May Your Life Be Like A Basket...Useful...Bountiful...Beautiful...

Basketmaster's Weavings is about my passions, much of which revolves around basket weaving. I weave with reed and I love teaching others to weave. Many of the patterns and styles that I show in the blog are geared to the beginning weaver, or even the brand new weaver. If you have been thinking about wanting to learn to weave, then this blog is for you. Throughout the blog and videos I take you step by step through each and every process of weaving. I want you to be successful in weaving the very first time you try. For the intermediate and advanced weaver, my wish is that you take ideas that I show, mix them up a bit, and incorporate them into your own beautiful creations.

Happy Weaving and Baskets of Blessings to all my visitors,

Nancy

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Thursday, April 16, 2009

Lash Buddy--A Favorite Tool of Mine


I use a lot of household common tools and supplies to weave my baskets. Quite honestly, other than buying the reed to start weaving, you would probably have most basket weaving tools on hand in your own home. I do have a couple of specialty basket weaving tools. The first is a Spoke Weight that I mentioned in this post HERE. The second specialty tool I use is a "lashing tool" It is honestly a real favorite tool of mine and I wouldn't weave a basket without it any more. Above are a couple of photos of different ones. When searching your favorite basket weaving store for a lashing tool, it can go by other names such as "Lash Buddy" or "Lash Saver". The cost I've seen runs between $6.50 and $8.00. I find it to be well worth the money.
My friend Anne calls it a shoe horn for basket weaving and that is exactly what it is. When you have your rim fastened in place and you are ready to lash the rim on, slip the lashing tool under your rim and your woven rim row. This creates a channel because the lashing tool is a "U" or "V" shape. This channel allows you to slip your lasher through the channel and lash your rim on with much greater speed. These two pictures show me using it to lash the rim and to hide the end of the lasher.
I rate this tool 2 thumbs up, 5 stars, a 10. Can you see how much I love this tool? What is your favorite tool? I'd like to hear.
Happy Weaving and Baskets of Blessings,
Nancy

5 comments:

Shari said...

I love my lash buddy! I couldn't survive without one.

Debbie said...

My favorite, can't live without tool, is the EZ Lasher. Same concept as the lash buddy, but it fits on the tip of your lasher. They come in three sizes, 1/4", 3/16" and cane size. They run about $5 each. The only problem is they are easy to loose or throw out if you forget to remove them from the end of your lasher when you are done.(not that I have EVER done that!!!) lol

magnoliasntea said...

I've never used a lash buddy, but I can see me buying one soon. I shouldn't tell you how I lash my baskets. No, I won't mention that I just grab a screwdriver and open up the space between the weavers. _rolls eyes_ Nancy, thank you for showing us the proper way to weave a basket.:)

fossils fotos said...

Since I only have a lash buddy and not any other special tools it is definitely my fav. My first basket with Nancy's class I used a flat head screwdriver as well and had a difficult time (guess my weaving was a little tight LOL)

Unknown said...

I have not used one either. My most used tool besides scissors would be a packing tool by weave rite.


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