Basket Weaving Kits & Materials

To start weaving beautiful baskets, you’ll need flexible fibers (like raffia, cotton rope, or cord), scissors, sometimes a needle, sometimes a mold, and a little patience. Our basket weaving kits include everything you need, all in one place, and are ideal for beginners. You never have to worry about your materials! Add your favorite mug of tea or coffee and a playlist, and you’ll have everything you need to create a calm, relaxing making session.

Raffia is often the most popular choice for an easy-to-use material in basket-weaving. Raffia acts as natural grass or vines in basketweaving without having to gather the material yourself. Raffia stores well and is easily accessible across the world. Crafters value its strength, flexibility, and natural beauty. Other popular basket weaving materials, such as reed, bamboo, rattan, and willow, can be more difficult to work with as a beginner and require soaking and preparation before use. Cotton and jute rope have become a modern favorite for their accessibility and ease of use, while providing a gorgeous texture and light-reflective material. We love felted wool as well, which brings a cozy, unexpected texture to baskets.

Basket coiling and basket weaving are easier than they look. Once you get the hang of it, basket weaving becomes a relaxing, meditative hobby. With the right basket making kits, clear instructions, and a little patience, anyone can pick it up and fall in love. The processes of coiling or twining have a natural rhythm that turns into a calming, hands-on way to unwind while creating something useful and beautiful.

Coiling is a super approachable way to start basketmaking. It involves wrapping a long piece of fiber or yarn around a core, such as rope or a bundle of raffia, and stitching it in place. This technique works especially well with soft weaving materials like raffia, rope, and yarn. It’s a great starting point if you’re using easy-to-obtain basket making supplies for your very first project.

There are actually four main types of basket making! All basket making isn’t basket weaving; that is actually the act of bringing material over and under other material. Still, we tend to use the terms interchangeably for ease of use and description. The four main types of basket making are coiling, twining, plaiting, and wicker weaving. Each method can use different weaving materials and produces a different look and structure. As you explore more, you’ll find which techniques suit your style best. Each one of those types breaks down into many more styles under each category. Each kit in the shop will describe what kind of basket making included. We mainly carry twining and coiling basket weaving types.

All of Flax & Twine’s baskets have detailed step-by-step videos, which help so much when you’re a beginner. My favorite beginner baskets are the Calliope, the Jessie, the Josie, the Tyler, and the Jojo. These represent great beginner baskets for each of the three different techniques.

For Sewn Coiled Baskets (Calliope and Autumn), the Calliope is probably most forgiving in terms of finished product. It is straight sewing and coiling without too much of a pattern to follow. The raffia will keep a stiff tension and create a nice form despite being a beginner. Plus, there’s enough material to make two baskets.

For the Wrapped Coiling Baskets (Jojo, Sunburst, Naomi), I recommend the Jojo as the kit comes with materials to make five baskets, so you have time to start to understand how to keep the tension as you make it. The Jojo is smaller and a fairly simple pattern to follow as well.

For Twined Baskets (Britt, Jesse, Josie, Adeline), the Jessie, Josie, or Britt is easiest. The material is easy to work with, and it has great results as there’s a mold to follow.

Another great weaving kit is the Avery. With this one, you learn to weave on a circular loom. And, it’s so much fun!

As with any new craft, give yourself some room to be a beginner and learn. It’s hard to learn something new, but with perseverance and patience with yourself, you will get there! And, as always, we are here to help if you need anything!