7 Basket Making Books That Elevate Your Craft

Jenny Crisp, with over three decades as a professional basket maker and willow grower, shares her deep expertise in this guide that merges traditional craft with contemporary design. You’ll learn how to cultivate your own willow, harvest it responsibly, and apply weaving techniques to create 20 distinctive projects ranging from bread baskets to garden stools—all without complex tools. Crisp’s approach emphasizes functional beauty and sustainability, reflecting her hands-on experience from planting to finished piece, especially highlighted in chapters detailing willow cultivation and innovative weaving patterns. This book suits anyone keen on mastering willow basketry with a fresh perspective, especially those interested in integrating natural materials into modern home decor.

What happens when hands-on experience in basket making meets accessible teaching? Wendy Thorner, a self-taught basket maker and willow grower, distills her practical knowledge into this guide aimed at total beginners. You’ll learn foundational skills such as preparing willow and weaving techniques through 17 carefully illustrated projects, each supported by over 400 color photographs that clarify each step. The book doesn’t assume any prior aptitude, making it ideal if you’ve ever wanted to try your hand at willow art but didn’t know where to start. If you prefer learning with clear visuals and detailed guidance, this book offers a straightforward path from novice to confident basket maker.

This personalized basket making book delves deeply into the craft by tailoring content to your background, skill level, and goals. It explores foundational techniques such as material selection, weaving patterns, and tool usage, then advances into specialized topics like artistic design and sustainable fiber sourcing. By focusing on your interests, it reveals how traditional methods connect with contemporary creativity, offering a tailored pathway through diverse basket making styles. This book matches your unique journey, bridging expert knowledge with your personal aspirations to help you refine skills and craft baskets that are both functional and expressive.

The methods Joni-Dee Ross and Denise Bendelewski developed while accumulating over four decades of combined experience come through clearly in this detailed pictorial guide to Nantucket basket weaving. You’ll learn not just the basics of weaving with cane and hardwood but also design principles, working with bases, rims, and handles, and how to apply a flawless finish, all supported by more than 250 photographs and illustrations. This book suits both newcomers eager to start their first basket and seasoned weavers wanting to refine their craft with traditional and modern techniques. Its stepwise approach and rich visual content make it straightforward to gain confidence and skill in this specialized craft.

Drawing from decades of hands-on teaching experience across state conferences and universities, BJ Crawford offers a practical guide that takes you step-by-step through crafting 18 distinct baskets. You start with simple forms and progressively master more intricate techniques, like spiral twill and square-to-round weaving, allowing you to build confidence and skill as you go. The book includes detailed instructions for customizing your baskets with colors and embellishments, plus a helpful sizing chart for designing market baskets, making it ideal whether you’re just beginning or looking to refine intermediate abilities. If you want to develop a tangible craft with clear visual guidance and room for personal creativity, this book will serve you well.

What started as Osma Gallinger Tod's dedication to preserving traditional American crafts became a foundational guide for anyone interested in basket making with natural materials. Drawing from her decades of experience running craft communities and authoring numerous books, Tod offers detailed instructions on gathering and preparing a wide range of plant materials, from willow to pine needles. You’ll find precise diagrams and step-by-step techniques for creating everything from sturdy bark baskets to delicate vine birdhouses, making this book as useful to beginners as to seasoned weavers. If you appreciate craftsmanship rooted in nature and history, this book will deepen your skills and respect for the materials you work with.

This tailored book explores the art of basket weaving through a focused, step-by-step approach designed to accelerate your skill development over 30 days. It covers fundamental techniques and gradually introduces advanced practices, offering a clear pathway that matches your background and unique interests. The personalized content addresses your specific goals, helping you build confidence and mastery with each chapter. From selecting materials to refining weaving patterns, this book reveals how daily, targeted actions can transform your craft. By tailoring the experience specifically to your learning pace and preferred styles, it ensures that you engage deeply and progress efficiently in basket making.

Ruth Woods brings her extensive experience as a fiber artist and educator to this guide, which explores sculptural basketry with a focus on sustainable materials. You learn to work with plant fibers and recycled textiles, supported by practical instructions that nurture creativity beyond traditional basket forms. The inclusion of a detailed plant list and insights from fourteen Australian artists enriches your understanding of material properties and artistic possibilities. This book suits you if you're interested in blending craft with environmental consciousness and want to develop original sculptural pieces rather than conventional baskets.

What started as a collaboration between a seasoned basket weaver, a writer, and a concrete specialist with a flair for photography, this book distills practical basket-making techniques into accessible guidance for beginners. You learn to weave reed, apply premade handles, and finish rims with clear, color-illustrated steps, plus a dedicated chapter on dyeing reed at home for custom colors. The inclusion of four starter projects like the Flared Bun Basket and Small Market Basket provides hands-on experience, making it easier for you to build foundational skills. This book suits anyone eager to begin weaving with confidence, though those seeking advanced or artistic basketry might look elsewhere.