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As promised, we are showing you another inventive way to use our Bellwether thick felt. Maker Team member Laura of @feltlikeaparty has designed a beautiful basket made with woven thick felt strips. The weaving process is theraputic and the end result is sophisticated. Enjoy!
Skill Level: Intermediate
Time: 3 hours
Additional Supplies:
Cutting Mat
Silk Ribbon - optional
Metallic Felt - optional
Directions:
1. Use a rotary blade and cutting mat to slice at least twenty strips of thick felt ½” x 18". Using these measurements, the finished basket will be about 4" x 6".
2. Use Wonder Clips to attach seven strips side by side to a cutting mat. This helps with stability while getting the weave started.
3. Take another strip and weave it over and under the middle of the seven strips secured to the mat.
4. Weave two more strips, one on either side, in the opposite direction of the first strip. Continue to add in this pattern until you have a flat weave of 7 by 7 woven strips.
5. Thread an embroidery needle with three strands of floss. Knot the end. Use an overhand stitch to make at least six strips into loops.
6. Disconnect the clips from the mat and use four to secure each woven corner of the base. Lay the first loop atop the weave.
7. Start with a corner. Weave the loop over one corner and under the other. Use a clip for each corner strip to hold in place (two clips per corner.) Follow the over/under weaving to the next corner and hold in place with two clips. Continue until the first layer is complete.
8. Add the second loop, working opposite of the first over/under flow. Keep the corners clipped as you work upward. It will give clarity to what may look a bit floppy for the first few layers.
9. Continue to weave in each loop opposite the flow of the layer beneath. Once three to four loops have been added, you will see a more definitive basket shape. The basket tightness can be manipulated by tugging and pulling, but keep the corners clipped!
Complete your weaving using all six sewn loops.
10. Cut the ends of the protruding strips about 2” past the last loop.
11. Adjust the basket by tugging and pulling until satisfied. Fold the strip ends over the top of the basket to the inside or outside depending on the weaving flow. Hot glue and clip until dry.
12. Trim the excess strip ends even with the top layer.
Your basket is finished! I hope you have enjoyed this tutorial and are pleased with the end result. Try weaving in a ribbon or a pretty strip of metallic felt to make an absolute showstopper!
Thanks to Laura for designing and writing this tutorial! You can follow her on Instagram @feltlikeaparty or visit her website. Stay tuned for more tutorials from the Benzie Design Maker Team!
