Natural Baskets

Techniques include weaving, twining, coiling, braiding, and stitching of natural materials.

A complete guide to making wicker, splint, coiled, and twined baskets from commercial and natural materials. Includes information on making dyes.

From practical storage to gorgeous display, nothing beats a basket--or Country Living's wonderfully imaginative ideas for using them throughout the home. The attractive photos tell the story, as they show off an array of different basket styles, all cleverly coordinated with overall decor. A large woven basket serves as a planter, and it harmonizes perfectly with a twill-weave trunk that doubles as an end table. For a breathtaking home gallery, install a shelf above a doorway and arrange a variety of richly patterned Venezuelan coiled baskets for all to admire. Pile fruit high atop willow pedestal baskets and place them on the kitchen table. Fill a deep rectangular basket with towels and keep it tubside. Every look is lovely, classic, and country beautiful.

Offers ideas for assembling gift baskets, and provides instructions for making a variety of baskets based on various themes, such as new baby, graduation, teacher appreciation, holidays, and others.

"This accomplished book represents an impressive and important extension of previous writing in the field and is sure to expand practitioners' understanding of the fascinating medium that is the treasure basket." Janet Moyles, Professor Emeritus, Anglia Ruskin University, UK Watching a child play with a Treasure Basket can give a powerful insight into the wonder of children's minds; their developmental levels, interests, likes and dislikes; repeated patterns of behaviour; and even glimpses of a child's personality. This book draws extensively upon observations of children's play as well as contemporary and original research in neuroscience and sensory play, to offer fresh insights into the use and benefits of Treasure Baskets and sensory-rich play. The book demonstrates how babies through to primary school children, including those with special educational needs, can derive rich and meaningful hands-on learning from sensory-rich objects and the wider application of sensory play. Key features of the book: Discovering how sensory play presents opportunities for problem solving and meaning making as well as developing creativity and imagination Understanding the benefits and potential of sensory-rich play and its powerful effect upon brain development and memory Learning about the role of the adult in supporting and maximising sensory-rich play Gaining insights from a range of case studies and activities If you have already witnessed deeply absorbing Treasure Basket play in action and marvelled at children's fascination and focus, then this book helps explain something of the 'behind the scenes' processes in action. For those who have not yet encountered this deceptively complex play, this book whets the appetite, giving a taste of what Treasure Baskets and sensory-rich play have to offer. This timely and empowering book is written for practitioners and students working with babies through to primary-aged children.

THE twisting and weaving of Nature's materials, grasses, twigs, rushes and vines into useful and beautiful forms seems almost instinctive in man. Perhaps it came to him as the nest-weaving instinct comes to birds - for at first he used it as they do, in the building of his house. Later shields and boats were formed of wicker work but how long ago the first basket was made no one is wise enough to tell us. Today Indian tribes in South America weave baskets from their native palms, South African negroes use reeds and roots, while the Chinese and Japanese are wonderful workmen in this as in other arts and industries; but basketry has come down to us more directly through the American Indian...

"An unusually detailed, useful and attractive guide for collectors and students." -L.A. Times.