Wicker Baskets Explained

Fine wicker baskets

Wicker baskets or wickerwork is one of the oldest of the traditional crafts, it pre dates both pottery and weaving and evidence of its age has been found in fine woven baskets from all over the world. From Ireland to Egypt to Denmark the US and Asia fine woven articles have been retrieved that show the skills and talents of these early basket weavers. Baskets were an integral part of life, houses were built from wicker daubed with mud, furniture was constructed from it, babies had cradles made from it and potatoes, rice and grain was stored in it.

The art of wicker basket making

Initially, baskets and containers would have been made from whatever material was available in the immediate vicinity of the settlement and these materials would have influenced the shape and form of the object being fashioned, thus, basket making developed autonomously on every continent. Some baskets were plaited from grasses and fine straw and stitched in place others were made from strong willow withies or rattan canes which made for strong and long lasting shopping baskets or storage baskets.

Native American wicker baskets

Finest basket weavers

Over the last 200 years North America has had a huge influx of immigrants from all corners of the world and they have brought with them all the finest examples of basket weaving and wicker work of all traditions, but the Native American people were already some of the finest basket makers in the world and had been constructing baskets for over nine thousand years. They used whatever materials were on hand, grasses, rushes, split willows and the bark of different trees as well as pounding oak , ash and hickory wood to use the fibres for weaving.

Sealing wicker baskets

Resin sealed basket

They sealed their baskets with resin from the trees to create water tight containers for carrying water and wove them very tightly to create cooking pots. They also made plates, shallow dishes, decorative baskets and hats which they decorated with patterned weaving or natural dyes which they painted onto the vessels. The basket maker, often a woman was held in high esteem and often her finest baskets were burned with her when she died.

Wicker baskets in Europe

In many countries where there is a strong history of wicker work you can find other items made from these materials. In Ireland, for example low huts known as Crannogs were built from stone and wicker with remarkable thatches that reached almost to the ground. Chimneys were built from wickerwork as well as fences, beds, boats, floors and pathways. Willows or sallies were a light, resilient material which served to keep people off the damp ground and were freely available to everyone. In Europe and America the tradition was for sturdy utilitarian baskets which were made for specific uses such as a picnic basket, laundry basket and bicycle baskets but there was also a strong tradition of form as well as function and therefore you may well find beauty in the simple lines of a peeled willow Shaker basket or the robust beauty of a brown willow storage basket or strong rattan hamper baskets. Equally, a simple, round woven basket made for storing knitting or sewing implements may catch the eye. Many of these baskets were made by blind people who served their time in schools learning the skills and craft of the basket maker.

Wickerwork

A dying craft?

In the late twentieth century there was a danger of basket making dying a death as plastic bags took over from the traditional baskets. Basket makers no longer held an important position in their village or town and businesses closed their doors. Later, it was recognised that a truly important art form was dying out and many people spent time trying to resurrect it. Nowadays there are many workshops and courses being held to teach people the craft of wickerwork and basket making and some contemporary artists are using these natural materials to produce innovative work that breathes new life into the basket making arena. Environmentally, baskets are a great improvement on the plastic bag they use a renewable resource and can be used time and time again without impact on the environment. Many governments are banning plastic bags or charging a fee for them in an effort to discourage people from using them wicker baskets are definitely the way to go to preserve the environment and keep the craft alive.