Basket Making—weaving with willow, straw and split wood
Traditional craftsmanship in Styria, inscribed 2013
The millennia-old handicraft of weaving baskets from various natural materials has always been an important component of everyday life. The baskets, woven and sewn from willow, straw, and split wood, were used for carrying and storing various items. In many parts of Austria, basket weaving was an important cottage industry. In the region of southern Styria, a rich range of variations on the art of basket weaving has been preserved.
After the required materials have been collected and dried throughout the year, basket-makers and interested novices meet regularly during the winter months in southern Styria’s Vulkanland. In weaving groups and at handicraft events, not only is the traditional craftmanship taught but the knowledge of the production of the material itself—such as the planting of basket willow, the sowing and harvesting of rye straw, and the processing of willow for weaving and sewing—and of the manufacture of certain tools for processing the willow is passed on.
Willow baskets, which are woven, are the most widespread baskets. As soon as the willow branches have lost their leaves, beginning in mid-November, they can be harvested; then the unpeeled—or sometimes also peeled—branches of the basket willow or purple willow are woven into baskets. Straw baskets are more labour-intensive to make and require more preparation work, as the rye straw must first be grown and then harvested by hand.
Through the numerous activities of the basket weavers, a sense of community has developed in the weaving circles as well as a broad public awareness of the importance of this traditional handicraft. Moreover, the region’s willow population has been increased—and with it the protection of the appearance of the landscape’s historic meadows—and the habitat for insects, birds, and other animals has been protected.
Contact
Downloads
- Application form (in German only) 282 KB (pdf)
- Expertise Berger (in German only) 99 KB (pdf)
- Expertise Orac-Stippberger (in German only) 820 KB (pdf)
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