Making a Lobster Pot in Pictures Part 3

The Connemara lobster pot uses the creel type base. In effect using the stakes to form the base. It is sturdy and just as strong as the Cornish or Devon Bell shaped pot base..

The bars are created by bending down 2 stakes from each end. Creating a warp for the remaining stakes to be woven over and under. A total of 16 are used. The stakes are threaded under the top row of knot weave.

Here we can see where the stakes are threaded under in more detail.

Before the remaining stakes are turned down a packing weave is completed at both sides. This weave is used to fill in the circular gap at each end.

Packing completed at both ends

The remaining stakes are knocked down, going over and under the four bars. Filler pieces are needed to fill in the gaps between the stakes. Because the remaining stakes will not completely fill the space that is left.

The base is near completion.

The complete lobsterpot

The lobster pot took me 6 hours to make, with respect to dimensions the pot came out 1.5 inches deeper than it needed to be. But it would still work. I occasionally take it to events, as a talking point. Often people admire the beauty of the shape and want to have one as a feature in their garden. The lobster pot often did not last for more than one season depending on how choppy the seas were. There are old pictures of pots used until they are battered and mis-shapen. The new pots don’t seem to have the same appeal.

Making a Lobster Pot in Pictures Part 2

The second part of the blog shows how the lobster pot gets its rounded shape. We have now pulled the structure from the ground and flipped it over. The tying up of the long stakes is crucial for shaping the pot. A clove hitch is the best knot for securing the stakes so they do not loosen while weaving. The more we play about at this stage to get the shape the better it turns out. Now we can work sitting in a low chair with the pot on our lap, much more comfortable!

The mouth stakes have been pulled out of the ground, the whole structure turned over and each opposite pair of long stakes brought up to form a bulbous shape and tied.

A central rope is secured on a piece of wood through the mouth to compress the globe shape even further

Perched on and controlled by the knees, weaving commences

The knot weave used here is best described as a double pairing, where each weaver of the pair is woven individually. It is very strong and I find it easier than fitching which is the other weave used on lobster pots common in Cornwall and Devon.

The lobster pot grows, the knot weave spirals around, making sure the gap between each layer is no more than 2 inches. Dont want the lobster escaping.

Siding is completed by weaving two layers of knot weave one on top of the next (no gap), to create a strong top edge

Part three will show how to turn down the base.

Making a Willow Lobster Pot in Pictures

We attend a Bushmoot every year and teach the good people a number of skill workshops. Last year I was asked if I knew how to make a lobster pot. I researched lobster pots, talked to my basketry friends and decided on making a creel type lobster pot as described in Joe Hogan’s book ‘Basket making in Ireland’. An unusual book in that it describes the cultural history of the baskets and follows with a technical ‘how to’ section. I know how to make the irish creel, and have taught this for a few years now, The Connemara pot uses many of the same weaves and techniques. For one it uses the double pairing knot weave used on the side walls of the creel and secondly the stakes are knocked down to form the base. The biggest job is getting the shape.  So this year I will be teaching how to make the North Connemara creel type lobster pot to the bush-mooters. Of course there are not many lobsters in the sea anymore, but once you get the techniques you can increase the ‘mouth size’ and catch crabs as well. I think it is a beautiful thing in its own right. Certainly there is much to be said for a pot that is biodegradable and does not use plastic or wire which ends up on our shores and in the stomachs of sea-life.

There will be three parts to this ‘make a lobster pot by pictures blog’, here is part 1

Eight 8ft stakes are placed in the ground forming a circle.

The sides are paired to create a ‘mouth’

Eight more stakes are inserted into the left of each of the original eight stakes. The stakes are then brought down horizontal, and secured by digging into the soil.

The pairing weave begins at the mouth of the pot.

The weave opens out the stakes.

Twelve more stakes are added to make c.28