In the old days, wicker items were widely used in subsistence farming. Today, weaving willow baskets is an art, a hobby, and a business. An experienced craftsman has perfected the process of making baskets, and the product itself costs a lot of money. Colorful, bright, baskets of various shapes are used as decorative elements. But there are also models that are used in everyday life.

Wicker weaving is a very simple craft that you can easily master on your own. Hand-made baskets, vases, and boxes will take their rightful place in the interior, and, most importantly, they will be in a single copy. Made by hand, they will please the eye, warm the soul and keep the warmth of human hands.

Necessary material for weaving wicker baskets

To weave willow baskets, long and straight rods without knots or growths are used. The best branches are no more than one centimeter thick, which bend well and do not crack at the bends. Willow branches with bark of orange, red or purple hue are suitable for crafting.

Craftsmen who master the art of wicker weaving prepare the material themselves. The best time to collect basket willow is the winter season or early spring. To work, the rods are soaked and then dried.

Uncleaned and peeled twigs are used for crafts. Unpeeled branches are used to weave simple baskets for home use, hedges, and gazebos. The purified material is used for decorative items: flowerpots, boxes, trays, furniture. Over time, the peeled branches acquire a golden hue, which will give the future product a special charm.

The following tools are used in the work:

• awl;
• sharp knife;
• pinch;
• columns.

The process of weaving a willow basket

For the convenience of weaving products from willow twigs, you should familiarize yourself with the terminology:

• knitting needles - straight rods diverging from the center in the form of rays, from which the bottom of the basket is woven;
• racks - upward-curved knitting needles necessary to form the walls;
• knitting or weaving - rods that braid the knitting needles and posts.

The classic process of weaving a willow basket begins with the base. Then the spokes are bent upward and the walls are created. At the final stage, the edge of the product is formed, and lastly, the handle.

When weaving the bottom, you need to tighten the branches going around the knitting needles as tightly as possible. In this case, it is not advisable to move the spokes up or down. This technique will ensure the quality and reliability of the basket.

It is advisable for beginners to start weaving willow baskets with round-shaped products, using the simple weaving method.

Types and methods of weaving a willow basket with your own hands

The standard pattern for weaving a basket is circular in one direction (from left to right). The left rod is the working branch. But before weaving willow baskets, you should learn weaving techniques.

There are basic wicker weaving techniques:

If the basket is woven along a closed contour, it is necessary to use an odd number of posts. This is due to the fact that on one turn the rod wraps around the stand from the outside, and on the next turn from the inside. Otherwise the circle will not close.

This technique involves using branches of the same length and thickness. This will create the same number of rows, which will be reflected in the even walls of the basket.

There are plenty of weaving methods, but they all use basic wicker techniques. Beginners who have never practiced such a craft should watch a video on the Internet on how to weave willow baskets. And in order for the products to turn out smooth and beautiful, it is better to practice making simple objects - souvenirs, pots, boxes.

Weaving baskets from willow twigs - video

There is nothing difficult about weaving baskets from wicker for beginners. How I would like to have handmade items at home! A variety of baskets are still widely used in everyday life. A picnic, a hike in the forest, or simply a beautiful gift design - all this is necessarily accompanied by such household items. So why not learn how to make baskets with your own hands instead of buying monotonous models in stores? From vines you can create a huge number of unique creations that will delight the eye and warm the soul.

First steps in weaving

So, first you need to prepare the necessary material for work. How to choose the right rods for work, prepare and store them is described in detail in this article.

But specifically for working with baskets, you should choose willow twigs that are orange, purple or red. Also, the branches should be flexible enough so that they do not break right in your hands when weaving. Blackberry branches are also great for weaving. It is better to collect them in winter, make sure that they are not too long and not too thick. The rods for weaving baskets must be cleared of bark.

Illustrative examples of making baskets

In order to weave a basket correctly, it is best, of course, to learn from a clear example. There are a lot of video lessons on weaving baskets from wicker. With the help of some of them you can make a beautiful thing without any experience. Here are lessons that will help you quickly understand the tricks of weaving baskets:

Weaving a round bottom:

Here is another example of basket weaving:

Where to start weaving a basket

As mentioned above, weaving starts from the bottom. The bottom of the basket can be round or oval. Weaving the bottom of a wicker basket can be divided into three stages.

Round bottom 5x5:

1. You should start with a cross, which will use 5 twigs for the longitudinal side and 5 twigs for the transverse side. The sticks must be the same size. Cut a hole in any of these 5 sticks:

We connect the remaining 5 sticks together and insert them into the resulting hole:

With

The result was the necessary cross, the base of the bottom.

2. Next stage: braiding the cross. To do this you will need 2 long and thin twigs. We insert them into the cut and braid the cross.

3. After the braiding of the cross is completed, braiding should continue, but using the “two-strand rope” technique.

After weaving the first layer using the method indicated in the figure, we continue further, only after one twig.

It is necessary to carefully ensure that the twigs that we braid are at the same distance from each other.

Here's a detailed video tutorial:

The bottom is ready, let's start the second stage

So, the finished bottom is in your hands. Now you need to figure out how to weave the walls of the basket. To do this, we will need longer rods for the frame of the basket, they are also called racks. They are carefully inserted into the bottom using an awl.

After all the posts are inserted, you need to weave another row to secure them. Next, we place a weight on the bottom - it can be a container or something else heavy. The main thing is that the load is smaller in diameter than the bottom of the basket. We collect all the racks into a bundle and tie them together.

Willow weaving is a very exciting and interesting activity with which you can build beautiful and unique things, for example, a basket.

The first thing you need to pay attention to before weaving is the age of the willow twigs. The best for weaving are twigs aged 1-2 years. The rods must be elastic, thin and long. It is important that the willow twigs split well. If, after removing the bark from the twig, its “inside” is smooth and glossy, then you have selected the right material for weaving.

Willow baskets do not require special skill or skill, any amateur can do them. Let us also master a new type of needlework.

DIY basket “Fashionista” made of willow

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To weave it you need to prepare:

• woven on a cross 3x6 oval bottom, the size of which is 27x15 cm from twigs with a diameter of 4 mm
• 36 risers, 75 cm long, 3 mm in diameter
• 72 rods 69 cm long, 3 mm in diameter
• 36 planed strips 1 m long, 5 mm wide (for braiding side walls)
• 60 rods for weaving ropes 50 cm long, 4 mm in diameter
• 1 rod 75 cm long, 10 mm in diameter (for the base of the handle)
• 10 thin and long twigs for upholstering the handle

Install 36 risers (2 for each bottom riser) and intertwine them with ropes into three twigs. Calculate that the risers are located at a distance of 3 cm from each other. Build up the beginning of a rigid wall about 5 cm high at the bottom. Now weave the side of the basket 12 cm high (for this you will need gloss tape). Complete the wall by weaving two rows of rope.

After the work is done, proceed to the next stage. Attach 2 risers to each riser (on the right side). This is necessary for weaving openwork. Just before you start weaving, make sure that the ends of the rods are wound onto some cylindrical container - this will relieve tension from the rods and test their strength.

We begin to weave the openwork according to the following pattern: we bend the three risers to the right in a “path” - in front of the next 3 triplets of risers, behind 2 inwards and outwards. We bend the ends of the threes that will stick out into another “path” according to the following pattern: from bottom to top, 2 in front of one and behind one outside. Braid the ends of the remaining rods into a braid. The pigtail will divide the lampshade into two parts: lower and upper.

Strengthen the base for the basket handle by wrapping it with twigs on each side. Braid the ends of the rods into rosette knots. To make the basket look even more beautiful, coat it with varnish.

The basket is ready!

Basket “Belarusian souvenir”, wicker from willow

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• This willow basket begins to be woven from a round bottom, the diameter of which is 20 cm (4x4 cross). The bottom should be edged with two ropes of 3 twigs. Place 2 risers for each riser stick (you get 32 ​​rods). Gather the rods into a bundle and tie tightly above the center of the bottom. Weave two rows with a rope of 4 twigs (the distance between the twigs should be the same).
• The side wall of the basket is woven in layers, securing the top ends. Make sure there are enough twigs for 10 rows of wall weaving. The ends of the rods should be cut evenly, after which you can begin to “cover.” To do this, cover the rope with 4 rods, weaving 8 rows of walls under it (the ends of the risers must be untied). This will allow the walls of the basket to diverge upward in a conical shape.
• Trim the excess ends of the braided pairs and again make a rope of four twigs over them.
• Let's start weaving the openwork: place 2 twigs on each riser, bending them to the right in threes (before two, behind the third, in between the fourth, pass each three outward).
• Once all threes are in place, you can turn the basket upside down. Align the edges of the openwork, deepening and pulling up the edges of the triplets. Securely fasten the ends of the twigs, and cut off the protruding tips.
• Let's start with the handle frame. To make it, rods 8-10 mm thick and 104 cm long are used. Make passages with an awl and insert the ends of the rods into them. The recommended handle height is 20 cm. At the highest point, fasten the rods with small nails. Wrap the handle with a wide ribbon, the ends of which will need to be firmly secured. To make the handle stronger, make it from 3 arcs. Whiten the finished basket and varnish it.

Now you know two ways to build interesting baskets from willow twigs. Baskets can be used in different ways: for storing yarn, fruit, for going to the forest to pick mushrooms or berries, etc. You can also give a wicker basket as a gift for some holiday. And you will learn how to make a basket from ordinary newspapers from the article Weaving a basket from newspaper tubes.

Baskets woven from willow twigs are very durable. They are all created by hand, and you need to have a certain skill and theoretical knowledge in order to weave a truly high-quality basket with your own hands. In this master class we will show you how to do it.

To make a basket from willow twigs you will need:

• willow shoots;
• pruner

Step 1. Willow shoots for making a basket must be collected of high quality. It's not difficult to check. It is enough to bend the rod at an angle of 90 degrees. If it springs back and returns to its previous position, you can safely put it aside as material for the basket.

Step 2. The willow twigs must be dried. To do this, they should be placed in a dry place and left for several weeks. Before work, they will need to be slightly moistened again. If the twigs are without bark, a couple of hours will be enough, but twigs with bark should be soaked for about 4 days.

Step 3. To create a small basket you will need to cut 8 large and equal length rods. In this case, the length of the blanks was 30 cm.

Step 4. Make a 5 cm long cut in the center of the four prepared rods.

Step 5. Insert the remaining four rods into the slots made.

Step 6. Take two thin and long willow rods and insert them into the slots.

Step 7. Braid the warp rods with the first two circles. To do this, entangle thin branches around, drawing them parallel to each other from below and above and crossing them at the end of the stripes.

Step 8. Divide the warp rods in the form of a fan and begin to braid each of them in a manner already known to you.

Step 9. Gradually add new rods by inserting them into the previous ones.

Step 10. Weave the bottom of the basket in this way to the desired diameter. In this case it was 20 cm.

Step 11. To form the walls of the basket you will also need thick willow twigs. Insert them one at a time into the existing weaves around the large bottom rods. Cut off the ends of the latter with pruning shears.

Step 12. Bend the rods of the side walls of the basket up and secure them by tying them with ribbon to make it easier to knit the basket further.

Step 13. Insert thinner rods into the base of the basket and, using the technique already familiar to you, begin to braid the basket with them, forming a product of the height you need.

Step 14. To form the edge of the basket, bend the thick rods, weaving them with thinner ones into a braid.

Step 15. Cut off the excess twigs with pruning shears.

Step 16. If you wish, you can also make a handle for the basket. To do this, insert a flexible and dense rod into the holes in the weaving of the side walls of the basket, having previously sharpened its ends.

Step 17. Take several thinner rods, secure them in the side walls of the basket and braid them around the handle.

Step 18. Braid the handle again with the same number of rods, passing them into the resulting gaps.

Step 19. Bend the thin rods of the handle upward and braid them on each side with a thin rod, wrapping it in tight turns and passing the end in the opposite direction.

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Thanks to the patience and perseverance of the craftswomen, old newspaper pages magically turn into completely unique things: unique panels, all kinds of amulets, wall clocks, exquisite baskets and candy bowls, vases and flowerpots, chests and caskets - you can’t list everything. Thanks to social networks and the Internet, interesting ideas instantly fly around the globe, encouraging novice newspaper weaving adherents to take up paperwork and improve their skills.

We advise beginners not to start their creative journey with large products. We understand that you probably have grandiose plans. My hands are itching to weave a large laundry box or an impressively sized basket for a trip to the forest to pick mushrooms. Did we guess right?

You can find in our last article a detailed description of the process, starting with making the tubes and ending with their painting and processing before weaving.

So, the preparatory stage is over: in front of you lie the tubes ready to work, and the outlines of the first basket that you want to weave with your own hands have already emerged in your head. Now you need to find a form for braiding. A plastic bucket, vase, flower pot, or deep plate is suitable for this.

Advice. It is better for beginners to start working by weaving an object. Weaving without a shape can cause difficulties at first; without support, it is easy to skew your product and get it asymmetrical. By using a supporting object, you can easily achieve even rows of tubes and control the quality of the braid.

And now we will tell you in detail how to make a basket from newspaper tubes for beginners, and we will reveal all the secrets of successful weaving and the neat appearance of the finished product.

Master class on a round basket without a handle (weave according to shape)

In order for you to be able to decide on the required number of tubes and know in advance how many you need to prepare, we will give approximate calculations.

For a small basket (about the size of a soup plate) you will need about 100-150 straws; for a medium-sized product, prepare about 200-300 of them. Large baskets can require more than 500-700 straws. It all depends on the type and density of weaving, as well as the length and thickness of the newspaper vine.

In this MK we will weave a medium-sized basket. It will require 200-230 tubes wound onto a 1.5 mm knitting needle, 8 - 10 mm wide.

And we’ll immediately give you one more piece of advice. There's no need to rush. Try to avoid gaps between rows of weaving, placing each row close to the previous one. Don't crush the tubes while working, but don't skimp on them either. If you see that they are wrinkled or disheveled, mercilessly cut them off and grow new ones.

To weave a round bottom, fold 4 tubes in pairs, making a cross. Bend another working one in half.

Start braiding the crosspiece with it, weaving the first row with a rope. In this way, complete two more rows.

On the fourth circle, separate the double posts and continue braiding them separately. Try to weave as tightly as possible to avoid gaps. Make three rows of weaving.

The distance between the posts should have increased by this time and become more than 2 cm - it’s time to introduce additional posts. Make a hole with scissors or an awl and insert an additional stand, dripping a little polymer glue for reliability. Don’t forget to check your steps with the step-by-step photos provided.

Braid the added posts with string until the bottom is the size you need. The bottom of the basket is ready.

Take the shape you have chosen, which will serve as a temporary basis for the future basket. In our case, this is a deep inverted plate. Place the weaving on the form and gradually bend the racks along it to move to the walls. Continue braiding the sides with rope.

Place something heavy on top of your workpiece to securely fix its position.

If it’s uncomfortable for you to work like this, turn the weave over. Weave the basket to the desired height and cut the working tubes.

Next, bend a “rope of 4 tubes” (in the last article we talked in detail about different ones).

Extend the cut working tubes for bending in a different color (in our case, blue), and glue 2 more blue tubes behind the posts.

Take the leftmost blue tube and place it behind the fourth post in the same way as weaving a simple rope. And if you were making a rope of three tubes, you would weave with three blue tubes, winding each of them behind the third stand, and not behind the fourth.

Take the left tube again, count 3 racks and wind it behind the free fourth one. Weave until the last free post. This point is illustrated by the photo below.

Now it's time to complete the craft. Take it now the far right tube. Having counted 3 racks from it, place it behind the fourth and tuck it inside the basket without moving it out. Continue weaving according to this pattern with the remaining working tubes, each time placing the rightmost one behind the 4th post inside the basket.

Tuck the ends into the weave, bring them out and cut them off from the front side.

All that remains is to lay the white posts. Take one of them, count three more from it and after the third stand, thread it under the blue pigtail, leading it out.

Then take the next one and similarly place it under the braid after 3 posts from it.

And so on...

When all the racks are laid, all that remains is to trim and hide their ends.

Completing work on a wicker product involves priming it. To do this, you can use a solution of PVA with water in a 1:1 ratio or a composition of acrylic varnish + water in the same proportion. Carefully coat the basket with primer using a soft brush.

We want to warn you right away: PVA can turn yellow over time. To avoid this, it is better to cover wickerwork with a solution of acrylic varnish. The latter must be water-based; it can be distinguished from alkyd by the absence of odor.

After the basket has completely dried (this will take about a day), varnish it with acrylic varnish and leave it to dry again. Very thick varnish can be pre-diluted with water.

Do not be afraid that after such manipulation the product will turn a little white, this is temporary. After drying, the varnish will become transparent, and the craft will take on a finished look. You can give it a beautiful shine or an elegant matte texture depending on the varnish used. Let us remind you that it can be glossy, semi-gloss, matte or semi-matte - choose to your taste.

At the beginning of your creative journey, be sure to weave such a basket for fruits or sweets. As you can see, it turns out very cute, which means you will not only be able to practice crocheting a paper vine, but will also make an excellent gift for all occasions.

If you still have questions, you should watch a detailed video from Lada Ligai. In it, she tells how she wove a pot-bellied mini-basket.

Oval basket with a simple handle (weave without shape)

Now let's look at how to weave a cute little oval basket. In this case, the bottom is woven in a different way.

You can find step-by-step photos and a clear one in our last article.

We offer to watch the weaving process itself live in a video master class from Alena Bugrova. In his lesson, the author clearly and easily explains all the intricacies of weaving an oval basket from newspaper tubes.

On our own behalf we would like to add:

• This craft takes about 100 tubes;
• to obtain a color like in MK, you need to greatly dilute the “walnut” water stain with water;
• the distance between the posts here is approximately 2 centimeters;
• It is advisable to insert wire into several tubes for the handle so that it holds its shape.

This cute miniature basket is a great gift idea for any occasion. For example, you can weave it for Easter and, filling it with painted Easter eggs or sweets, present a gift set to people dear to you.

Folds for baskets

If you are a beginner and working on a basket for the first time, we recommend finishing the edge with simple folds. For small and medium-sized products, volumetric bends are suitable, for example, a rod or an isid with 3 or more tubes. We considered the technique of their implementation.

You can also decorate the edge of the basket with a voluminous openwork braid. You can watch its various types and weaving features in the videos we recommend.

The first lesson from Alena Bugrova is devoted to making a spectacular braid from tubes with a plastic cord inside. Be sure to practice braiding it - such a decorative fold turns the basket into a real masterpiece.

The second detailed and understandable video tutorial from Lada Ligai is maximally adapted for beginners. It gradually reveals all the secrets of weaving a voluminous braid and its correct ending.

Don't be afraid to experiment with different folds. They are able to give the simplest product an elegant and festive look.

We design the handle

The simplest pen

In the photo it looks like this:

To make it, you need to take a bunch of 3-4 tubes, form a bend in the handle and attach the workpiece to the basket. Next, carefully wrap the entire handle with a moistened tube, periodically lubricating it with glue so that the winding fits tightly. For this job it is better to use polymer glue than PVA. It dries quickly and fixes, while the paper does not have time to get wet.

Instead of a bundle of tubes, you can take a thick wire (cable) and wrap it around several tubes at once. The process in the photo looks like this:

Handle design using chintz weaving

It looks like this:

To work, take moistened tubes and immediately increase their length. Mark their locations on the basket. Use an awl to make holes and insert tubes into them. Glue the ends while they dry, secure them with clothespins.

Give the tubes the desired bend. To make them better hold their shape, you can insert 1-0.9 mm thick wire into them in advance. Using a working tube, we braid these 3 main tubes with simple calico weaving.

Simple twisted handle

In the photo she looks like this:

It is also quite easy to do for a beginner. For small pens you need to take a bundle of 5-7 tubes, you can insert a wire into one of them. Next, they need to be laid, intertwined with rope and gradually twisted.

We present to you a detailed MK from Lada Ligai, in which each step is accompanied by a photo.

If you still don’t understand how to properly twist and round such a handle, there is only one way out - urgently watch a detailed video from a craftswoman.

Sturdy twisted basket handle

It is better to make it using a thick cable or willow rod.

For ease of perception, we suggest you watch 3 stages of working on the handle.

Part 1: You will learn how to correctly insert a willow rod into the wall of a basket:

Part 2: How to wrap it with paper vine:

Part 3: Features of fastening the handle with a beautiful connecting lock.

Openwork handle

Do you want to surprise everyone with the unusual and elegant look of your basket? Then you urgently need to master openwork knitting handles.

For this method, each paper tube of the handle base must be reinforced with wire. You will learn the specifics of the work from our recommended video from Irina Chirkova.

Braid with 4 tubes

A similar pen looks like this:

It's very easy to do, step by step:

8 tube braid

The photo shows what a handle looks like, woven with an ordinary volumetric braid of 8 pipes.

If the thickness of the handle is not enough for you, then you can insert a cable, television wire, thick wire or a bunch of paper tubes inside. The thicker version will look like this:

The process of weaving such a braid is covered in detail in a video from Olga Ryzhkova.

Below are step-by-step photographs of attaching the handle to the basket and neatly decorating the lock:

Wooden handle

You can also use an ordinary thick branch as a handle. Take a walk to the nearest park and get the material absolutely free. The found branch must be sawed off to the desired shape, cleaned by removing the bark, and sanded for smoothness. If desired, you can paint the wood with stain and cover it with acrylic varnish.

Look how beautiful and unusual such handles on baskets look.

Sew a cover for a basket

The last and optional stage of working on the basket is decorating it. You can decorate your wicker craft with a catchy artificial flower, satin ribbons, a bright bow, or sew a cute fabric cover.

Its function is not only to decorate the basket, but also to protect the walls from contamination and make it easier to care for. In addition, you can use it to cover weaving flaws in your first works, giving them an impeccable look.

In this video you will learn how to sew a cover for a round bottom basket.

If you've made a square bottom basket, see how to sew a fabric liner into it. It only requires three measurements and no complex calculations or templates. All the details are in the video.

Ideas for inspiration

Now that you are familiar with the basics of weaving simple products, we would like to offer you a photo selection of the works of different craftswomen. Here you will find not only an Easter basket made from newspaper tubes for beginner newspaper weaving enthusiasts, but also all sorts of options for all occasions.

Round, oval, rectangular, with unusual bends and handles - look at them, get inspired and don’t be afraid to create your own masterpieces.

And even if your first basket does not turn out the same as in the picture, you will make it yourself, with your own hands. And experience, accuracy and speed of weaving will definitely come with practice. The main thing is to always take on work with a good mood and attitude - and you will succeed!