Longtime readers may recognize this as the same style of basket from this first basket post. Although I’ve woven a few different types of baskets since then, the potato basket remains my favorite. My plan was to dip it a couple times in a tub of latex paint, giving the bottom half of the basket a smooth, matte coating to contrast the textured reeds it’s made of. But when I hadn’t yet dipped the basket a couple days before we were set to drive to Houston, I realized I’d have to come up with a new plan, or risk getting wet paint in my car. I had a bucket of dye left over from this project, so in it went. I love the way the reeds soaked up the dye– even in parts that weren’t submerged, you can see tiny veins of bluish-green. I finished the top off with a little tung oil, and the basket was complete.
Check back later for more handmade presents!