The ouroboros splice

When finishing a unicursal basket a splice is needed to connect the ribbon's head to its tail. The method advocated here is simple, and is sturdy enough for cardstock baskets. The ribbon is cut just long enough at both ends to doubly-cover the first crossing and the last crossing as shown above. The cutting is not done at 90°, but at the angle determined by the two outer notch positions, as seen in the photo below. The first crossing is unlocked, allowing the ribbon’s tail to be threaded under both the last and first crossing. Those crossings are then locked with a doubled thickness of ribbon underneath. Made this way, the splice is scarcely noticeable in the finished basket.