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Anatomy Of A Basket Handle

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Basket Handle Vocabulary

• Billet - The straight grained, square edged bar of wood that the handle is carved from. 

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• Bonnet Handle - type of handle so named because it mimics the shape of the brim of a Shaker bonnet. Found on market baskets, simple square to round forms and other styles from the smallest miniatures to full sized work baskets.

• Channel Notch - the area cut out to receive the rim. Size should match the width of the rim stock.

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• Handle Map - The basic lay out of the handle showing full length of the handle, the center point of the handle, the location and size of the rim channel notches and the length of the tails.

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• Riving - The process of splitting the log using a mallet and froe.

• Shoulder - The enlarged area above and below the rim channel notch.

• Tail - the thinned area at the end of the handle that is inserted into the basket body.

Drawn from an article authored by Susi Nuss. The article first appeared in the June 1988 issue of The News Basket, published by Shereen LaPlantz.