My experience making the Sandy Neck Beach Basket Kit

I learned the art of basket weaving while I attended the Creating Landscapes Summer Camp as a child. I loved turning a pile of reed into something useful.

When I needed to buy chair cane for a project, I discovered that the company also sold basket weaving supplies and kits. With COVID still our reality, it seemed like a good time to take up basketweaving again.

The kit was purchased from basketweaving.com and came with the reed and instructions. The instructions are four pages, and pretty basic, so some youtube videos would probably be needed if I’d never done weaving before. However, the basket is pretty simple, and a lot of fun. In addition to the kit, you’ll need a bucket for water, some snips to cut the reed, a measuring tape. and a friend to help straighten out the read to measure the pieces, and a small clip (I like the 2″ clip they sell on the site for this basket, check it out here.)

I ordered enough from the site I was able to get a free dye kit, which I used before cutting the reed. It was such a mess and I wouldn’t recommend it. We luckily have an induction cooktop from IKEA that I was able to use outside. Still, it was a hot, messy project, and I didn’t even really get the color I was hoping for.

The whole project took a few hours, which I completed over two nights while watching Schitt’s Creek. The instructions were okay, but I really wished there were more photos of the final product available. I made the choice to keep the bottom flat, and the sides straighter than the instructions. I found the finishing around the top to be very challenging to understand with the instructions, until I realized that they implied the doubled reed stayed together. I also found the very simple handle to be a bit confusing, it just didn’t turn out as I’d expected, and some photos, even online, would have been helpful.

It was a fun project, and it will be very useful for trips to the beach next summer! I definitely learned some new techinques and I think with some YouTube support this is a project that even a beginner would enjoy.

If you are interested in the kit, the link to purchase it is here: Sandy Neck Beach Kit

Note: I have no affiliation with the mentioned companies. I am a customer, and the reviews of the items are my own. I do not benefit in any way from purchases.

Photos from my experience with this kit:

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At our family cabin near a lake, we really needed a solution for storing the life jackets so they have an organized way to dry. After extensively searching the internet for DIY solutions, I kept finding good ideas that weren’t quite what we needed. So began creating something that would work for us.

The studs are visible in the garage, so we could easily use those to mount to the wall. If you were to this project, you might want to consider putting a board behind the rack so you can mount into the studs through the drywall.

Materials Needed:

• 2×4 times the depth of the rack. Make sure its at least half the width of your largest life jacket so they will fit when hanging. We made two, one mounted higher for adult life jackets, and then one mounted lower that wasn’t as deep to hang kid’s life jackets.
• 1×4 – as long you’d like for the front.
• Drill with circle cutter – I used a one inch, but as long as the hanger can fit in the circle, it’ll work
• Pocket hole Jig and Screws I prefer to use pocket holes, but honestly, you could screw it through the 1×3 into the 2×4 if you don’t have a pocket hole jig.
• Measuring Tape and Pencil

Step 1. Cut the 2×4’s to the desired length to mount to wall. Add pocket holes at one end to attach to the front. I screwed directly through the side to mount to the studs, however, if you plan to put a second 1×4 on the opposite side, you’ll want to put pocket holes on the other end of your sides now.

Step 2: I found it tricky to determine the length and placement of the sides to the front so I used some clamps to attach to the studs and measured. I then cut the 1×3 to the correct length and mounted them to the front. This was simpler for me, but you could just measure and do this without testing it on the wall. I attached the front next, but you could mark your holes now, and drill the holes before mounting if you’d prefer.

Step 3: Measure and mark drill holes. You want to make sure the hanger will fit, so if you are using something larger, make sure the holes aren’t too far up. On a 1×3 you can center them vertically. I spaced each hole 4 inches, so that there was enough space for the jackets and some airflow to allow them to dry.

I drilled from the back, which is retrospect is not the best option. If you can do it from the front, that’s ideal, as you won’t get the jagged edge.

Step 4: Make sure to send any rough spots. I opted to stain and seal mine, because, why not? Mount to the wall at desired height!

And done! Organized life jackets that have room to dry!