Basket 15: produce harvester

 Basket #15 -- produce harvester with track border and twisted handle; buff willow and steamed willow

My plan was to make a flower harvester with walls that angle outward, but I couldn't keep the uprights from migrating to a 90 angle. So now it's a produce harvester. I haven't made a basket is about 18 months so I'm so pleased it came out as well as it did. And I didn't have took at any reference videos-- it pretty much all came back. I even produced the best looking top border yet!

The base came out nice and consistent with the most evenly spaced slath I've ever made. I experimented with the base by spacing out the center most weavers and then packed in the weavers tightly the rest of the way.

I'm fond of the twisted handle I usually make but I think it's time to learn a new handle. Basket #4 was the only time I made a handle other than my usual twisted version -- a pegged handle.

The twisted handle I usually make reminds me of a tangle of vines, giving the basket an organic look.

I used some steamed brown willow intermittently to make a banded pattern. I'm happy with how it turned out. I'm surprised the top border came out as nice as it did. It's always been my least favorite part of the baskets I've made -- I think I turned a corner!

The basket has no glaring gaps that would let produce fall through.

I love this color combination, which I've used in all of my recent baskets. Now I've got a variety of colors so I'm excited about experimenting.

I used a single weaver to make the walls of the basket. I may try French randing again next time, but we'll see how I feel once I decide what I'll make.