Basket Weaving Techniques & Instructions

Harvesting Grapevine for Weaving

5/25/2016

What is Grapevine?

Wild grapevine really is a plant that vines. Though it has no major trunk, it can have many stems and grow to impressive heights. Unfortunately, it can grow so quickly that it can completely take over bushes and trees in a forest or along a roadside. As you can see, the vine itself has a thick, woody bark which makes for some great texture for weaving!

Features of Grapevine:

Due to the thick and woody bark, larger parts of grapevine have lots of texture. The wild grapevine itself grows up along existing vegetation by sending out narrow vines which coil around plants' branches and foliage to help support the vine. These tendrils appear in curls shooting out from the main parts of the grapevine. I love how these fit into the baskets because they extend out beyond the vine and are great interest points.

Where to Find Grapevine:

Grapevine runs rampant in deciduous forest throughout the South. You will find grapevine in most forests you visit if you're in the Southeast, as will you find it growing along roadsides or along fences. You will not have a difficult time finding grapevine near you, so likely it will be a great, free resource to harvest and weave!

Grapevines like the one Matt Tommey of Asheville, North Carolina's River Arts District will use to weave grapevine baskets.

Weaving with Grapevine:

Over the years, I have utilized a random weave technique. It is a great way to get cool shapes using a variety of materials, including grapevine. The random weave has no discernible pattern making the pieces truly one of a kind. The tendrils in grapevine also add cool details to the baskets as they protrude from the baskets themselves. Grapevine baskets are also well complemented by copper wire and branches mixed in along with the weaving. Check out more about my grapevine baskets here.

For more information on Natural Basketry, visit http://www.matttommey.com/basket-weaving-classes.html and download my free PDF called "7 Tips for Making Baskets with Natural Materials".

Inside I'll tell you what materials are good for making baskets, when to harvest, how to store and protect them, and even common tools used in the harvesting process.

6 Comments

Author

Matt Tommey is a leader in the contemporary basketry movement and has been a maker for over 25 years. The focus of his work centers around the use of southern invasive plant species in basketry. He has served on the board of directors for the National Basketry Organization and taught at Arrowmont, the John C. Campbell Folk School and other locations both in the US and internationally.

julie

9/14/2017 09:12:14 pm

I have a very odd and possibly stupid question. I have no grape vines and really don't know anyone who does. What I do have, though, is all the vines from my pole bean plants. I would like to use the vines for something since neither plant produced any beans. This was my fault. Apparently I over watered them. I was thinking maybe the vines were similar enough that it would work. Also, is there any type of prep that needs to be done to the vines before they can be woven or whatever they end up being used for. Thank you for your time.

Sydney link

4/18/2020 03:30:25 pm

Hello,

I'm not associated with this website in any way, but I do have a degree in horticulture and I write for horticulture websites. So, I think I can help.

Grapevines are a woody perennial, meaning they come back year after year. This process requires them to have a growth habit that stores up energy for surviving the winter and putting out new growth in the spring. This is what creates the fibrous nature of branches and perennial vines, and contributes to the woody texture.

Pole beans are annuals, and they do not have to store food for the winter. Instead, they put all of their energy into fruit (bean) production, so that the beans themselves survive the winter instead of the plant. The plant will die back, and the following spring, new plants will form from the beans. This means that bean plants do not need tough growth structures that survive year after year, and these vines will deteriorate rather quickly. You could make a berry-picking basket that may last a day or two, but they will not hold up like grape vine or willow baskets.

Hope this helps!

Greg Hanks

11/11/2019 12:54:31 am

I know this is an old post but figured I'd reply anyway.
I have hundreds of feet of wild grapevine. Some are single strands. & some have multiple shoots, but almost all of them are 1 long continues vine. Some are 20'30' long.
I am looking for basket weavers that might be interested in purchasing them.

Jenn Nodine link

7/20/2020 07:26:00 pm

Mr. Hanks,
Since no one has replied to your question yet, I’ll throw in my two cents. I’m not a basket weaver, but I do craft with wild grapevine on a daily basis and I have to tell you that pulling it down out of the forest trees is my favorite part. If I had to buy the vines I use in my work instead of harvesting my own from the woods, I would lose interest in my work completely. Also, I believe most professional basket weavers prefer to work with flat splints. Unless you processed the vines in some way, like by splitting and drying them in a controlled environment, I’d say you have a nice pile of kindling for the next few bonfires at your house. Sorry to be a buzzkill.

Eileen Mars

6/15/2021 11:32:01 am

Do you still have vines available for sale?

David Ferguson

2/24/2021 02:48:02 pm

Stumbled on this website. Lovely creations.