Menu Basket

14"w x 8"h x 4"d

Summer is here now and with all the outdoor activities going on, the beach, the kid's sports, hanging with friends  who wants to cook?! I'm sure you are accumulating a lot of local restaurant menus, so keep them all in one nice place with this basket.  If you run a bed and breakfast or if family is staying at your house for a few days, keep brochures of local attractionsi so that they can find things to do.

Looks nice outside your office door to collect memos, too!

Materials:

  • Uprights: 1/2"FF : Cut 3 @ 34"; cut 13 @ 24"
  • Weavers: 1/2"FF natural and 1/4"FO natural and cranberry Locking Row: 1/4” FF
  • Handles: 2 small side ears or 2 small bushel type handles
  • Rim Row: 3/8"FF
  • Rims: 1/2"
  • Rim Filler: seagrass, #4RR or none at all
  • Lasher: 1/4"FF

Let's get to weavin':

  • Mark the centers of all uprights on the wrong side, then lay out base to measure 1-3/4" x 11-3/4"
  • Weave a mitered locking row with a piece of 1/4” FF
  • Upsett sharply… weave all 4 corners as square and vertical as possible… this will result in a very nice boxy shape.
  • Weave start/stop:
  • Rows 1, 2, 3:  1/2” FF
  • Rows 4, 5, 6:  1/4” FO cranberry
  • Row 7:   1/2” FF
  • Row 8:   1/4” FO, natural
  • Row 9:   1/2” FF
  • Row 10: 1/4” FO, cranberry
  • Row 11: 1/2” FF
  • Row 12: 1/4” FO, natural
  • Row 13: 1/2” FF
  • Rows 14, 15, 16:  1/4” FO cranberry
  • Rows 17, 18, 19:  1/2” FF
  • Row 20:  weave the rim row with 3/8” FF
  • Pack, dry, then re-pack your basket again… Drying and packing the basket before you cut and tuck will give a tight basket.
  • Re-wet the top of the basket, then cut and tuck the stakes.
  • Sand your handles with coarse sand paper, then final sand with a fine sand paper,  rub done with fine steel wool or fine scotchbrite.  This will make your handle SMOOTH.
  • Insert them into the basket
  • Rim with 1/2” FO
  • Double lash with 1/4" lashing, use the rim filler of your choice. 
  • As your basket is drying, make the rim corners very square by gently squeezing into a nice crisp shape... slow and steady, though, you don't want to crack it...

  • Sign, stain and enjoy!

Makes a nice housewarming present for a new neighbor filled with flyers as to where to shop, local markets, local restaurants and all the information a new neighbor would appreciate.