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Activities / Palm Leaf Craft / Palm Leaf Basket

Palm Leaf Basket

Woven Palm Leaf Basket: A Simple Plaited Container

Level
Intermediate
Duration
2 - 4 hours
Budget
₹249
Age
14+
State
Andhra Pradesh

Materials

  • Dried palm leaf (palmyra or date) strips or leaf
  • Scissors, ruler, strong cotton thread and a needle
  • Bucket or tray of water and a towel
  • Clothes pegs or clips, rubber band, thin gloves

Steps

  1. Gather dried palm leaf strips and cut 16 strips, 1.5 cm wide and 40 cm long
    Lay the dried palm leaf on a table and cut it, or pick ready-cut strips, into 16 strips, each 1.5 cm (about half an inch) wide and 40 cm (16 in) long. Make them as even as you can by measuring the first one and using it as a guide for the rest. Wear thin gloves, because leaf edges can cut. Common mistake: strips of different widths, which make the weave uneven and gappy.
    Tip: Cut a card strip exactly 1.5 cm wide and lay it against each strip to check.
  2. Soak the strips in water for 30 minutes and keep them damp
    Put all strips in a bucket or tray of cool water and soak them for 30 minutes, until they feel soft and bend without cracking. Take them out and wrap them in a damp towel while you work, and dip any strip that starts to dry. Dry palm leaf cracks when bent, but damp leaf is supple. Common mistake: letting strips dry out mid-weave, which makes them split at the folds.
  3. Lay out 5 strips side by side to start the base
    On a table, place 5 strips side by side, edges touching, in a vertical row. Keep their middles lined up, so each strip sticks out about 16 cm above and below the middle. Pin the top ends down with clips or pegs, or tape them to the table. This forms the 'warp' that the basket is built on. The 5 strips together should be about 7.5 cm wide.
  4. Weave 5 strips across them over-and-under to make a square base
    Take a new strip and weave it across the middle of the 5 vertical strips, going over the first, under the second, and so on. Push it up tight against the middle. Weave the next strip the opposite way, going under the first and over the second, and repeat for all 5 strips, alternating each time. When done you have a flat square about 7.5 cm wide with long ends sticking out on all four sides. Common mistake: not alternating, so always go under where the previous strip went over.
    Tip: Press each new strip tight against the last, so there are no gaps.
  5. Fold all the ends upward to make the walls
    Press down on the base with one hand and fold all the long ends straight up, creasing each strip firmly against the edge of the base. You now have 20 upright strips, 5 on each side. Hold them in place with a rubber band or a clip around the middle, if they flop. Wet any strip that cracks at the fold with a dab of water.
  6. Weave the first round around the uprights
    Take a fresh strip and tuck its end behind one upright strip at a corner. Weave it over one upright and under the next, going all the way round the basket. When you reach the start, overlap the ends by about 3 cm on the inside, and trim any excess. Push the round down tightly against the base, keeping the strip flat and not twisted. Common mistake: leaving a gap between the base and the first round.
  7. Weave five more rounds, shifting the over-under each time
    For the second round, weave over where the first went under, so the pattern alternates. Add a new strip for each round, overlapping the ends inside. Keep going until you have six rounds, which makes the wall about 9 cm high. Press each round down firmly as you work, so the basket does not look loose. If the sides lean outward, pull the next round a little tighter.
    Tip: Clip each finished round with a peg as you go, so it does not slip up.
  8. Fold the uprights over the top row and tuck them in
    Each upright now sticks up about 7 cm above the last round. Fold one over the top round to the inside, flatten it, and tuck its end down behind the weave inside. Do the same for each of the 20 uprights, one by one, pressing each down firmly, which locks the rim. Trim any end that sticks out with scissors, so the rim is flat and tidy with no sharp ends.
  9. Stitch the rim with cotton thread to hold it
    Thread a needle with 60 cm of strong cotton thread and knot the end. Sew along the rim in small running stitches, about 5 mm long, through the folded uprights and the top round, all the way round. Knot at the start and trim the ends. This keeps the folded strips from lifting as they dry. Pull each stitch snug but not tight, because tight stitches can crack the leaf.
  10. Dry the basket in the shade for a day before using it
    Stand the basket on a flat surface in a shaded, airy spot and leave it for a full day, until it feels dry and stiff. Do not dry it in strong sun, which makes palm leaf brittle. Stuff it with scrunched paper to hold its shape as it dries. Use it for light things such as keys, fruit or sewing bits. Do not leave it wet, and keep it out of rain.

Sustainability

High - uses dried leaves and cotton thread; the basket can be composted at the end of its life

Safety

Leaf edges can cut, so wear thin gloves; scissors are sharp; leaves crack if they are too dry, so keep them damp