Material: One pound of white raffia; one-half pound of green raffia; needle, wire and scissors. Take a bunch of white raffia 1/4 inch thick. Take a needleful of white raffia.

Fig 1

Fig 2.

Put one end of the needleful in with the bunch of raffia, {x, Fig. 1.)

Bring the raffia in the needle along the bunch to the end (b, Fig. 1), and wind around the bunch from b to a (about an inch).

Fig 3.

Bend a-b, Fig. 1, into a circular form, and put the needle through the first stitch at the end. (Fig. 2.)

The two ends should come together and leave a hole in the center only large enough for the needle to pass through easily.

Care should be taken that this central part (Fig. 2) is perfectly round. If it is not, it should be pressed into a round shape, or the work should be done over, as this central part shapes the basket.

Fig 4.

In the first row around this starting place (Fig. 2) the raffia in the needle is wound once around the "tails," between every stitch that is sewed through the central hole. (Fig. 3.)

In the next row the raffia is wound twice around the tails, and the needle is sewed between the starting place and the first row instead of through the hole in the center. (Fig. 4.)

Fig 5.

In the next row the raffia in the needle is wound three times around the tails between the long stitches, which are sewed over the two rows.

Continue to add rows until the circumference of the raffia work is 27 inches. A diameter of 8 1/2 inches should bring this circumference.

Wind enough stitches around the "tails" between the long stitches to make these long stitches appear to radiate from the center like the spokes of a wheel.

The last row around the base should be green.

Bring the tails up on top of this green row.

Thread the needle with green.

Make another green row around the basket on top of the last row of the base. (Fig. 5.)

Sew every fourth stitch around this row and the last row of the base. (Fig. 5.) The stitches between these long stitches are simply wound around the "tails."

Thread the needle with white.

Begin the second row by making one white stitch across the first and second rows (a).

Thread the needle with green.

Make the next 2 1/4 inches green.

Sew every fourth stitch over this row and the first row. These long stitches will be green.

Make one white stitch at intervals of 2 1/4 inches around this row.

Begin the third row by winding the white raffia around the "tails" twice {rs, Fig. 6), and taking one long white stitch (x-y) over the second and third rows.

Thread the needle with green.

Work the space between x and c, Fig. 6, with green.

Thread the needle with white. Make the long stitch c-d, and work the space between c and m, with white.

Make the long stitch m-o over the second and third rows with white.

Thread the needle with green and make another space of green work like x-c.

Continue to work in green and white around the basket until the green triangle a-t-b and the white triangle, t-b-h are formed.

The green triangles should be eight rows high.

The ninth row is all white except one green stitch (t-z, Fig. 6) at the top of each green triangle.

The tenth row is solid white. Beginning with the tenth row, make sufficient white weaving to form a band two inches wide around the basket.

Just above this two-inch band of white raffia, begin to make green triangles again.

Fig. 6.

These triangles are to be made point down. Look at Fig. 6 upside down and begin to work with one green stitch, t-z.

When these twelve inverted triangles are completed, make one row of green around the basket.

Above this row of green make twelve more triangles just like those at the base of the basket. (Fig. 6.)

These two rows of triangles make twelve green diamonds around the center of the basket.

Beginning with the row above the green diamonds, make another band of white weaving two inches wide.

From the base to the top of the green diamonds the basket has been 27 inches in circumference; the sides have been made straight up.

From the top of the green diamonds to the top of the basket make each row a little larger so that the basket will be bell-shaped at the top.

Fig.7.

Above the band of white raffia make twelve more inverted triangles around the top of the basket. Turn Fig. 6 upside down and begin with the green stitch, t-z, to make these triangles.

As the basket has been growing larger, the base of these triangles will be about three and a half inches. (Fig. 7.)

Handles

Make two wire diamonds 4 1/2 inches long and 2 1/2 inches wide.

Take a bunch of white raffia 1/4 inch thick, and wind green raffia around it and the wire.

Fasten one diamond-shaped handle to the point of one of the triangles at the top of the basket.

Fasten the other to the opposite triangle.