Maori Basket Weaving
Handmade Flax Laundry Basket
…while in Rome…!!!! While on our annual vacation to New Zealand (my husband is a Kiwi, after all!) we saw a nice basket and decided to try our hand at basket weaving. We viewed some Maori (indingenious people of NZ) techniques at the New Zealand National Library website and away we went! Michael couldn’t wait and made a small basket mostly by himself for our kumara (New Zealand potatoes) and garlic and such. It turned out pretty well, so yesterday we harvested some native flax from the driveway to make a laundry basket.
This is a native flax plant in our driveway
Material used:
20 flax leaves
Scissors for splitting the leaves
Clothespins
We started by making a base of 20 leaves that crisscrossed
Then we made four corners
Corners as seen from the top
Corner as seen from outside
All that’s left to do is weave the sides,
finish the top and make braided handles!
This basket will dry to a nice tan color. We learned a lot and can’t wait to try some other patterns and sizes.
xox
Nancy
Posts
You make it look so easy - but those corners must have taken some skill.
ReplyDeleteLooks really nice!! Great job!!
ReplyDeletexoxox
Maria
Wow. Totally impressed with your ambition. ... And the end result. It is beautiful!
ReplyDeleteWow, great project. I can't believe this is one of your first weaving projects.
ReplyDeletethis is really pretty! good job!
ReplyDeleteawesome looking basket would be perfect for a lovely summer creation
ReplyDeleteThat is so amazing! I love it. Found you at Tatertots and Jello. Just became a follower.
ReplyDeleteHi, I'm your newest follower. OMG!! That is fantastic. My weaving skills are limited to the paper weaving crafts I did in grade school. I'm throwing my first link party Monday. It would be great if you could stop by and add your project. http://diyhshp.blogspot.com/
ReplyDeleteReally impressive! Wish I had some flax leaves to cut from my driveway! Would love it if you'd share this on Craft Schooling Sunday, it would be great to have you too! all the best!
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh this is amazing! You do make it look so easy.
ReplyDeleteThat is really nice, need to try that very soon. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteWow!
ReplyDeleteThat is so cool that you learned to do this and that you actually have a plant to harvest from and use with your new basket weaving skills!
I'm so jealous. I think it is cool to use what you have to create.
You'll have to show us what it looks like after it is dried. How long will this basket last?
i hope a long time-- how long did it take to make it from start to finish? I have to go back and see this again-- it is great.
Wow, that's really impressive. I'm not sure I could do it, but it's so lovely. It makes me homesick for Hawaii.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for joining the More The Merrier Monday Linky Party. Be sure to come back next week. I look forward to seeing more of your projects.
ReplyDeleteThe basket and your photos take me back to Kiwi Country. Was there for a visit eight years ago--and have been trying to get back ever since. I envy you and your annual visits!
ReplyDeletePAINT MY DAY RED!
A seeker of scarlet, they say,
Is likely to savor the day
If painted in red
Or ruby—instead
Of shades of monotonous grey!
© 2011 by Magical Mystical Teacher
Tug Boats Tinged with Red
Wow, I'm impressed! It turned out gorgeous! Thanks for sharing :)
ReplyDeleteJill
womenwhodoitall.blogspot.com
what a fun project, it turned out beautifully
ReplyDeleteOh you have me missing this beautiful place!! LOVE this laundry basket! Fabulous job!
ReplyDeleteYou should come link this up to my weekly Thursday through Sunday Making It With Allie Link Party! I think it would make a Fabulous addition!
AllieMakes.Blogspot.com
Wow this is amazing!! I'd love to see it on my linky party tomorrow!
ReplyDeleteThis is so lovely! You have some major talent! Visiting from What Allie's Making Now...
ReplyDeleteLove your basket!
ReplyDeleteI've put together a round up of cool laundry room crafts on Craft Gossip today and included your project. :) You can see it here
ReplyDeletehttp://homeandgarden.craftgossip.com/6-cool-laundry-room-projects/
If you would like to share the Craft Gossip love and show your visitors you've been featured, you can grab a button here!
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Beautiful! Make me one too. ;) Gimme, gimme, gimme. The green color is lovely as well. I've been wanting to try a small one with some of our vines and daylily leaves. Thanks so much for sharing. :)
ReplyDeleteAmazing & inspiring !
ReplyDeleteLoVe you for sharing the beauty of the island !
Small woven baskets are those baskets which are made up of wood splints or cane. These baskets were used by our ancestors and are famous till now be of their wreathed style. These baskets can be woven by a metal wire or horse hair as well.
ReplyDeleteHey! Love this, how big were your strips?
ReplyDelete2cm?
If you dont have easy access to harakeke (NZflax) you can also weave with the plastic strips used to secure packages and they are all the same width....hard on hands tho but I have made a kete with these strips.
ReplyDelete