigs, take the same amount. Insert the twig to the right of each knitting needle at the base, tilting it to the left and leading it behind the adjacent knitting needle and in front of the third, then bring the twig out again.

When you insert required amount, you can start weaving. Braid until the sections are short.

It remains to make a rim. To create it, take one of the twigs and bend it to the right.

Start it behind two adjacent twigs, in front of the third and fourth, then behind the fifth and bring it outside.

Repeat in the same way with each of the twigs. At the end, cut off the excess lengths.