Threads 37: Looking for a Christmas present for a basket maker?

A screw block is a handy piece of equipment. The purpose of a screw block is to hold the stakes in an upright position, in order to weave a flat piece, like a rectangle or a square.

The stakes are positioned, equally spaced, along the groove between two pieces of wood. The two pieces of wood are then screwed tightly together using a butterfly nut to hold the stakes in position for the weaving. The screw block is used for most square bottomed baskets.

The upright stakes for the sides of the basket are then inserted into the two side stakes on the screw lock, and bent up (up-staked) to become the sides.