Raffia Coil Basket

In Native American cultures, baskets took the place of every modern convenience we take for granted and also served as a representation of tribes and stories.Baskets showcased individual character and the vitality of the Native Americans who made them.

Each tribe used different materials native to the area to weave their baskets. Northeastern Indian baskets are made from pounded ash splints or braided sweetgrass. Southeastern Indians used bundled pine needles or rivercane wicker. Southwestern Indians made baskets from tightly coiled sumac or willow. Northwest Coast Indians wove their baskets with cedar bark, swamp grass, and spruce root. Northern Indians crafted birchbark and whale baleen baskets.
https://blog.kachinahouse.com/basket-weavings-importance-in-native-american-culture/

The Navajo used baskets for a wide variety of everyday functions such as storing food, as well as ceremonial purposes, the most well-known being wedding ceremonies. Traditional Navajo baskets feature black and red bands or triangular patterns and a braided rim. Usually, the artist would leave an opening, or spirit line, in the banded design. To make a basket, the artist creates long laces of sumac, willow or yucca by hand then weaves the basket in concentric circles from the center, alternating the laces to create patterns in the design. In recent decades, a group of Navajo weavers led by Mary Black and her family have revitalized Navajo basketry by embracing contemporary designs and incorporating Navajo symbols and vibrant colors not traditionally used in baskets.
https://bischoffsgallery.com/online-store/baskets/navajo-baskets/a1-apache-basket-information-2619-2620-2621.htm

Generating Ideas
Spend some time looking at some traditional Native baskets.  Baskets were made of all sorts of natural material like bark, reeds, dry grasses, and pine cones.  Many patterns and colors have symbolic meanings.  Take some time to look at the symbolism found in their artwork.  These ideas can be transferred to your own project or you can create your own symbolic meaning.  Save a few basket images to refer to when planning your design.  Doodle an over all plan you would like to use when deciding color placement and design work in your basket. Keep in mind that symbolism varies from tribe to tribe.

American Indian Baskets

Native AmericanBaskets

Color Meanings and Symbolism

Native American Symbols

Test Pattern

https://www.adobegallery.com/art/traditional-navajo-dine-ceremonial-wedding-basket-by-fannie-slim

Traditional Navajo - Diné Ceremonial Wedding Basket
The designs in these baskets have significance and depending on the interpretation can symbolize the creation myth, life’s journeys or be a map of the Navajo cosmos. The simplest interpretation is that the white center is the emergence area, or area of birth. The black coils represent clouds or four sacred mountains. The red band is the sun’s rays which bring life.  There is always a line from the center of the basket to the outer rim, a path from the center for the Spirit to come and go. The pathway meets at the outer edge where the weaver has stopped coiling.​

When there is a piece of fabric stuffed in the hole in the beginning of a Navajo basket, that is an indication that the basket was used in a ceremony where sacred corn meal or soap suds was in the basket.  The fabric presents the contents from falling through the hole. https://www.adobegallery.com/art/traditional-navajo-dine-ceremonial-wedding-basket-by-fannie-slim

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Test Pattern Directions
You will be drawing a traditional Native American Design for your test pattern.  These designs are often very graphic, symmetrical, and geometric. As you work on your drawing, think about how this would look using raffia pieces.  For example, the single black square at the end of the stacked pattern would be one or two wraps of the raffia.  Don't worry about precise measurements when creating your design.  Estimate where things will go.

Step 1 - Draw 12 concentric circles using a template and compass.

Step 2 - Draw out the design.  

• Start in the center and count 4 rows (including the center circle).
• Row 4:  begin your black design images. Start with a single square. There should be 6 spread around evenly on the 4th row.
• Row 5: On top each square on row 4, draw a rectangle that is slightly large than the square
• Row 6:  Following the same pattern for row 5, draw a rectangle on top of the row 5 rectangle that is slightly larger than the row before it
• ​Rows 7-9 Leave blank
• Row 10:  Draw 14 squares spread evenly  around the row (similar to what you did in row 4)
• Row 11:  Draw a slightly larger rectangle above the square for row 10
• Row 12: Draw a slightly larger rectangle above the square for row 11

Step 3 - Trace over your pencil lines with a black colored pencil
Step 4 - Color in the pattern using red, black and tan colored pencils

STEP 1: Trace 12 concentric circles on a 6" x 6" square

STEP 2: Using the test pattern as a guide, mark out your pattern

STEP 3: Trace over pencil lines with a black colored pencil

Raffia Coil Basket Directions

Materials
White Cord
Raffia
Metal Needle
Cup of Water
Beads or other decretive objects (optional)

https://www.craftyarncouncil.com/desert2.html

General Directions:

1. Begin at the center of the bottom by forming the coil. To do this, taper one end of the clothesline with scissors. Thread tapestry needle with raffia. Place about 1 inch of the raffia next to the end of the clothesline and then wrap the two tightly together with some of the remaining yarn as shown in Illustration A. As you can see, you wrap, moving the cut end of the clothesline.
2. Pinch the covered clothesline core to bend and hold in place. Using needle, work Figure 8's over and under the core, toward the tapered end, until it is covered with raffia as shown in Illustration B.
3. Coil raffia-covered end around to start the circular shape. If necessary, repeat another Figure 8 to hold first coil in place, then work three winds around core, followed by a Figure 8 to attach to previous coil. See Illustration C.This is the basic pattern that you will continue on the rest of the basket: Three winds to cover the clothesline core, a Figure 8 to connect two rows, three winds, a Figure 8, etc.
4. When you need to add on more raffia or change to a new color, here's what you do: when 2"—3" remain, cut the needle off and lay the raffia ends along the clothesline core; thread another needle and then place the ends of the new thread next to the ends of the old raffia and secure in place by winding the new raffia over them until covered. See Illustration D.
5. To end a basket, taper the clothesline about 1 inch from the end. Securely attach the last row end to the previous row with Figure 8's and then wrap the raffia around the last row end and the previous row as if they were both one. Thread raffia back through the Figure 8's and cut off.

https://www.craftyarncouncil.com/desert2.html
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TIP:  Soak the raffia in water  for a few minutes before threading it.  It makes the raffia less likely to break.  After being coiled, it will shrink a little keeping your weaves tight.