Weave a Wildcrafted Basket

Basketry is one of humankind’s oldest art forms—believed to be even older than pottery and cloth weaving. It’s also one of the few remaining crafts that’s primarily done by hand. While some contemporary basket styles are made by machines, a machine can’t replicate the dexterity and creativity of the human hand in gauging the suitability of materials, intertwining fibers, and shaping a woven basket.

Perhaps because of its long history, the process of basket weaving can feel familiar, even to a beginner. Although the initial setup requires some patience and concentration, after a few rounds of weaving, most people quickly get the hang of it.

The natural world—woods, meadows, and marshlands—is bursting with potential basketry material, including reeds, rushes, grasses, pine needles, willows, brambles, honeysuckle vines, bark, and even roots. In contrast with materials specifically grown for basket-making—such as white oak splints or cultivated willow shoots, which are predictable and uniform in shape—foraged, or “hedgerow,” basketry materials come in interesting, organic shapes that tell the story of the plant. Some vines intertwine together or twirl around branches; others ambitiously reach for the light. This is what sets wildcrafted baskets apart; they incorporate nature’s own story and creativity. The basket you weave from foraged