Nine Star Base Basket

 The truck is packed to the gills, my car is completely full, and there is just room for me and Bailey (my psycho kitty) to squeeze in for the drive this morning to the ferry.  With my husband driving the rental truck, and one of my bonus sons driving up to help us unload and put the furniture and cabinets together, the adventure begins in earnest.  I'll let us all know tomorrow how the actual move went...assuming the computer hooks up easily once we unpack the docking station and we get the internet working!

So instead of fretting about the move, I wanted to share a new basket I'm working on.

The other morning I woke up with the design in my head for an open-weave, flower-like base for a basket. At the time I thought that five petals might work. As is often the case, what appears in my mind doesn't always translate smoothly into reality when I start weaving. The number nine is important in the Bahai Faith, so needless to say I was delighted when the five petals convinced me they should become nine! (And yes, I do realize that this basket won't be appropriate for holding any small items.  Some baskets come into being to just look pretty.)

"First, regarding the significance of the number nine; its importance as a symbol used so often in various connections by the believers lies in three facts: first, it symbolizes the nine great world religions of which we have any definite historical knowledge, including the Bábí and Bahá'í Revelations; second, it represents the number of perfection, being the highest single number; third, it is the numerical value of the word 'Baha'"

(Compilations, Lights of Guidance, p. 414)

Since I am forever experimenting with bound weaves and lattice twining techniques, I am trying two new techniques on the sides that are done with only one lasher: a spiral-bound lattice and the braid is an interlacing bound lattice.  Both a bit more difficult with only one lasher, but worth it, I think.

 

 



 

Once we have the truck unloaded and a semblance of order at Anadaré, I'm hoping to get the basket  finished this weekend.  And I can hardly wait to get my hands on some driftwood.....