# Underwater basket weaving minust the water



## Shoupie (Mar 21, 2009)

Does anyone here weave wicker baskets? I'm interested in picking up the hobby but I'm not finding a lot of information past the basics and almost nothing on harvesting and growing your own brambles or willow. If anyone can recommend a book or website I would much appreciate it.


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## PKBoo (Apr 10, 2008)

I love this site: 
http://www.countryseat.com/

Too bad you aren't closer - they offer an amazing variety of classes!


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## Katherine in KY (May 11, 2002)

One of the best books is Willow Basketry by Bernard and Regula Verdet-Fierz. Interweave Press. 1993. ISBN - 0-934926-88-2. It's translated from the German (the authors are Swiss) and covers different types of willow, their cultivation, and how tos for making willow/wicker baskets.

Another good book for patterns is Flo Hoppe's Wicker Basketry. She uses reed rather than willow.

Another one is Cane, Rush, and Willow by Hilary Burns. Firefly Books, 1998.

Google willow baskets or willow basketmaking and you should find some more information. 
HTH.


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## kyweaver (Nov 30, 2009)

Last fall I gathered some honeysuckle, stripped the bark, and used it to twine a basket. Kind of neat, but definitely a RUSTIC look. Took longer to prepare the honeysuckle than to weave the basket.


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## Wisconsin Ann (Feb 27, 2007)

I've got about a million miles of grape vines out at the farm, and I'm thinking about doing some weaving with them. The idea of making a small table top, using the heavy 2" diameter stems for the legs, is my current thought. 

I wonder if Virginia Creeper would work? We have that in abundance, too  I think the vines are less, um, nubby than the grapes. Might have to try that.


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## kyweaver (Nov 30, 2009)

Doesn't hurt to try. 
Test it by letting a piece dry completly, then resoak it, as see if it will weave well. If you just try it fresh, your basket may be too loose and brittle when it dries.


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