. On the continent of
Europe shapes or blocks are in use on which the fabric is in some cases
woven.

[Illustration]

The technicalities of basket-making may be easily followed by a glance at
the illustration here reproduced by the courtesy of the Society of Arts.[1]
It will be seen that the "bye-stakes" are merely inserted in the "upsett,"
whereas the stakes are driven in at each side of the "bottom-sticks" and
pricked up to form the rigid framework of the side. When the "bottom-stick"
and "stake" are formed of one and the same continuous rod, it is termed a
"league." If the bottom is made on a hoop the butts of the stakes are
"sliped," _i.e._ cut away with a long cut of the shop-knife, and turned
tightly round the hoop; they are then said to be "scallomed" on. The chief
strokes used in constructing an ordinary basket are:--the "slew"--two or
more rods woven together; the "rand," rods woven in singly; the "fitch,"
two rods tightly worked alternately one under the other, employed for
skeleton work such as cages and waste-paper baskets; the "pair," two rods
worked alternately one over the other, used for filling up bottoms and
covers of round and oval baskets; and the "wale," three or more rods worked
alternately, forming a string or binding course. Various forms of plaiting,
roping and tracking are used for bordering off or finishing.

An ordinary oval basket is made by preparing the requisite number of bottom
sticks, preserving their length greater than the required width of the
bottom. They are ranged in pairs on the floor parallel to each other at
small intervals, in the direction of the longer diameter of the basket,
thus forming what may be called the "woof," for basket-work is literally a
web. These parallel rods are then crossed at right angles by two pairs of
the largest osiers, on the butt ends of which the workman places his feet;
and they are confined in their places by being each woven alternately over
and under the parallel pieces first laid down and their own butts which
form the end bottom sticks. The whole now forms what is technically called
the "slath," which is the foundation of the basket. Next other rods are
taken and [v.03 p.0483] woven under and over the sticks all round the
bottom until it be of sufficient size, and the woof be occupied by them.
Thus the bottom or foundation on which the superstructure is to be raised
is finished. This latter part is accomplished by sharpening the large ends
of