Sa Lot (Tai Dam Bobbin Basket) — a Turtle-Scale Woven Basket, Oval Mouth 30 × 20 cm, Hexagonal Bottom, Six Rattan Handles, for Weaving Bobbins

"Scissors are used to slit the woven sheet at all six corners so it gathers up into a small-bottomed, wide-mouthed shape; the slits are then joined by stitching them together temporarily with needle and thread." (Sirindhorn Anthropology Centre, author พิชชา ทองขลิบ (Phitcha Thongkhlip), CC BY 4.0)

Weave a sheet about 40 cm across in the turtle-scale weave (lai chalaeo klet tao, or ta-laeo-hua). Cut paper into an elongated hexagon about 7 × 15 cm and lay it on as the template for the bottom.

Slit the sheet with scissors at all six corners and gather it into a small bottom and flared mouth; stitch the 6 slits temporarily with needle and thread. Clamp small split bamboo inside and outside and bind with rattan. Trim the mouth level into an oval, rim it with bamboo and bind it with rattan.

Braid rattan round the mouth rim in the san pla chon, kraduk ngu and seven-rattan patterns. Fit 6 rattan handle cords in line with the seams and gather them at the top. Clamp on a wooden grip, pointed at both ends with two horns, and bind it with rattan. Bend lan palm-stalk bark into a hexagon to match the bottom, tie it on with rattan, cross 3 bamboo sticks under the bottom, and coat with yang oil.

Photos of a real sa lot, Ancient Tai Dam Cultural Revival Centre, U Thong, Suphan Buri (Sirindhorn Anthropology Centre, author พิชชา ทองขลิบ (Phitcha Thongkhlip), CC BY 4.0).

Put bobbins of coloured thread in it and hang it on the loom, so bobbins are easy to take and change while weaving.

Tai Dam men weave the sa lot and women use it, so it was often made to impress or court a young woman, hanging on her loom always in view; or a father wove it for the women of his house. Take care with the knife and scissors when cutting strips. Source: Sirindhorn Anthropology Centre, Traditional Objects of Everyday Use database, "ซ้าหลอด", author พิชชา ทองขลิบ (Phitcha Thongkhlip), Ancient Tai Dam Cultural Revival Centre, Suphan Buri (CC BY 4.0 licence). **Limits** There is no listing for rattan, lan palm-stalk bark or yang oil, so they are named in the text.