A fitted rim is a wooden ring with a slot cut into it that finishes the top of a basket. Williams Family Mill rims are 1/2 inch thick with a 1/4 inch deep slot, in round, oval and square shapes.
Before you start
- Choose a rim with the same shape and size as your base.
- Stop weaving where your mold’s guide says to. Stopping at the right height is what lets the rim fit.
General steps
- Trim the stakes to the length your pattern gives, so they are even.
- Test the rim on the basket before you secure anything, to see that the stakes reach the slot.
- Secure the rim as your kit’s instructions describe.
- Check that the rim sits level, then let the basket dry fully before you lift it from the mold.
Every kit explains its own method, so follow it when it differs from this outline. Need a rim on its own? See the round, oval and square fitted rims, or the whole fitted rim collection.
About the mill: Williams Family Mill is a family business in Burgaw, North Carolina. Candice Williams has taught basket weaving for several decades, published patterns and served as Vice-President of the North Carolina Basketmakers’ Association. Questions? Call 910-599-0446 or contact the mill.