Wicker products harmoniously complement any interior. To create spectacular scenery you need to have experience. The article will consider one of the ways how to weave a basket of willow.
To work, you need to pre-prepare the material. Cut rods need to be processed. At the first stage, free from husks (ham). If the willow twigs were cut in the spring, there would be no problem. Otherwise, they should be soaked in cold water by placing a loosely coupled beam into it to a depth of 15 cm. It is advisable to perform the procedure in a warm room or in the summer on the banks of a river or lake. When the bark begins to peel off, the material is ready. You can prepare the rods in another way: completely immerse them in a metal boiler with water and boil. Or using a special machine. Do-it-yourself weaving is a fascinating procedure. Let's look at it in more detail:
1. To create an oval bottom, take a long rod and, bending it through the knee, twist and form a circle.
2. Using the second branch, strengthen the created part, entwining it. It is necessary to monitor the uniformity of thickness.
3. Using the following twig, create a curled circle diameter, tightening it so as to form an oval of the desired size. After fixing, you need to check the symmetry using a ruler.
4. To correctly weave a basket of willow, you need to take two groups of 4 twigs and put one under a curled diameter (perpendicular to it) to the right of the bottom center, and the other above it to the left side, leaving equal gaps.
5. Then, one after the other, twigs are inserted parallel to the twisted diameter and denser to it: first, under the right group of tubes, on top of the bundle on the left, and then a twig under the bottom edge. According to the same scheme, insert the remaining rods, alternating direction.
6. Approaching the edges, you need to trim the branches from the group of tubes so that they do not interfere with the formation of the bottom.
7. Raise the struts and create supports: for future pens - 4 rods on each side, on the others - 2. In total there should be 18 supports.
8. Cut the twigs (if necessary) that form the strut walls, tie them on top.
9. Inserting new willow branches, we begin to braid the wall using the preferred pattern (weaving through one rack, layered, etc.). Increase them by applying the trimmed one end to the other, overlapping 3-4 racks. Weaving a willow basket looks more spectacular if you use contrasting shades of twigs, such as light yellow and brown.
10. Upon reaching the desired height, form the base of the handle. To do this, take a thick reed stick, sharpen its ends and grease them with wax. Then pass into the recesses next to the racks, placing in the center.
11. Next, a bend is formed without touching the four rods on both sides for the handle. To do this, one branch should be carried out inside the basket, and two outward, creating a curl.
12. Cut the ends inside the basket.
13. Using the four rods remaining on the sides, wrap the base for the handle on each side.
14. Insert the tips under the created bend and carefully cut them.
When the basket from willow is finished, the product can be painted using both artificial and natural dyes: onion husks, potassium permanganate and some plants. To improve the aesthetic appearance and safety, the work is covered with a good varnish. A similar algorithm is used to weave baskets from vines.