Figure 35. The whatu technique, round basket, twisted two-strip commencement: most twisted strips, about 50 inches long; sinistral-bearing strip (5) placed above dextral-bearing strip (6); whatu technique consists of joining strip together with check stroke; to establish this, right hand holds up number of sinistrals on left and left hand holds up some dextrals; second sinistral (2) dropped and first dextral (1′) dropped over it; right hand drops third sinistral (3) and left hand drops second dextral (2′) over it; from this commencement, each hand alternately drops next weft on right; horizontal row of dextral checks (4) produced; this continued to end of strip; two ends of double strip brought together and joined; if any interweft space too wide, extra single weft (huru) interpolated and its butt end rests between the two midrib strips; in preparing midrib strips, each weft twisted forward in front of huru and so successively fixed; end leaflet remains free, having no leaflet in front of it under which it may be twisted; similarly, first leaflet to be twisted forward has no leaflet passing under it; thus on sinistral strip, end leaflet (1) on left free; first twisted leaflet (11) on right has no leaflet passing under its loop between it and midrib strip (5); when the two ends brought together, free leaflet (1) passed up under loop of leaflet 11 in place indicated by arrow; in this way, twisting of strip completed by joining it into circle; in lower dextral strip (6), free leaflet (11′) on right, and free loop formed by first dextral (1′) on left; with ends together, free leaflet (11′) threaded up through loop of dextral 1′ in place indicated by arrow; this completes join and crossing leaflets plaited in check to complete whatu join.