What you need to know about weaving willow baskets: materials, technologies, manufacturing process
In the old days, wicker items were widely used in subsistence farming. Today weaving willow baskets is an art, a hobby and a business. An experienced craftsman has brought the process of making baskets to perfection, and the product itself costs a lot of money. Colorful, bright, various shapes of baskets are used as decorative elements. But there are also models that are used in everyday life.
Vine weaving is a very simple craft that you can master on your own. Hand-made baskets, vases, boxes will take their rightful place in the interior, and, most importantly, they will be in a single copy. Made by hand, they will delight the eye, warm the soul and keep the warmth of human hands.
Necessary material for weaving baskets from a vine
Craftsmen who have mastered the craft of basket weaving prepare the material on their own. The best time to harvest basket willow is the winter season or early spring. For work, the rods are soaked and then dried.
For the craft, unpeeled and peeled rods are used. Simple baskets for home use, hedges, gazebos are weaved from unpeeled branches. The purified material is used for decorative items: flowerpots, boxes, trays, furniture. Over time, the peeled branches acquire a golden hue, which will give the future product a special charm.
The work uses the following tools:
- secateurs;
- awl;
- sharp knife;
- crushing machine;
- cleavers.
Willow basket weaving process
For the convenience of weaving products from willow twigs, you should familiarize yourself with the terminology:
- knitting needles - straight rods diverging from the center in the form of rays, from which the bottom of the basket is woven;
- racks - spokes bent upwards, necessary to form the walls;
- knitting or weaving - rods that braid knitting needles and stands.
The classic process of weaving a willow basket begins at the base. Then the knitting needles are bent up and the walls are created. At the final stage, the edge of the product is formed, and last of all, the handle.
When weaving the bottom, you need to tighten the branches that go around the knitting needles as tightly as possible. In this case, it is undesirable to move the knitting needles up or down. This will ensure the quality and reliability of the basket.
It is advisable for beginners to start weaving willow baskets from round products using the simple weaving method.
Types and methods of weaving a willow basket with your own hands
The standard basket weaving pattern is circular in one direction (from left to right). The working branch is the left twig. But before weaving willow baskets, weaving techniques should be learned.
There are basic basket weaving techniques:
- Simple braiding. This technique uses one twig. After forming the bottom of the needles, this rod is pulled alternately through the needles. New rows are laid in a spiral. After the working rod ends, a new branch is docked to it. This method can be used to weave both round and oval shaped products.
If the basket is woven in a closed loop, an odd number of racks must be used. This is due to the fact that on one turn the rod wraps around the rack from the outside, and on the next - from the inside. Otherwise, the circle will not close.
- Rope in 2 (3, 4, 5) rods. This technique involves the use of two (three, four, five) branches of the vine, which go around the racks and intertwine with each other. This method of weaving a willow basket with your own hands is aimed at increasing the reliability and giving the product rigidity.
- Layered weaving. With this method, weaving is carried out with several rods. Their number is taken as much as the racks are used. Work begins simultaneously with all the rods. Each branch, bending around one post from the outside, then the next from the inside, is brought out. Then the process is repeated with each free end of the rod. Upon completion of the work, all the rods will be inside the product.
This technique involves using twigs of the same length and thickness. This will create the same number of rows, which will be reflected in the flat walls of the basket.
There are plenty of weaving methods, but they all use the basic weaving techniques. Beginners who have never been involved in such a craft should watch a video on the Internet on how to weave baskets from willow. And to make the products look smooth and beautiful, it is better to practice making simple items - souvenirs, pots, boxes.