On my online workbook this week: Favourite Take-Away

Dear

This week's inspiration is all the delicious green of Spring!

My tip for you this week is an easy (easier) way to secure a messy edge weave. You can absolutely fold and weave the ends back into the design and if you want to go that way. You will find a Tutorial for finishing the basket weave below this Tutorial but when I add a detail that makes it obvious that it was custom designed (and not bought) I like to add a bit of an unfinished touch. Of course it should still be secure and we should always be mindful of our craftsmanship. So finding a neat way to do so is the way to go.

Overhandling the weaving strips can stretch them out or they often rip or fold in. So my first bit of advice is to always weave by pushing the firmer cut end through the grass rather than the more delicate tip. It is easier to guide that way. And also you might need a cuticle pusher (you can find it in a manicure kit) in your tool bag. It is great for guiding weaving stems.

To secure the open weave so that it wont fall apart start to glue the strips that end under the horizontal strip of grass all the way around first. Those are the hardest to get a tiny dot of glue in between the weave without damaging the grass. Here is what I do: Tug the strip up so that it sits slightly higher than how you want to position it (pictures above). Add a tiny drop of glue where you want to secure it. I use a bamboo skewer as an applicator for delicate work like this. Slip the cuticle pusher behind the weave to give it a bit of a gap. Then pull the blade of grass from the opposite end up so that the glue drop slips in under the horizontal weave to secure it.

Once those are in place the blades of grass next to it that goes over is easy to do… simply glue it flat. And finish it off by removing any visible glue that might still be left. You can find a Tutorial for how I do that beneath the design post.

Enjoy!

Every good wish,

Christine