Untitled (splint basket)
black ash splint, waxed linen thread (plaiting, diagonal plaiting, wrapping)
Up on the Porch Roof, Portland, ME
Woven from black ash splint in a classic diagonal plait, this basket carries the quiet discipline of traditional basketry — each pale strip crossing the next in a steady, repeating rhythm that catches light differently as it turns. A rim wrapped tightly in waxed linen finishes the piece, its fine, even coils standing in contrast to the broader, looser weave below. Where the other pieces in this collection strain toward the organic and unruly, this one holds its form with restraint: material and technique given room to speak for themselves.
This simple black ash basket is based on instructions from Plaited Basketry with Birch Bark by Vladimir Yarish, Flo Hoppe and Jim Widess. I’ve added a simple rim finish that seemed to support the basket’s simplicity.
