Willow Basketry

by Bernard Verdet-Fierz, Regula Verdet-Fierz

This handbook provides aspiring & experienced basketmakers with access to a wealth of traditional forms & techniques for willow basketry. You ll find info. on the shop, the tools, the cultivation & harvesting of the willow plant, the processing of rods, weave patterns, basket design, & construction techniques. The informative, detailed, step-by-step illustrations guide you through the process of learning. Offers instructions for making 8 Old World basketry projects. You ll learn how to plan a project & work the materials to create your own variations on round, oval, & squarework forms. Extensive glossary & bibliography. List of willow & basketry sources in the U.S., Canada, & Europe.

355 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 1993

Reviews

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

My basketry teacher calls this the "willow bible." And just like the "bible bible," some of the content is very dense. Willow basketry, I'm learning, doesn't lend itself well to instructional writing. It requires hands. This book recognizes the artistry that lives in our hands, despite our distance from creating in that way. It's also valuable historically, contains folklore, and is illustrated with woodcut drawings. Nothing glossy about this one. Even though the directions don't take me exactly where I want to go, I will continue to grow into it.