Making a Basket

So I decided to try my hand at basket making. I liked the idea of collecting materials from our land and, through sheer determination, turning it into something I could use – for free!

I originally thought I would try using cedar bark (like the Native Americans) since we have cut down quite a few for the pasture. After some research and planning I was excited to get started. But the cedar are still too cold/frozen so getting the bark off was an exercise in frustration (I’ll wait till it warms up to try that). It turns out that it’s the perfect time to collect Red-Osier Dogwood. We have lots near the pond and its a beautiful colour so it made sense to try using it. After a quick trip to the library and 2 basketry books later I got started.

It was a little hard to work with. The pieces I collected were a bit too thick. I have now learned that the thinner they are the better!

Despite its “loose” appearance it is actually quite strong and sturdy.

The finished basket (about 11″ diameter). A little “rustic” but not too bad for a first try :)