So I've wanted to learn how to construct a basket for y e a r s ... and this recent birth day anniversary, I gifted myself a pledge to make one: to set aside the time to start it, prioritise it, and finish it.

It has been hard work and an utter joy to complete!

Here are some visual notes on how it was made: first, I read bits of this page from my Reader's Digest Manual Of Handicrafts, from 1980:

Then I adapted the suggested materials and techniques, for my own - beginning with thinking quite hard about the locally-and-currently-available sticks that might work.

I began the base with golden bamboo, from a big patch at the bottom of the waterfall in front of my arthouse, and then wrapped it around with passiflora/ passionflower vines - which are invasive in the garden I work, and needed trimmed back a lot.

It was quite strenuous making this first part; the great advice from the book was essential: I'd never realised before that the centre of the base requires a piercing and splitting of a hole in the horizontal twigs, which then get the opposite-direction twigs poked through them, to hold it all together. It was a messy start but solid!

I couldn't comprehend so well the instructions around turning from the base up the sides of the form, but muddled through by tying the side twigs vertical with string.

Then it got easier to just power through and figure it out by doing: it was fairly messy, and the time I spent working in the kitchen involved the cats wanting to join in...

I used tape in a couple of places, to keep the longer handle withies in the right position. And added some grasses to see how they'd work... got a couple of visits from an older friend and from my partner, who both announced that non si fa cosí! and started lecturing me about very useful local bushcraft!

I explained that this is an out-of-season, experimental basket, not a cestino serioso - to protect me from ongoing discouragement in my handiwork! I ploughed bravely on...

The top edges became a little out-of-shape as I progressed: something that more appropriate materials and drying them first, then soaking them for working, will resolve. Cosí si impara / you learn by doing.

The handle was hard! I got into the much more intitive flow here, and just worked each new stick into the form organically. I used some grapevines at this point too - especially for the reinforcing of the handle.

The last phase involved a lot of reinforcing! Shorter twigs through particular parts which were a tad loose, to fill the spaces and tighten and solidify the whole basket.

I didn't expect weaving this to be such physical work - quite sweaty, wrestling final pieces into place in particular! The whole basket is a bit 'handle heavy' and has a small holding area relative to the handle - but this actually makes it the perfetto basket for the big marrow Lunga di Napoli that is ripening in the garden. Cannot wait to put it in the basket!

All in all, this was the MOST SATISFYING project, and I can't recommend enough, learning such a useful skill: I'm HUGELY looking forward to the next one, in the more correct season and manner, of course - and will treasure my quirky first-ever basket.

LOVE TO YOU IN YOUR WORK,

Clare.