You can use paper to get a basic idea of how weaving works. Paper is rigid
enough to be woven without the use of a loom and it is therefore easy to make mats and decorations for cards out of strips of different coloured paper.
A more ambitious project is the basket described below. It is quite tricky and
may take a couple of hours to complete the first time that you try it, but the
resulting basket is strong and can be used to hold pot-pourri, fir-cones,
lavender, knick-knacks, nuts, etc.
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You will need:
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1. Cut 8 long strips from the paper or card: 32 cm by 2 cm
(12½" by 4/5")
| Note 1: You can use 4 strips of one colour and four
strips of another colour. |
2. Lay 4 of the strips side be side on a flat surface and
weave in the remaining four.
Make sure that the woven square is as tight as possible and that it is
exactly in the middle of the strips.
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3. Fold all the ends up to make the side spokes of the
basket. |
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4. Now cut 4 more strips 34 cm by 2 cm (13½" by
4/5") and weave them in and out of the upright spokes.
Start weaving each new strip at a different corner.
| Note 2: You can hold the strips in place as you work,
with paper clips. |
5. To make the upright weaving easier, you can fold each strip into
quarters and place them like squares over the spokes one at a time.
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| 6.When all 4 strips have been woven in, fold down the ends of the
upright spokes and tuck them into or fold them under the weaving beneath,
on the outside of the basket.
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| 7. A handle can now be added. Cut another long strip, 32 cm by 2 cm
(12½" by 4/5"), and insert one end into the second square on one side
of the basket and the other end
into the third square on the opposite side of the basket. Fold round the ends until the
handle is secure. |
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