History

• African baskets were originally made by Zulu men in the 1800s, but as men found other work, women were left to do the basket weaving.The first African baskets exhibited no color except for beer baskets, which had brightly colored lids. In the 1900s the emergence of tin almost caused the practice of basket weaving to vanish. The demand for the baskets from art collectors in other countries, however, kept the craft alive.
  
  

Collection of Materials

• The materials used for making African baskets must be collected and processed with significant skill. Grasses and reeds often grow in hard to reach swampy areas. The ilala palm is prized by the Zulus for basket making. Vera grass is collected in northern Ghana, where the tops of the stalks are split in half vertically by biting through them. The split stalks are then twisted tightly by rolling them against a weaver's leg. Sisal, an extremely strong natural fiber, is used in Swaziland. Different materials provide a variation in texture of the baskets.
  
  

Stitching Techniques

• Each basket requires between 180 and 300 stitches for every inch of basket. The kind of stitches used for African baskets depends on the basket. The common stitch is a figure eight, but different stitches, such as the checkerboard, are also made to create different designs. Each stitch must be placed without gaps and overlap the other.
  
  

Needle Spacing Techniques

• A steady hand and upper body strength is needed to hold the fronds tightly and pull them firmly. Large needles place each stitch together to avoid a "squish," which occurs when the fronds are close. It is also important for the fronds not to be too loose. The needles are pushed with great effort through the tight spaces. This spacing technique often determines the grade of the basket and its price.
  
  

Dyeing Techniques

• The technique for achieving different colors has been developed from experiments with various natural elements, primarily plants, flowers and berries. Palm fronds are boiled in varied solutions for different period of time to achieve just the right color. For example, purple and blue come from boiling fronds with ripe berry skins for four hours. Yellow and mustard color are made by boiling fronds in a wood ash paste. A green tint is achieved by boiling fronds in fresh cow dung overnight, and then boiling the fronds by themselves for several hours.