How to weave wax line

How to Weave Waxed Linen

Waxed linen is easily woven using correct finger and hand placement. It may
seem a bit awkward at first, but after a while, when you pick it up to weave, your
fingers will automatically go to where they belong. It is best to go slower at
first and to get the fingers positions correct and then pick up your speed.
Once this is accomplished, it is easy to weave rather fast. What you are
mainly trying to achieve is a woven basket that is very even and smooth in
appearance and one that does not pulled or too loose. Pulling too tight always
mis-shapes the basket, pulls the spokes in too close together and makes it
even more difficult to work on. Too loose will cause air space between the
rows. You will want to work to keep the spacing between the spokes very
even and develop a rhythm as you weave. This then accomplishes the
smooth, even look.

Left Hand: Your middle and ring finger should lay right behind the spokes
where you are working. The little finger is on the front of the basket. These
three finger should be able to support the weight of the basket without the
other two. The thumb and forefinger are the only fingers that basically move to
help the right hand. The other three fingers slide along as the row progresses.

Right Hand: Usually you will be basically twining with two weavers. These
weavers should be held loosely in your right hand and not laid down until you
stop. This keeps you from having to "hunt" for the weavers each time. I call
this "wasted motion" when you don't hold them as it is just another step that
you do not need. It is difficult to pick up any speed unless you hold the
weavers in the back part of your hand. The weavers are basically held with the
middle, ring and little fingers (as in crochet), leaving the thumb and forefinger
free to do the weaving part.

Weaving: Get your hands in position as above. Rest your right middle finger
on the right weaver. Grasp the left weaver with thumb and forefinger and go
sideways over the right weaver (by turning your hand). Hold at the criss-cross
with left thumb. You will be barely pinching the two weavers where they cross
to hold them in place. (This eliminates packing and must be achieved). Insert
right forefinger underneath the weaver going across and lift. When it is up,
grasp the next spoke to be picked up and (this will put you in position) and
hand it to the left thumb and forefinger (just now letting go of the criss-cross).
Gently pull the spoke at 11 o'clock and gently pull the weaver at 5 o'clock.
Press down on the weaver (the one you used) on the right with your right
middle finger. Wiggle if necessary to make it lay touching the row before. As
you weave and are gently pulling the weaver, without excessively pulling, watch
the "stitch" become the size of the previous "stitch". Do this each time and
your twines (stitch) will become uniform.

To make twining easier, every 8-10 twines or whatever it feels comfortable,
gently "comb" your spokes with your fingers, on the right to 2 o'clock and the
spokes that you have used, on the left to 10 o'clock. This will leave you a nice,
open spot in which to weave. When the spokes on the right "bunch" up around
where you are weaving, it allows you very little room to work and causes "air
space" between the rows. (And mistakes!!)

It is always most important that you make the bottom of your basket large
enough as to accommodate beads and threads. If you make the bottom too
small, you will definitely have problems the rest of the basket.

When you are triple twining, it is difficult to hold all three weavers and weave
with them, so picking them up one at a time usually works best.

You will be controlling the shaping. The way in which you lean the spokes
as you weave determines the shape of the basket (as well as how
tightly you pull). If you lean it in, the basket will go in. If you lean it out,
the basket will go out. Slightly leaning the spoke toward you will make
the basket go straight up. The portion of the spoke to be aware of is
the portion from the basket up to your left hand fingers, not the upper
portion. Moving where you pull the weaver to, will slightly change the weave.
If you want to weave outward, literally aim the spokes outward and be very
aware of how much you are pulling. (Let up on them some). The more you
pull - the tighter the weave and the closer together the spokes. If you want to
weave inward, lean the spokes inward and ever so slightly tighten up on the
weaver.

Make sure that your basket and/or waxed linen are not left in the sun. The heat
is also a factor. Both melt the wax and the linen will become much darker.
Your basket will literally melt. Keep your basket, partially done or finished out
of the sun and in a decently cool place.

I hope all these tips have helped you. If you need help, please feel free to call
me and I will help you over the phone and talk you through it. If you are in or
near Canton, Georgia please call and come by and visit. I would love to have
you and to see what you have done. My door is always open.