Wicker baskets have many uses, both now and in the past.
Wicker Baskets – Background
Not all basket have to be wicker, but to be wicker, it must be woven. Wicker baskets can be made out of organic reed, grass, cane, roots, grasses, or even man-made materials. They can be used to store, transport or Home Improvement display items. They are used for a variety of purposes. They are available in sizes big or small. They can be mounted in the walls, on tables, or even in the ground. They come in an array of types, shapes, and sizes and can be constructed from a variety of materials.
Traditional wicker baskets that were hand-woven were created by hand. The process of weaving a basket is referred to as Basket Weaving. Wicker baskets were a popular choice since the dawn of time in Egypt, and are still being used in large quantities in many countries of the world today. Nowadays, wicker baskets can be found in almost every household.
Why do Wicker baskets have such a huge following?
Wicker baskets are a classic item that has been used for many years and will continue to remain popular for many years. What’s the reason the wicker baskets are so popular? It’s easy to comprehend why. There are two things that simplify this: the simplicity in production and costs as well as the abundance of materials. Additionally, skilled craftsmen are looking to make something beautiful and useful. The hand-crafted products are beautiful because they are practical, affordable and possess a lot of aesthetic appeal.
One can only imagine the life in a world without Wicker baskets. From the very early days the use of wicker baskets to make almost every conceivable thing they needed. Wicker products are lightweight and sturdy. Baskets were popular when compared to the alternative of metal or solid wood containers.
Since the resources and the skills were readily available, it was easy to build the things that you required to build in the past. They utilized the knowledge and the materials they had available to create the products that they required to improve their lives. Basket-making using Wicker was an important ability that was highly sought after. When the material is woven together to make the basket, they create an extremely strong bond, and make an efficient container that could be used to store or transport heavy objects. Wicker baskets are lighter than other types of materials. Wood and clay are heavy and difficult to carry. Based on the huge quantity of wicker baskets produced and sold each year they’re clearly something that is in demand.
Uses of Wicker Baskets
Baskets are useful to help with everyday chores, be able to carry and store things. It is also a great way to display items like flowers , or used to decorate. Wicker baskets are utilized as cooking vessels while others serve as an aerator. Some are used to trap animals or fish. The uses depend on the person you are, where you live and your intent.
A fisherman makes use of the wicker basket, which has an opening lid that latches and a an sling for carrying and holding the fish they catch. A popular seafood restaurant utilizes the same container as a display item hanging on the wall to create an artistic piece of art to create a welcoming atmosphere for their patrons. Extra large baskets made of wicker are used in a variety of third world countries to store vegetables, grains and fruits in the homes and markets. These baskets are also able to be found in developed countries, such as the USA for decoration or to hold products in retail stores.
Certain types of medium-sized baskets can be used for laundry. Laundry hampers are a great way to keep dirty laundry in storage until it is cleaned. A laundry basket that has two handles at its top and an opening wide at the top can be utilized to move dirty laundry out of the washroom to the storage space.
Egg baskets are made with a particular shape so as to hold eggs in a way that they don’t roll too much and can be staked during picking. Vegetable and flower baskets have an enormous hooped handle as well as open space above a slightly curving oval-shaped woven bottom that is designed to allow you to choose things such as leafy vegetables & spices or flowers on a plant, onions, and many other garden items that aren’t able to fit into the smaller baskets that are closed in.
A wicker wastebasket is very common in bathrooms and bedrooms. Depending on the design magazines baskets made of wicker can be utilized in countries with advanced technology to store magazines and newspapers alongside your preferred reading chair. Magazine holder baskets usually come with handles, and flat bottom baskets can be used for carrying wine bottles or Jars.
Wicker baskets that have lids are extremely popular across the world. Round baskets come with a myriad of applications. These baskets are used in certain countries to keep dead fruit or roots crops. Some countries use them to protect against insects or snakes. The more advanced, larger nations may utilize these baskets for garbage collection or hampers for clothes.
The above examples are only a glimpse on the myriad of uses of Wicker baskets. These examples also show that a basket could have numerous uses as well as a variety of uses in different cultures and countries.
Basket Materials and Construction
Wicker baskets are light and sturdy once they’ve been made. They are an excellent product. They are made of an array of many different natural or synthetic materials. Traditionalists prefer their baskets made from organic materials. The use of resin baskets is increasing in popularity, based on the use they are made of.
Wicker baskets are made using any long flexible material that can be woven. Certain materials like the rattan reed need to be soaked in water for a while to allow it to become softened before it can be employed. Otherwise, it will crack and break. It is essential that the material is used be elastic enough to be weaved, particularly in tight weaves.
Before weavers begin weaving a basket it is important to set up the frame and base. Weavers will use spokes to tie the basket together. Staves or spokes can be used to construct an oval, traditional basket that is upright. Weavers weave horizontal running pieces around the spokes.
Every country or region in which baskets made from wicker has unique patterns. The overall shape and design of the basket is distinctive and so is the weave pattern. Through the years numerous elegant patterns have been designed and some are breath-taking. Some basket makers also apply designs to their baskets. These features are also visually appealing, making the baskets even more desirable.
You can make use of natural materials for baskets in their natural state, or stain or paint the baskets to make them appear as unique as you can. Organic materials are able to absorb stains and permit paints and other materials to stay because they are woody. Resin based materials have the colors already embedded inside the material, therefore there is no staining or painting necessary.
Handles are critical to some baskets and are part of the design process. It is important for the basket designer to decide in advance whether they would like to include handles to their basket. They should consider weaving spokes into the overall design. These spokes will eventually become handles.
They are 100 100% made of wicker. However they can also be constructed using other materials, like frame made of wood or base to which a weave can be added.
Many people find wicker bags attractive. They could have altered the way people storedand carried goods or how cultures evolved because basket weaving was a necessity as well as a profession and art. Today, we live in a time in which we can buy and enjoy wicker baskets, and without the necessity of making them. This dying craft is the specialty of many craftsmen all over the world. Most baskets are made today in third world countries because the cost of labor is low and the supplies are plentiful. The expertise is being lost because the work is exhausting and workers do not make a lot of money for the effort they put into it. They are able to move on to higher paying jobs when they can.
