The Weekend Crafter®: Basketry: 18 Easy & Beautiful Baskets to Make

by B.J. Crawford

Beautifully photographed and created for the beginner, this fabulous introductory basketry course, with 18 enticing projects, will have you finishing a decorative basket the very first weekend. The author offers the fruits of her 30 years' time-tested tips for adding bases, shaping baskets, substituting materials, adding embellishments and many more tricks. A wealth of knowledge on reeds covers everything from preparation to dyeing and finishing, and there's instruction on all the different basket-weaving structures. The projects teach a variety of techniques, each one building upon the last. Start with a small Basic Basket that uses 11 key procedures, and then move on to a charming Market Basket, which includes an attractive handle. Then try a Storage Basket, Hanging Letter Basket, Nantucket-inspired Spiral Twill Basket, or a Bathroom Catch-All. a beautiful gallery from an international selection of basket artists.

80 pages, Paperback

First published September 28, 2003

Reviews

[Carrie]

This is a very good starter book on making your own baskets from basket reed. The projects are easy but still attractive and practical, and the instructions are well-organized and include photographs for most steps.

[Allison]

I requested this book from my local library because I've decided to undertake a new hobby this year - basket & woven-bottomed chair repair. I have several wonderful baskets that have been handed down in my family along with a rocking chair that my great-grandfather was rocked in as a babe. The rocker was originally cane-seated and backed but had been upholstered before my own memory of it.

This handy book is most definitely one that I would purchase if I decided to progress to making my own baskets (and I think I just might!). It's well illustrated with lots of easy to understand, step-by-step directions, that don't presume you have had any previous experience weaving baskets.