Basket (woven)

“ After the spokes are separated with the raffia, begin the weaving, and weave until a base three inches is woven, then weave two rows with a weaver of the tan reed. This completes the bottom of the basket. Wet the spokes well and with a plier press them hard and turn them up. With the same weaver continue the weaving until seven rows42 have been woven up the side. During the weaving hold the spokes firmly and straight. Change the weave now to the natural color and work twelve rows, then with another ring of tan reed complete the weaving of the basket with nine rows. ”

“ Further excavation may reveal that crude, hogan-like structures were in general use at an earlier date than has been realized.
The absence of pottery during Basket Maker times resulted in a widespread use of baskets and, as the name implies, basketry was the major craft. Many of the baskets of this period are superb examples of workmanship and design. Skillfully woven, artistically decorated and gracefully shaped they are outstanding among the basketry of the early Indians. ”

“ A wave has to be suggested by stepped or broken lines, and so we have a rectilinear meander or fret, in contrast with its free-hand form as developed in a woven fabric. Under the constraint of her material a squaw as she weaves a design into a basket, must give squareness to a contour which would be somewhat rounded were it executed in delicate threads. This is clear in the human figures of the Pomo basket shown on page 109; and in those of a Yokut basket bowl, also in the National Museum in Washington, illustrated on the next page. ”

“ When your basket has slanting sides you will find it will 190almost shape itself after you have given the ribs a sharp bend at the first and started them in the right direction. By bending the ribs too much you will make straight sides to the basket or have them slant in instead of out. Two inches is a good depth for a small basket, and when you have woven that much, cut off the ribs, allowing them to extend about two inches beyond the edge, as in Fig. ”

“ As this nerve-racking music holds the spectators under its awful spell, the basket begins to rock, the contortionist-subject gradually raises himself inside the basket, and when the noise is at its height he straightens up in the basket and raises it with his back as far as it will go. ”

“ At last, fearing that the basket-weighing might be ended before he could reach the ginhouse, a half mile distant, he emptied his pick-sack, belted at his waist, into the tall barrel-like basket, tramped the cotton with a few movements of his bare feet, and then kneeling got the basket to his shoulder: he was not used to the balancing on head which seemed natural as breathing to the old hands. ”

“ During practice and ordinary games leave the netting open at the bottom of the basket, that the ball may fall through the basket to the floor or ground beneath, it being difficult for girls to get the ball out of the basket when it is closed at the bottom. Using a pole to push the ball out is not always attended with satisfactory results, and the effort consumes valuable time and strength.
Fig. 626.
The baskets are called the goals; usually they are hammock nets of cord, sometimes metal chain links; they are always suspended from metal rings eighteen inches in diameter (inside) . ”

“ These hoops are then to intersect each other half-way up, one being perpendicular, to form the handle and the bottom of the basket, the other being placed horizontally, to form the rim. More wire will be needed to fix them in their positions. Much finer willow-wands are used to wattle, or weave, the basket-work; ribs of split osiers are added, and the wattling goes in and out among them, and at once secures them and rests upon them. ”

“ In line horizontally with the forward edge of each front desk, a chalk line is drawn on the floor at the end of each aisle, which serves as a throwing line, from which players throw their bean bags into the baskets.
The game is a competition of skill rather than of speed. At a signal from the teacher, the first pupil in each row stands, places his toe even with the throwing line, and tosses his bean bag toward the basket. If the bag goes into the basket, it scores five. Should it lodge on the edge of the basket, it scores three. Should it fall outside, there is no score. ”

“ An ordinary oval basket is made by preparing the requisite number of bottom sticks, preserving their length greater than the required width of the bottom. They are ranged in pairs on the floor parallel to each other at small intervals, in the direction of the longer diameter of the basket, thus forming what may be called the “woof,” for basket-work is literally a web. These parallel rods are then crossed at right angles by two pairs of the largest osiers, on the butt ends of which the workman places his feet ”

“ Make good baskets first, simple in shape, strong in texture, suited to the purpose for which they are intended; unconsciously they will grow beautiful. The most intricate basket will fail in its purpose if the joinings are careless or flaws in workmanship permitted. If originality is within the weaver, it will find its expression, once the principles of weaving are second nature." (C. S. Coles.) This is also true of rug and mat weaving, for the aim of all training should be to bring out the best there is in a child. ”

“ First row of triple should rest on the base of basket, while the other two rows should be slightly upward on the sides. Finish with following border: Holding the under side of basket or bottom of tray toward you and weaving to right, place one group of spokes in front of next group, back of second group to the right, front of third group, back of fourth group, in front of fifth group to the right. Bring115 the spokes out to the front and down through the two rows of triple weave. Each group is worked out in same manner, until all groups are facing the weaver. ”

“ The above is the form in which the trick was first introduced to the London public, but another modus operandi has since been adopted by some performers. The low table or bench on which the basket is placed is in this case constructed on the principle of the Sphinx-table, with looking-glass between the legs, and with a large trap in the top. The basket used is not made like the inexhaustible box, but the bottom is moveable, and hinged against the front, so as to lift up flat against it when required. One lady only is employed. ”

“ A trick that is most frequently described is that known as the Basket trick, which is in my opinion the chef d'oeuvre of the Indian Jadoo-wallah. It is a wonderful bluff usually wonderfully shewn.
A perfectly good basket is placed on the ground. It is shewn to be quite empty and devoid of any trap, false bottoms or other mechanism. After a well conducted altercation with his assistant, a small boy, the performer tells him to get into the basket. ”

“ Women, with red cloaks turned over their heads, one or two babies slung in baskets in front of them, while their husbands led the donkeys on which they were seated; then there were peasant girls in the picturesque dress of the Sorrentines, their baskets piled up with a luxuriant mass of fruit and flowers, arranged with a degree of natural taste that made each basket a picture. ”

“ The principal field of decoration among the Mohegan and Niantic, so far as we can now tell, seems to have been chiefly in paintings on baskets. Decorative wood-carving upon household utensils and sometimes upon implements was also quite common. Bead-work, on the other hand, appears to have been a secondary activity. A short account of the basket-making itself is required, before the basket decorations are described. For household and gardening purposes these people have developed a few types [Pg 2] of baskets (manu· ́da [3] “receptacle”) varying in shape, size, and weave. ”

“ The close work was better adapted for baskets used in carrying berries. The impacted work was used [180] for baskets for carrying or for holding water. The child should be encouraged to use such a mode of weaving as is best adapted to the use to which he wishes to put the basket. The making of a water-tight basket involves more skill than the child has attained. He can understand, however, how such a basket was made, and the importance of the invention.
Lesson XXX. There are enough suggestions in this lesson to occupy the child for several days. ”

“ So the boys gathered the rushes and sat down upon the ground to make the basket.
Long-head wove the rushes together for the bottom of the basket.
[84] When he had tied the ends together at the top, he wove around the sides, until the basket was deep enough. ”

“ In other words, it is not necessary for the ball to be passed to a player in court two to be thrown for the red basket, or to court six in order to be thrown to the blue basket, though that may be a desirable play. ”

“ The weaving of this large basket differs from the smaller one, in that the weaver is not cut at the end of each row, but is continued [74] around row after row. For a large basket the half-inch weaver can be used in this way, but in a small basket the slant of the weaver as it runs around is too apparent. If a long weaver is used in a small basket it must not be more than one-eighth of an inch in width.
While baskets of the natural white splint are extremely dainty, color certainly gives variety and adds interest to the work, and the splints will take dye readily. ”

“ The players who are so stationed beckon to each other to exchange places, and as they run from one place to another the one who is It tries to hit them with the ball. Any one so hit changes places with the one who is It.
As in all ball-tag games, either a ball or bean bag may be used. If played in the schoolroom, a light gas ball should be used; elsewhere, anything from a light-weight hand ball to a basket ball would be suitable. Hard balls should be avoided. ”

“ A basket that is of very easy manufacture is made from pieces of a bark very much resembling our red birch, sewn together with bast. It is nothing more than a tube closed at one end, and having a piece of wood thrust through the other, or a strap attached to form a handle. ”

“ Divide players equally in two lines, back to back, one end of the line near the basket. Place a ball each in the hands of the two players farthest from the basket. At the word "Go" the balls are passed quickly up the lines (passing to every man) until the head player receives it. He immediately throws a goal. If he fails he continues to shoot until he succeeds. (A fair man stationed underneath with a wand can keep the basket clear of thrown balls.) He then runs to the last man in line and passes the ball up in the same manner as in starting the game, to the head player who continues the game. ”

“ Place the baskets in a row on the floor so their numbers cannot be seen.
Choose sides, giving the red checkers to the leader of one side and the black checkers to the other. One side lines up about 10 ft. away from the baskets, the leader giving each player a checker; if there are any left he keeps them and has the privilege of throwing them. Each one in turn throws his checker into any basket, trusting to luck that they fall into a basket with a number on it.
When all have played the leader turns up each basket to see its number and counts the number of checkers thrown into it. ”

“ The first thing to do is to cut down a great many withies, then wattle them into the form of a large basket, and then thou must get a large skin, dress it well with fat, and stretch it all over the basket-work. Thou must make the basket rather longer than it is wide, and more pointed at one end. ”

“ He likes pretty things as much as I do, and I made my basket like a flower because I gave him one of my callas, he admired the shape so much;" and Merry smiled as she remembered how pleased Ralph looked as he went away carrying the lovely thing.
"I think it would be a good plan to hang some baskets on the doors of other people who don't expect or often have any. ”

“ He carefully picked the oranges, one at a time, and dropped them in his basket, and so expert were many of them that it seemed as if they had scarcely mounted the ladder before the basket was full. Many young girls were employed as pickers, and they were particularly skilful, vying with the men in their swiftness. ”

“ A game of ball which may be played either indoors or out, but which is especially adapted to indoor play when weather conditions make outdoor sports impossible. Two baskets suspended on wire rings are placed at the two opposite ends of a room or gymnasium and the players strive to knock or pass the ball from one to another on their own side and to throw it so that it will fall into the basket. It is not permissible to run with the ball as in Rugby football. The ball used is round, but in other respects resembles the ball used in football. ”