Hi folks - this is a bit of a weird question, but I'm having trouble getting any sort of answer from a google search!

I have some epiphytic plants that I want to plant in something like a vanda basket (like this - https://www.repotme.com/collections/orchid-supplies/products/vanda-basket-4) but I cannot find them for sale in Canada!

I have a friend who enjoys basketry and has taught me some techniques, so I was wondering if it would be possible to weave a vanda-type basket - would be so beautifully unique, but the materials need to be able to get wet at least weekly (you water the plants and moss right in the basket) and dry out, and I'm not sure if the materials I have at home would be okay to be soaked and dried that frequently (I have willow bark, dandelion and lily leaves).

Any ideas as to what types of materials (North American) would be able to withstand that kind of routine?

Bought a little box of tools at Goodwill labeled Basket Making Tools. 7 clamps and a bunch of long poky things with flat tips, some straight, some flat, different lengths. Can anyone tell me what I can do with these, and where I can learn to do it.

(I'm trying to add a picture, but haven't managed to yet)

Hello! I'm just starting to think about what sort of plants I may be able to incorporate into my dream property as a riparian buffer that would have dual use for basketry and fiber. I'm in central PA in the ridge and valley, we have cattails, willow, red osier dogwood, and white pine, and I'm looking into the feasibility of flax (also nettles). Is anyone familiar with the region who might have some suggestions for species that won't become invasive?

Tysm!

Anywhere I can buy willow bases for baskets that have holes to put the stakes in?

As titlr

I'm new to basket weaving and was hoping to get some guidance on a project.

A group in my area hosts one day classes that make large baskets (see picture: https://imgur.com/a/a9p30S4). I haven't made baskets before but I have a good amount of experience with arts and crafts (did upholstery as a hobby for years, have an art degree, have done chair caning). I am good with working off of written instructions, etc.

I have a toddler at home with significant separation anxiety and a family member who is vulnerable to illness so I'm unable to attend the class in person. I reached out to the instructor to see if she could do a Zoom or written instructions but she said she didn't have time.

Can anyone point me to instructions or a DIY kit to produce these sorts of baskets? My main interest is in producing larger ones for kid toys, laundry, blankets, etc. Thanks so much in advance. I'm okay with spending a bit more on a kit for the first one to learn the process.

We have recently moved to a smallholding (in the UK) where there was about an acre of land downhill from an old leat that once carried water to a waterwheel and now to a pond. This land was completely overgrown will bramble and grey willow saplings until I cleared it last year, currently just contains grass and weeds. It is perpetually wet, because the leat and pond leak - so this area probably wouldn't dry out even if it didn't rain for 2 months. It is quite exposed to the wind, but has good sunlight.

My wife has very recently become interested in willow basketry, and has been using whips from grey willows (which are OK for just practicing for a beginner). We have now decided to allocate that whole area to growing basketry willows (pollards), primarily for our own future use. There is a dizzying variety to choose from, and obviously it will take a year or two to discover what actually likes our soil and climate, but I'd be interested in finding out which varieties knowledgeable people would plant if they were in our position (eg 50% black maul, 25% red flanders, 25% dicky meadows). Which varieties should I definitely include in the first experimental planting from which I will later take cuttings to grow more plants?

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My aging mom has a huge collection of basket making supplies that she can no longer use, so I’m trying to understand the options for selling or donating these supplies.

The supplies are primarily reed in all shapes and sizes. They’ve all been stored inside, but are 10+ years old. Other than obvious signs of damage, what would the signs be that the reed was no longer usable and should be pitched?

Assuming the reed is still good, what are options for finding a new home for this kind of thing?

TIA.

Hello! Currently making my second basket with flat reed (it's this one) and I guess I must have woven it with the rough side out, because as it's doing I'm noticing that it's got a lot of little fibers sticking up all over the place! It looks different than the first basket I made, which I did in a class with an instructor, so that's probably why I did it right lol.

Any tips for removing all these little fibers? Thanks!

I'm in the UK and I have various plants in my hedges that I'm considering trying as basket material. I've only done two workshops on baskets making so I'm far from an expert, but I'm planning to experiment with a few plants. I wondered if anyone had tried any of these and had any tips on when to harvest, etc.

The things that seem most promising are bird cherry, cotoneaster, alder, bindweed, brambles, and maybe forsythia and mock orange. The latter two are kind of brittle and snap easily when they are freshly cut but I haven't tried letting them dry and then soaking them. The bird cherry and alder are both self seeded trees that I tried to cut down because they are in bad locations but they both grew fairly long, straight branches that seem promising. Even the privet has a few long branches that seem like they could work.

Anyone tried any of these? How well did they work?

Hey!

Just learned about pounding ash logs to delaminate the growth layers for basketry strips.

Does that technique work for other kinds of wood, too?

Hi! I went about this a bit backwards. I'm a flower farmer and when I was purchasing decorative willow to grow next year I had the idea to grow my own willow to make baskets, too. I decided it would be best to do a trial run and see if I enjoy doing it and if I'm any good at it before I dedicate space in my yard and years of my life to growing it, but I can't find willow anywhere! Every basket supply thing I look at is either cane or reed. All of the willow sources I've found are either in Europe or have insane minimums (like 20lbs/$300 for an order.) I did find some on Etsy that offers smaller bundles, but I have no idea if the pricing is reasonable or how much I need to order.

So does anyone have a reliable source for small amounts of willow to share? And if the Etsy listings are a good choice, how much do I need? The one I was looking at offers 4 or 5 foot rods in bundles of 25, 50, 100, or 200. They also advertise buy two bundles get one free, so I was thinking 75 5 ft rods? Would that be enough to make a few small to medium baskets or am I way underestimating how far it will go? That would cost about $45 so it seems like a good deal if I can make a few baskets out of it, but if it's only enough for 1, well, that would be a pretty expensive starter project.

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Any tips, advice, resources, tutorials, whatever would be appreciated!

I want to make an egg shaped hanging basket for fruit/produce, is that even possible because it’s uneven? The only pictures of pine needle baskets I’ve seen were round baskets or with even sides, if that makes sense.

I’m hoping to make something like this:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/866028500/crochet-pattern-hanging-basket-the-lapli?gpla=1&gao=1&&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopping_us_c-craft_supplies_and_tools-patterns_and_how_to-patterns_and_blueprints&utm_custom1=_k_Cj0KCQjw7JOpBhCfARIsAL3bobf7aU_MtIffKdk9gg5fyP6CJey1yWTPyZxW0M0L-smMspq-UD4H7boaAsCdEALw_wcB_k_&utm_content=go_12570712254_121242698324_507438943637_aud-2007167693509:pla-322726483858_m__866028500_101457223&utm_custom2=12570712254&gbraid=0AAAAADtcfRI0_594fdqiV0ThGAXO-nVLq&gclid=Cj0KCQjw7JOpBhCfARIsAL3bobf7aU_MtIffKdk9gg5fyP6CJey1yWTPyZxW0M0L-smMspq-UD4H7boaAsCdEALw_wcB

Hi all!! I am just getting into pine needle basketry and have scoured the internet but cannot find the answer to a question.

I am going to treat my needles with vegetable glycerine, however, is it possible to dye them as well? Would the dye happen before or after the glycerin treatment?

Any advice is greatly appreciated! Thanks 😊

We have many plants that I can harvest for basketry materials, but I'm quite curious about Russian Sage. It's quite woody and fragrant and drought tolerant, so wow prolific in our perennial garden. Perhaps too prolific as it will send out runners and start to invade our other plants. Some of the thicker spikes can be narrowly hollow. I've searched Google and Reddit to no avail. I was wondering if anybody had thoughts about using it for basketry.