Wild Basketry: Making Baskets and Natural Cordage from Foraged Plants

An engaging makers' guide to sourcing and harvesting foraged plants to make natural cordage and baskets. More and more of us are seeking to craft with our hands, develop our connection with the natural world and reduce our ecological impact. In this beautifully illustrated book, learn from artist/maker Ruby Taylor about basketmaking's rich history and, with detailed step-by-step instructions and photographs, discover the simple joy and satisfaction of creating beautiful and useful objects. Expand your basketmaking skills and discover the practical potential of nature through this ancient craft. - Learn how to identify common plants and understand the ecosystems in which they grow. - Discover the principles of foraging, harvesting, processing and prepping plant fibres. - Make 4 seasonal baskets: a stake and strand bramble/blackberry basket, a coiled lidded grass basket, a reed mace basket and a willow bark container. - Make 4 types of cordage from Phormium, Daffodil, Bramble and Willow and a looped net bag. n A makers' guide to sourcing and harvesting foraged plants to make natural cordage and baskets. Making with our hands is a fundamental human activity; connection with the natural world and the feeling of belonging to place are basic human needs. As a counterbalance to our digitalised lives is the wish to connect with the simple joy and satisfaction of creating beautiful and useful objects, tapping into ancestral skills and wisdom and taking care of our world by reducing our ecological impact. Wild Basketry brings all this together in a rich combination of reflection and practical guide. Beautiful photographs take you through a seasonal year of seven basketry and cordage projects, suitable for beginners as well as for those wishing to expand their basketmaking skills. Ruby Taylor guides you through each step following a range of techniques, with suggestions for further exploration, to give you a thorough grounding in the fundamentals of the craft. Guidance on the principles of harvesting and processing plant fibres, and contextual information about the evolution of basketry, are covered throughout the book, along with spotlights on several inspiring international artists. nA makers' guide to sourcing and harvesting foraged plants to make natural cordage and baskets. Making with our hands is a fundamental human activity; connection with the natural world and the feeling of belonging to place are basic human needs. A counterbalance to our digitalised