Basketry

History

Basketry attracts both craftspeople interested in preserving folk traditions as well as artists who embrace the medium as a continuously evolving art with endless creative possibilities.

Basketry is one of the oldest crafts. Historians believe that baskets were used in the earliest hunter-gatherer cultures as suitcases, carrying personal possessions from place and place while also serving as containers for food. Undoubtedly, the earliest baskets have not survived to the present day, but the oldest fragments, found preserved underground in the Egyptian desert, date to the predynastic period (10,000–8,000 BCE).

Throughout history, baskets have been primarily functional items. They have been used for storage, fishing, transportation (chariots, hot air balloons, elephant seats), and baby baskets, among other purposes.

Because it was so tied to function, basketry received little respect as an art form. During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, many archaeologists overlooked the importance of basketry, and neglected to preserve their findings. It wasn't until the late nineteenth century that Native American baskets became collector's items.

Traditionally, Native Americans and other indigenous groups weave baskets based on the availability of natural materials and functional needs, which explains the diversity in baskets woven around the world. Many families or artisan groups have handed down intricate patterns and designs for hundreds of years. Today, these baskets are prized for their cultural association as well as their artistry.

For others, basketry is an art form that allows for personal investigation, or a craft that follows certain trends. During the nineteenth century, embroidered baskets were in vogue. Using a pre-made basket, crafters frequently stitched floral designs around the perimeter, as if the basket were a canvas for needlepoint.

At the turn of twentieth century, imitating Native American basket patterns became popular among basket weavers. Stencils were sometimes used to create patterns previously woven into the basket.

During the mid-twentieth century, renewed interest in basketry sparked an art movement that produced decorative baskets made from a wide variety of modern materials, including film, candy wrappers, Plexiglas, and foil. For the first time, baskets were included in art collections.

Basketry in the last few decades reflects both the traditional functionality and the artistic movement towards basketry as sculpture. While many basket makers continue to work with natural fibers, while others prefer fabric, paper coils, PVC cable, and other artificial materials. Baskets made by Native Americans and other indigenous cultures continue to play a large role in the designs and popularity of the craft.

Tools

• Basket maker's bodkin (awl)
• Pruning shears
• Scissors
• Craft knives
• Rapping iron
• Pliers
• Weights
• Hammer
• Clamps
• Workbench or table

General supplies

• Patterns
• Wire
• Ruler
• Water spray bottle
• Large-eye needles
• Paint supplies
• Dyeing supplies
• Hoop
• Molds
• Water bucket
• Sand paper
• Clothespins
• Pre-cut bases
• Pre-cut handles

Additional materials for creating gourd baskets

• Wood burning tool
• Jigsaw, handsaw, and/or sharp knife
• Gouges
• Leather dye, stain, shoe polish
• Sealer
• Finish

Techniques

How to make a plain weave reed basket with a purchased base

• If necessary, sand the base.
• Soak reed in warm water until it is pliable.
• Cut number of spokes to size as designated by pattern.
• Insert spokes in the base to form the frame, or skeleton.
• Weave strips of reed in and out of the spokes until the desired height is reached (every row should be woven the opposite of the previous row).
• Cut off every other spoke and tuck them inside.
• Cut off the other spokes flush with top.
• Attach the rim temporarily with clothespins.
• Lash rim with thread.

How to make a gourd basket

• Prepare surface of dried gourd (clean, bleach, and sand as necessary).
• Cut off top to desired height using jigsaw (for the thickest gourds), handsaw, or sharp knife.
• Remove pulp.
• Sand top.
• Stain.
• Apply finish coat.
• Embellish with feathers, beads, yarn, etc.

Gourd craft can be difficult and dangerous. A gourd should be cut open outside, since the interior of the gourd has an unpleasant odor. Jigsaws, handsaws, and sharp knives, as well as dye and finishing products, each pose a potential danger. Goggles and gloves should be worn, and work surfaces should be protected.

Safety procedures also apply to other basketry projects that require the use of sharp tools and dyes. Caution should be exercised when collecting natural materials, especially plants, which may be endangered, or illegal to remove.

Trends

While traditional basket designs and materials continue to be popular, new shapes, patterns, colors, and embellishments set the tone for contemporary basketry. Other crafts, techniques, and materials are often combined with basketry to create sculpture or mixed-media baskets.

Gourd baskets also remain popular, especially those decorated with flowers, beads, fibers, and other embellishments. Children's baskets made with brightly colored paper rope, and beadwork baskets made with waxed linen, cotton threads, and beads represent other modern trends in basketry.

Basketry for Fun vs. Profit

Handmade baskets are sought by collectors and other buyers for both functional and decorative purposes, but competition from imports and other lower-priced baskets continues to affect the market.

If one's baskets are well made and show artistic sensibility, then they should sell well in the arts and crafts market. Other opportunities for profiting from a basketry hobby include working with interior designers, selling original patterns, and teaching courses.

Learning More

Organizations

National Basketry Organization <http://www.nationalbasketry.org>

American Craft Council <http://www.craftcouncil.org>

Handweavers Guild of America <http://www.weavespindye.org>

Books

Board, Rebecca. The Handmade Basket Book. Iola, WI: Krause Pub., 2002.

Siler, Lyn. The Basket Book: Over 30 Magnificent Baskets to Make and Enjoy. New York: Sterling, 1988.