Crafting a Coiled Basket: A Step-by-Step Guide
Creating a coiled basket is a beautiful and rewarding craft that has been practiced by various cultures for centuries. These baskets can be both functional and decorative, making them a wonderful addition to your home or a thoughtful handmade gift. In this blog post, we'll guide you through the process of making your own coiled basket, from gathering materials to finishing touches.
Materials You'll Need:
1. Coiling Core: This forms the base structure of your basket. You can use natural materials like grasses, pine needles, or raffia, or opt for other materials like cotton filler cord, rope or clothesline. You can even use recycled plastic bags! My number one choice is 3/8-inch cotton filler cord.
2. Cord, Thread or Yarn: This will be used to wrap around the coiling core and bind it together. Braided macrame cord, t-shirt yarn, single strand macrame cord, rope, embroidery floss, yarn, raffia or jute twine work well. My top two favorites are braided macrame cord 5mm or 9mm from Mad4Macrame or t-shirt yarn.
Step-by-Step Instructions:
1. Prepare Your Materials
- Cut your coiling core into manageable lengths if it’s too long. I like to work off the roll, but some people prefer to cut it first.
- Choose your thread or yarn colors. You can use a single color or mix and match for a more vibrant basket. Cut these into manageable pieces so they do not get tangled up.
2. Start the Base
- Take one end of your coiling core and cut it at an angle. Start by wrapping the thread around it tightly, leaving a small tail.
- Continue wrapping to cover about 2-3 inches of the core.
- Begin to coil the wrapped section into a small spiral. This will form the center of your basket.
3. Stitch the Coils
- Thread your needle with the thread.
- Hold the spiral with one hand and use the needle to stitch through the previous coil, binding the new coil in place.
- Pull the thread tight to ensure the coils are secure.
- Continue wrapping the core with the thread and coiling it, stitching at regular intervals (every 3-5 coils) to secure it. See my videos for how I space them more evenly.
4. Build Up the Sides
- As the base grows to your desired size, start to angle the coiling core slightly upwards to form the sides of the basket.
- Continue wrapping, coiling, and stitching in the same manner, adjusting the angle to achieve the desired shape and height of the basket.
5. Incorporate Decorations (Optional)
- If you want to add decorative elements, thread beads or shells onto your needle and incorporate them into your stitches as you work.
- Alternatively, you can sew buttons or other embellishments onto the basket after it’s completed.
- Double wrap the end of the coiling core continuously until all of the filler cord is hidden and secure.
- Make a few final stitches and tie off the thread, hiding the knot inside the basket.
7. Final Touches
- Trim any excess thread or core material.
- If you used natural materials, you might want to lightly mist the basket with water and shape it gently before letting it dry completely.
Tension Control: Keep your thread tension consistent to avoid loose or overly tight coils.
Practice Makes Perfect: If you’re new to coiling, start with a small basket to get a feel for the technique.
Experiment with Materials: Try different core and thread materials to see which you prefer.
Creating a coiled basket is not only a wonderful way to pass the time, but it also results in a beautiful, handmade object that you can be proud of. Whether you're looking to create something functional or decorative, the process of making a coiled basket is a deeply satisfying experience that connects you to an ancient craft tradition. Happy coiling!
