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BASKETRY - [email protected]

D I R E C T I O N S O N H O W T O M A K E A V A R I E T Y O F I T E M S F R O M U S E D P A C K I N G

S T R A P S . T H I S H A S T A K E N M E 1 5 Y E A R S T O C O M E U P W I T H T H I S A R T I C L E .

T H U R S D A Y , A U G U S T 1 9 , 2 0 1 0

Basketry-recycled material -A- Introduction and single weave.

PLASTIC PACKING STRAPS ARTICLES

by Jemima Lau

Introduction

Everyday, meters of colorful binders or packing straps used for packaging materials are thrown

away. The smaller ones are heat sealed and the thicker ones are secured with metal holders. They

are made of plastic, nylon or polyester. These can be collected to make useful baskets, table mats,

coasters and balls. These binders are of many colors and different thickness and width cm, 1

cm, 1 cm, 1 cm, 2 cm and 2 cm. Some are slightly thicker and harder and others are

thinner and softer.
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I saw a friend from Sarawak make baskets from unwanted cardboard cut into strips. Then Inoticed that each day we throw away these packing straps tying bundles of newspapers in the

school library. So I asked this friend to make a basket from the binders and behold a beautiful

handicraft.

Collecting the straps is easy, just ask any shopkeeper or proprietor who has boxes coming in to

keep them for you. Newspaper agencies and bookshops have loads of them. On a building site

there are really thick long ones which are strong enough to tie bricks and other building materials.

These make very strong baskets for growing plants but is slightly hard to weave. I saw a five feet

wide mat woven from it in Sarawak. Nice to put it on a cold cement floor.


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I make balls,tablemats and baskets etc. Cut the bigger binders with a cutter, the thinner ones can

be cut with scissors. Clean them with a piece of wet cloth and detergent or soak them in detergent

water from the washing machine and wipe them again after cutting them. Use knitted cotton

gloves to do your weaving if you like.

You will also need a pair of tweezer-like pliers to fold and a small metal rod to move the straps to

the position you want.

1. SINGLE WEAVE SQUARE BASKET AND RECTANGULAR BASKET

Single weave means one up/over and one down/under.


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Do a square or a rectangular base with single weave and use a raffia string to tie all round to secure

the base.

Then fold up all the four sides to stand the straps. Then use separate long straps and weave all

around in a square or rectangular following the base. Use the raffia string to secure the horizontal

first two straps after which the walls will take shape.

Put the number of horizontal rows to the height you want. End the edge or the last row by folding

down the alternate straps straight down covering the plastic strap. Use a small pair of pliers to fold

if the straps are hard.


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Cut and tug in so that the end of the strap is tugged in a weave and it does not show. Another strap

is needed to fold in the alternate straps of the last row and to go over the double weave, thereby

making the last row firmer.

Put a long strong strap for the handle, go through the two central lines and up to the top, twice or

three times. These are very strong baskets. You can vary the size by the number of straps u use.

You can make square or rectangular ones.

SINGLE WEAVE BASKET WITH HANDLE IN CENTRE THREE COLOR COMBINATION.


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SQUARE BASKET WITH HANDLE IN CENTER - TWO STRAPS OF SAME COLOR DESIGN.

THIS DESIGN MAKE GOOD BASKETS FOR PLANTING ORCHIDS AND THEY ARE LIGHTER

THAN CLAY POTS, THUS SAFER AND THEY EMIT WATER.


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I made a big baby basket with this design. You need to collect the very long straps. Weave two or

three straps in for handles on the longer sides of the rectangular basket .Go right through the

bottom of the basket and come out the other side and reweave to make the side of the handle.

Baskets can be made with stands to make it look neater. You have to use straps long enough to

weave down and up again. End the last row weave right down and put in extra row. Turn around

weave up and tug in straps under weave and cut off.

This shows bottom of basket and is made with blue and white alternately.


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You can vary the designs by using two red and one white as shown basket on left, or two blue and

two white as shown on right.


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W E D N E S D A Y , A U G U S T 1 8 , 2 0 1 0

Basketry using plastic straps -B- SW Corner Sq

2. SINGLE WEAVE CORNER SQUARE BASKET

To begin take the two longest strips of the same color (blue) and cross them with another two

longest strips, weaving one up/over and the other down/under as in diagram and I call this the

double

crossroads.


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Then cut 4 strips of another color (yellow in photo and diagram ) two inches shorter than the first

four blue strips. Interweave around the first 4 strips following the diagrams because if there are

two colors, it is easier to see. Weave the same color if you want a plain basket.


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The next 4 strips are of the same colour (blue) as the first 4 and two inches shorter than the last 4

(yellow) ie the second 4. It does not matter if some strips are not of the same length as they can be

woven in.

Weave the number of strips you want depending on the size you want, adjust to tightness you

want. Use a raffia string to tie the four crossroads to hold the base together.


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To get the four corners, crisscross at the crossroads and weave the strips to the left and to the right

at 90 degrees to form the corner and weave up to the height you want.

End the basket by folding in to get a smooth edge. Use a tweezer-plier to fold in all the strips at an

angle (horizontally) to the right first and weave all the way to end of strips. The length of the strips

does not matter, cut short of a weave and tug in so that the end of the strip does not show.

Fold horizontally the other strips to the left and do the same. This is harder to make compared to

the zigzag edge below and needs to be regular if not the basket will go crooked.


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The two baskets are made by weaving odd rows of one color and even rows of another color ended

with smooth edge. The pattern will come out differently if you have even rows of two colors.

If you start at the crossroads with one or two colors and end the last row of the base with the same

color, you will get a single or double crossroads pattern on the four sides.

Smooth edge basket with a stand and weaved with a three colour combination.

Use long strips, turn at the edge, weave to the bottom, add one row and weave up again to the top,

then tug in before the edge. ( refer to unfinished grey and red basket at top


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)

You can also end the zigzag way by folding straight to the right first and after the whole round fold

to the left. Tug in the strips where it does not show and cut off. Use a metal rod with flat tip to push

in strips or push strips to wanted position.

These two small shallow zigzag edge baskets are made using three colors strips.


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If you make the single weave corner baskets loose and holey, they can be used for planting orchids.

Again they are light and safe.

A basket will be more useful if it has handles, at the edge put through one or two strips to make

handles for opposite sides.

Photo shows zigzag edge with double rows of handles using two colors strips alternately.

Use very long strips for the handles so that you weave them right to the bottom so that handles are

sturdy.


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Another view of basket with handle.

Single weave corner basket with zigzag collar or stand so that base is uplifted.

This is done by using long strips weaving to the bottom adding two or three rows and weaving up

again to the top, then tug in before the edge.


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W E D N E S D A Y , A U G U S T 1 8 , 2 0 1 0

Basketry - plastic packing strap -C- Double Weave

3. DOUBLE WEAVE SQUARE BASKET

Double weave means two up/over and two down/under and it is prettier than the single weave as it

has a zigzag pattern. This is slightly complicated so I will describe in detail. Please refer to

diagrams.

To start, take two of the same colour and cross them with another two of the same colour as in the

diagram.


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Then the second round of four colorless strips you need to put a single weave where as indicated by

a "dot".

The third round of four strips continued with double weave.

The fourth round has to have a "dot" again: instead of just going over 2 under 2, you put the strip

over 1 under 1 just once at the centre line.

The fifth round has no "dot"; you simply weave the strip over 2 under 2. Remember to end at single

weave i.e. at even numbers of plastic strips.


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If you follow this design ie a dark crossroad and then white strips after that you will get a design

like the 1 cm grey and white high basket.


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From the above diagram you can see that you will have to insert a single weave "x" at every second

round only, it is the same as the "dot" in the diagram above this one. Notice the position of the

single weave "x"; it changes always from right to left of the centre line. Note that the dark stripes

are placed horizontally and the white strips are placed vertically. It looks very pretty at the base but

the sides will be of one color only except for a few rows.

Tie the four sides where the crossroads are, to make sure the base does not shift. Now to make the

corners, crisscross at 90 degrees at the crossroads and double weave all the way to the end of the

two sides. Do the same for all four sides.

Also adjust the structures with the help of your fingernails or metal rod to move them close

together. This design needs to be close unlike the single weave which can be holey. Now interweave

the four sides and double weave all the way to the height you want or to as high as the length of the

binders you cut.


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To end by the smooth edge, fold one strip to one side and weave following the structure and fold

the other one to the other side following the weaving pattern. In the photo the first fold is to the

left follow by the right.

Two colors ( zigzag design )and three colors design (look at the first 2 photos.)

I made this basket from thin 1 cm wide shiny white and grey plastic strips used to tie the

newspapers delivered to school. It is easy to manage and the basket is delicate and neat.


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Observe the size of the black and white little basket made from size 1 cm wide strips, the other two

baskets are made with 1 inch wide strips.

Two color combination double weave basket with handle and zig zag edge.


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I use this basket as a pot for soil, it is so close that soil will not flow out. It is easy to lift around as it

is lighter than clay pots and best of all it emits water and minimizes soil loss.

Double weave square basket can also be made with a stand below, weave to bottom of basket and

add an extra row. I use two grey and one red strip to get this design.

Note that when you fold to the right first you get a smaller edging as in bottom of photo. If you foldto the left first you will get a wider v-design edging, also refer to photo in shapy baskets to see the

bottom of stand basket.


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T H U R S D A Y , A U G U S T 5 , 2 0 1 0

Baskets - used packing strap -D- triple weave

4. TRIPLE WEAVE AND SHAPY BASKET

Triple weave is 3 over and 3 under. A similar pattern can be made by starting with twelve strands

and then going over 3 and under 3 [except near the centre line where the "mata" "dot" has to be

inserted ]. Note the centre line where there is a triple, double and single weave pattern".


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5. SHAPY SQUARE HIGH BASKET

This basket looks like a vase and is a combination of triple, single and double weave. The base is of

triple weave i.e. three over and three under . Refer to diagram above to start .You have to end the

base in multiples of 3 ie 12, 24 or 36. Tie the base with a thick raffia string so that it does not

enlarge. Then weave two rows up and continue with loose single weave so that there is a bulge.

Weave 5 8 rows, you can put in three horizontal stripes to enlarge the bulge further. Use a raffia

string to tie round it to make it small.

Tighten by weaving double, move raffia string & further tighten to get a slim neck. Double weave 5

or 6 rows & end. Weave down 2 rows & turn upwards again at 2nd row to form a thick collar. A

collar looks like a firm extra piece. You can use single weave and interweave 3 rows on one side

and 5 rows on the other. For double weave collar, end, double weave free of the neck and then

interweave into neck and up again.


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Two color shapy basket with a clear bulge and the bottom of a three color double weave basket

with stand.

A shorter big shapy basket with 3 colors.


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Tablemats from used plastic straps - E

6. TABLE MATS AND COASTERS

Use short strips to make table mats and even shorter strips to make coasters so that you do not

have to throw them away. You can use single weave or double weave and vary the colors, width and

thickness of the strips.

Two colours - single and double weave tablemats
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Thin 3 /41 cm strips can be woven in diagonally to make a pretty design

Just tug in the ends so that it does not show or go through a second time so that the mats are

strong and firm. It is really fun to vary the designs and colors and to see the finished product
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Two types of coasters with different size strips.

These two tablemats are double weaved using four colors of same size strips.
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This tablemat is double weaved with four colors of different sizes of strips.

A tablemat using triple weave design following black and white diagram in that section.
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A tablemat using hexagonal base design following black and white diagram in that section.
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BASKETRY - RECYCLED

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PLASTIC STRAP HEXAGONAL BASKETRY - F

7. HEXAGONAL ROUND BASKET

First, take 3 short strips (they should be twice the length of the corners of the hexagonal base) and

arranged in a six sided asterisk to form the centre. Then put 2 long stripes on the opposite sides of

the first centre strip. Then single weave i.e. one up and one down, putting in the next two strips on

the opposite sides of the second centre strip. Then add the other two strips on the third centre

stripe. A hexagon will take shape with 6 triangles like a star.

First 3 yellow strips to form asterisk and add the next 6 green strips.


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Each time you weave in a new strip, weave or cross to change the direction of the existing strips so

that it is in one way only. Add as many strips as you wish depending on how big you want your

base to be. If you follow the nine diagrams above there is no centre asterisk. It only starts with the

6 green strips. ( The hexagon will form the base, now fold in the ends of the`six corners to end

them. only if you follow yellow and green base. )

Base of hexagonal basket with the grey asterisk folded in.


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Diagram 10

Now bend the six flat triangles to an upright position and interweave the six sides. Make sure the

strips come up in one direction only, if not adjust them.

Diagram 11.

After that, put one horizontal stripe through the vertical crisscross strips all around the hexagon

with the vertical strips in one direction. Put in the second horizontal circle with the vertical strips

facing the other direction as opposed to the first row. Put the number of circles or rounds you want

and end by turning in one strip on one side and the other on the other side. Reinforce the last row

by putting one or two extra strips in to strengthen the top circle making it firm and strong.

My favorite combination is to start the centre with 3 strips of one color ie white, continue with 2

rows of another color ie green and end the hexagon with the centre color ie white.

Basket turned to show base. Note all the white asterisks. Add in white stripes in rounds to side to

get design as shown.


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Hexagonal basket with 3 colors following rows as shown in base design. Weave one color on one

side so that you have three colors for the 3 sides.

Three colors but placed alternately so has different design unlike the one on top. Two color handles

on both sides. Basket can also be made with a stand at the bottom like the other types.


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Hexagonal vase or bottle basket with collar - When the base is big enough, the sides are bent up.

The strips will be crossing in the same way as before. For the sides a new strip is inserted for each

round. Weave 5 rounds. Basket on left, ie 2 blue and 1 white. To change the pattern x or to make

just the basket smaller at the top xx you can interweave the basic strips without inserting a new

strip to the height you want. End and single weave down a few rows so that the top looks thick like

a collar. Unfinished vase on left is weaved with 1 yellow and 1 grey.

Note the difference between the two bases, yellow and grey basket has a stand by weaving one

more round at bottom. This has no asterisk so a hexagonal hole in centre, while bottle basket has

an asterisk giving it a different design.

2010(7)o August(7)

Basketry-recycled material -A- Introduction and si... Basketry using plastic straps -B- SW Corner Sq Basketry - plastic packing strap -C- Double Weave Baskets - used packing strap -D- triple weave Tablemats from used plastic straps - E PLASTIC STRAP HEXAGONAL BASKETRY - F BALLS - USED PLASTIC STRAPS - G
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S U N D A Y , A U G U S T 1 , 2 0 1 0

BALLS - USED PLASTIC STRAPS - G

8. PENTAGON BALL

Some time ago I learnt to make another item ie the Sepak Takraw ball. I named it the triangle-

pentagon ball. Here are the instructions. You need six strips of binders that is about two or threeperimeters of the ball. To make it easy use six strips of six different colors. The size of the ball will

depend on the thickness of the binders and the tightness of your

handiwork.


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Start with three strips and make an interlocking triangle. Place the fourth strip on the opposite

side to form the second interlocking triangle. Then place the fifth strip on the adjacent side so that

you make five triangles cornering five sides i.e. a pentagon. Then put the sixth strip around the five

triangles weaving up and down and gather it back in a circle. At the top of that circle, criss-cross

the five strips with the other strips to make another 5 triangles.

Weave again with the other strip to make another pentagon and join the strip with an alternate

strip to make another triangle and join back the same strip together in a circle. The ball will take

shape, then connect each stripe to the other strip interweaving in single weaves. Cut them at a

slant and at a point that it is hidden under a weave. Put some rubber cement gum on the ends and

tug them under a weave so that they do not come out when the ball is thrown around. It is really

fun to kick and hit it just like a feathercock of olden times. It can also be twirled like a top. Use

thick and strong strips


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Ball made of 6 color strips wounded round three

times for strength.

Ball made of one color strips.

Ball made of thick black strips and light color

thin strips on the center of strips for decoration.

Ball made with thin 1 cm strips used for tying newspaper with metal bell inside. Good toy for little

hands of toddlers.

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