Yes, I am a Basket Weaver

I am a basket weaver. That is right, a niche that very rarely people do anymore, yet ends up being a basis for many jokes. That said, I am proud to be a basket weaver.

My basket weaving journey began about four decades ago now, when my mother was active in the local crafting community. While I was not thrilled about it, I was often mom’s tag-along to classes, tabling events, and the craft store. I learned needlepoint, metal punching, acrylic painting, latch hook, and basket weaving, among other craft niches. And while I enjoyed working on the various projects, I had no intentions of ending up a lifetime crafter like my mom.

Fast forward a couple decades of very little crafting, and I had just moved four hours away to Northern Virginia, just to the West of Washington DC. As I was the new girl in town, I had not yet many people, but my cousin Susan lived two hours away and was heavily involved in crafting. One of the classes she recently started taking was basket weaving, and she invited me along.

Of course, it had been decades since I had woven a basket, but I was curious. Would I remember how? Was it like riding a bike, and once you had done it, you should be able to ride a bike forever? More than the curiosity factor, I always liked spending time with Susan, and if making baskets was the avenue to do so, so be it. It was back to making baskets.

The first project we made in class was a napkin basket with a handle, colored accents, and a bow. The basics of making these baskets was very similar to what I had learned as a little girl tagging along with my mom, with the exception that when we wove in the 1980’s, it was with a white plastic while we wove with rattan, a renewable reed from Malaysia, in the 2000’s. I also didn’t remember soaking the white plastic reed, but with the rattan, you have to let it soak for a while before starting to weave. Other than that, the weaving procedure was the same. I attended class with Susan a few more times, and we made a long oval basket with handles, called the Toiletries basket, and we also made a Quilt basket.

Eventually, I decided that my basket making skills were good enough and some of my baskets would make unique gifts for friends and family. I would do so on my own, no teacher to order my supplies or fix any mistakes, etc.… What I discovered though was that to do so, supplies needed to be ordered in bulk. Ultimately, I either had to make a lot of baskets for gifts, or I was going to have a lot of supplies left over.

My husband at the time suggested that I start making baskets and selling them at a local farmers’ market. Doing so, would allow me to continue my hobby while also making some extra money. We bought a vendor tent and tables and off to the market we went as vendors, and he was right. I sold my baskets.

Surprisingly, my baskets were quite well received, and many people were surprised that I made the baskets myself and completely by hand. Because of the quality, they thought that they had to be mass produced, and I was just a dealer. Occasionally, people thought they were Longaberger baskets.

Several people approached me for specialty baskets or to repair baskets. One of the special requests was a kayak basket for a lady who kayaked across the lake to the farmers’ market and needed something to take her purchases home in. Other folks asked me to repair their beloved baskets that had been brought home from travels to Africa.

Eventually, I opened a store on Etsy and sold my baskets to folks across the country. One of my Etsy baskets ended up being used in a documentary about Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma.

In addition to selling my baskets, customers were also interested in the process from how long it takes to weave a basket as well as what tools I used. Another surprising reoccurring conversation was how many people tried to make their own baskets but failed. Often, these latter folks would give me their supplies they had bought but had never used.

I was also invited to teach basket weaving classes at sites in Washington DC and eventually when I moved back to my home state of Pennsylvania. Likewise, I was invited to be a vendor in some big craft shows, even juried ones such as Shakers Woods in Ohio. I was also invited to sell my baskets in craft consignment stores. Over a decade later, I still sell baskets on my Etsy site.

In thinking about what made my basket weaving appreciated by so many people, there are a few tips I would give those that were just starting out:

1) A solid foundation is key. If you do not do anything else right, at least keep your base and first few rows super tight.

2) Use Fiskars instead of scissors to cut your reed. Your back and shoulders will thank you.

3) Be messy when you are in basket making mode. Basket supplies take up space, but if you clean them up, there is a good chance, you won’t get them back out.

4) When you are done lashing your rim, remember to trim or burn off the excess ends. A lot of basket weavers don not do this, and be doing so, yours will show quality showmanship.

In closing, while basket makers in the United States are indeed rare, we are also special. We produce a product that is hard to find at the quality level we make, and I can guarantee that a lot of hard work went into making the basket you are taking home.