The days are longer, the kids
are out of school, the cool water of the lake or pool beckons us to relax. It is a good
time to weave a project or two alone, with a family member, or with a basketweaving
friend.
Summer Basketry
Make several red, white and blue flag baskets from free patterns;
carve a watermelon fruit basket; decorate a purchased basket with stars and
stripes; weave a vase to fill with summer flowers from your garden or a create a
picnic basket; carve a watermelon basket; make a twig trellis or chair; coil a straw bee skep or print out
a coloring page to keep the kids busy with these free summer basketry projects.
Pack A Picnic Basket
If you want to tote your picnic fare
in a basket you have a wide variety of options to choose from. You may choose to weave
your own, from patterns by an assortment of authors, or you can purchase a basket fitted
out with all you will need.
Plan A Basket Vacation
Include basketry in your vacation plans by visiting a museum with
baskets in its collection.
Learn Basketry This Summer
Plan your summer vacation to include a basketmaking learning opportunity
at one of the many arts and crafts centers.
Summer
Coloring Book Pages
Get out the crayons for an arts and crafts project. Use your computer printer to
create these printable pages with baskets in the pictures for your family
members to color on those long, lazy summer days.
Gather and
Prepare Cattails
Learn about the genus Typhaceae that includes several species of
cattails that can be gathered and prepared for use in basketweaving.
Harvest Spruce Roots
Learn how to gather and prepare spruce roots for use in making your
baskets.
Make A Gourd Birdhouse
This gourd birdhouse garden accessory is both functional and good looking. Make it
using your basketry skills, a gourd, pine needles and raffia.
Make A Lavender Wand
Lavender bottles or wands have been used to freshen linens and impart fragrance
for centuries. You
can use your basket weaving skills to make one or more of these wands from the
fresh lavender flowers in your garden.
Make Plant Fiber Cordage
Learn how to make a cord with hand gathered plant materials like
sweetgrass, bark or day lily leaves that you can use in a variety of
basketweaving techniques.
Make Twig Beads
make a collection of wooden twig beads to use as embellishments for your
baskets. Wooden twig beads can be added to finished baskets as a tie-on or can
be incorporated into the construction of the basket.
Make A Woven Newspaper Sit-Upon
Use this free summer craft pattern to make an effective seat cushion using only a few sheets of recycled newspaper and
a basic basketweaving technique. A great summer craft project for kids or
campers.
