Basketry is experiencing a resurgence of popularity, and enjoying an exciting comeback at the hands of a new and dynamic generation of makers who are not afraid to experiment with mixing materials and techniques. This book will give you all the information you need to learn the basic methods, and then the confidence and inspiration to expand your making as far as your imagination can take you.
American Baskets is the first book to offer a comprehensive overview of an art form that is ten thousand years old. Basketmaking is the most basic of all crafts in its methods and material, and its development reflects specifically local traditions. Here, author Robert Shaw ("the information source on major U.S. crafts" -- "Booklist) examines the craft's history and artistry throughout the country and through various periods. Once among the most common of household objects, handmade baskets have a cachet that has never been equaled. Despite the fact that the American artisan basket has all but disappeared from daily use (the baskets that we have in our homes today are either made from synthetic materials, often by machine, or imported from overseas where labor is cheap), the genuine example of a handcrafted basket is highly prized as a beautiful and valuable object. Baskets are fixtures in the popular style of country decorating, and collectors search out fine antiques as well as outstanding contemporary basket creations. American Baskets celebrates the treasures of yesterday while exploring the work of many of the fine artists who labor over the art form today. Beautifully photographed and exhaustively researched, American Baskets analyzes the influences of both Native Americans and early settlers, including the Aleuts and Hopi as well as the Quakers and Pennsylvania Dutch. The significant contributions of early African-American East Coast culture and the rich heritage of rural Appalachia are also discussed. Paying special attention to the collectible aspect of the American basket, Robert Shaw investigates every type of basket indigenous to this country: ash splint farmbaskets, rattan "lightship" baskets, rye straw baskets, African-American rush baskets, and more. A resource guide listing museums that house basket exhibits, antiques dealers and auction houses that sell high-quality pieces, and traditional basket artisans and organizations completes the elegant package.
The methods of Indian basket weaving explained in this excellent manual are the very ones employed by native practitioners of the craft. members of the Navajo School of Basketry have set down their secrets in clear and simple language, enabling even the beginner to create work that can rival theirs in grace, design, and usefulness. Beginning with basic techniques, choice of materials, preparation of the reed, splicing, the introduction of color, principles and methods of design, shaping the basket and weaves from many cultures, such as Lazy Squaw, Mariposa, Taos, Samoan, Klikitat, and Shilo, each accompanied by specific instructions. There are suggestions for the weaving of shells, beads, feathers, fan palms, date palms, and even pine needles, and recipes for the preparation of dyes. Examples of each type of basket are illustrated by photographs, often taken from more than one angle so that the bottom can be seen as well as the top and sides. Close-up photography of the various types of stitching, especially at the crucial stage of beginning the basket, is an invaluable aid to the weaver. In addition, the authors have provided line drawings which are exceptionally clear magnifications of the various weave patterns. Anyone who follows the lessons contained in this book will have a knowledge of basketry unattainable in any other way. They are so lucid and complete that the amateur as well as the experienced weaver will be able to manufacture baskets distinguishable from authentic native articles only in that they were not woven by Indians. For those who merely seek a broader knowledge of American Indian arts, the book provides a comprehensive introduction to the subject of basketry.
"Contemporary wicker baskets first presents you with the basics--tools and materials, weaving techniques, bases, borders, handles, and lids--with easy-to-follow instructions, detailed illustrations, and helpful how-to photographs. Then use what you learn to make any or all the 30 magnificent wicker baskets in the project section."--p. [4] of cover.
When she published her first book about starting a home-based gift basket business, Shirley George Frazier blazed the trail for other home-based business owners coast to coast. She also tapped a growing demand for gift baskets, the all-occasion solution for personalized and memorable presents. Her business was such a phenomenon that Frazier turned her experiences into a book to instruct readers how to make these baskets themselves, combining the creative with the practical and even providing designs for those who wanted to start their own business! This all-new revised edition features: *distinctive holiday ideas *alternate containers for gift baskets *new gift baskets geared for: the techie, the college student, the pet lover, and more! Shirley George Frazier is also the author of MARKETING STRATEGIES FOR THE HOME-BASED BUSINESS (November “07) and HOW TO START A HOME-BASED GIFT BASKET BUSINESS, 4th edition. She is a business owner and marketing expert who appears at small-business workshops across the country, and is often featured on TV network shows as an expert on home-based businesses.
“Learn the four simplest ways to make a basket—weaving, twining, plaiting, and coiling—then choose projects in a variety of shapes, sizes, and materials to hone your skills and techniques.” —Booklist. “These colorful contemporary baskets utilize unlikely materials...useful for crafts collections.”—Library Journal.
A practical book on the techniques, methods and design of basketry for basketmakers of all abilities. The authors provide an inventory of materials and specialist tools; many design possibilities; practical advice on starting a basket; and a variety of different weaves.
Baskets are one of the few things we still haven't learned to mass produce to look as good as handmade. Try your hand at 30 elegant basket styles using splint materials--wood and grass pounded or split into flat strips. Shapes include traditional egg, melon, feather, cradle, oriole, shaker, and others that have all but disappeared from sight. A complete guide to tools, equipment, and materials helps you select splints from rattan, cane, oak and ash, rope, sisal, and sea grass. Learn the old ways of gathering, drying, storing, and soaking splints from trees, bushes, vines, marsh plants, bulbs, grasses, and husks. Get special tips on handles, rims, bases, lids, paints, and dyes. Choose from ribbed styles like the Winged Egg Basket or the Oriole. Or a plaited basket like the Great Lakes, Cherokee, or Shaker. Or the spoked baskets like the Field, Provender, and Quiver. A full-color photo gallery showcases each basket, along with stories that tell how they evolved into their current styles. 168 pages, 8 1/2 x 11.
