The fastest way to understand basketry is to finish something small. The three projects below build on each other: a flat tray teaches the base weave, a round basket adds upright walls, and a garden support introduces working over a frame. Each can be made with rattan core or soaked willow.

A basket maker working at a traditional bench
Basket making at the bench. Image: Wikimedia Commons.

Project 1 — A flat tray

A tray is essentially a basket base that you stop before raising the sides, which makes it ideal for a first attempt at keeping tension even.

  1. Cut six base stakes and form a cross, binding the centre with two fine weavers.
  2. Open the stakes into evenly spaced spokes.
  3. Weave outward with a simple over-and-under stroke until the disc reaches roughly 25 cm.
  4. Finish with a low border by bending each spoke down behind the next.

Project 2 — A round storage basket

The round basket reuses the tray base and adds walls, so it is the natural next step.

  1. Make a firm base as above, then insert an upright stake beside each base spoke.
  2. Prick the uprights up and tie them loosely at the top to hold the shape.
  3. Weave the sides with a randing or pairing stroke, beating each row down so no gaps appear.
  4. When the wall reaches the height you want, release the ties and lay down a folded border.
Common mistake

Walls that lean outward usually mean the uprights were not pricked up firmly enough, or the early rows were beaten down unevenly. Correct the shape in the first few rows, not at the rim.

Project 3 — A garden plant support

A woven obelisk or low plant support is forgiving because small irregularities disappear among the leaves once it is in use. It also introduces working vertically around a set of canes pushed into the ground or a pot.

  • Space several straight stakes in a circle and gather them at the top.
  • Weave a band of horizontal rounds near the base, then leave a gap and weave another band higher up.
  • Keep the weave loose enough for stems to thread through as the plant grows.
If a project stalls, dampen the ends, ease the weave open with a bodkin, and re-seat the last few rods rather than pulling the whole row out.

Where to learn in person

Hands-on guidance is hard to replace. In Germany, regional open-air museums and craft associations periodically run basketry demonstrations and courses, and adult-education centres in many towns list short weekend workshops. Checking the programme of a local museum or community college is usually the most reliable way to find current dates.

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Willow Basketry Basics → Working with Rattan →