Baskets are among the earliest crafts ever created by man. Nobody really knows when people started making baskets, but scientists have found some that date back to at least 10000 to 12000 years ago. As time passed, the basketry eventually evolved to an art form worthy of learning and mastering.
Generally speaking, basketry is divided into four classifications centering around four different kinds of weaves, namely: coiled basketry, plaited basketry, twined basketry, and weaved basketry. In the course of creating baskets, one may use traditional materials like wood or fiber, modern materials, or a combination of both.
A basket has three primary parts: the base, the side walls, and the rim. These parts are the static components of a basket. They are already placed to form the skeleton of the basket right before the materials are weaved to make the body. Depending on the type of basketry you wish to pursue, your taste, and the available materials, you can try out a number of ways by which you can weave your design. I've found this website giving you excellent and comprehensive information on how you can materialize your basket designs to life.
More than the utility of the craft (hey, we can always buy one of these in the markets) that is important in this craft, it is the joy of making your own creations and sharing a time-honored tradition with the rest of your buddies. As you go along and enrich your basket-weaving skills, you might find yourself challenged to create lovelier and more challenging designs. It is at this point that I already advise you to invest in a couple of books and classes that will help you achieve your goals. Just don't forget to come back here and inform us if you have made significant improvements.
