Once again, Home From India is proud to feature a new handicraft based on some of the products we carry in our store! Indian basket weaving is an intricate and delicate art form that has resulted in many beautiful creations coming out of the region for hundreds of years.
Baskets do equal duty when it comes to being functional and being decorative. Baskets can be used for a variety of purposes in your home, such as a holder for your keys and other essentials, a fruit basket, or just a fun item to brighten up a countertop or bookshelf. A uniquely woven basket is just the versatile item you need to spice up your home!
What makes basket weaving so special is that it has evolved in cultures around the world, as we all collectively found the need to carry things, store items, and decorate our homes. Each culture brought with it their own way of creating baskets with the materials they had around them; some cultures used cedar and the bark of trees, while others found that reeds and rushes were in abundance.
Two styles of basket weaving include the unique techniques that come from the Tamil Nadu and Bhadohi regions in India.The baskets that come out of the Bhadohi region of India are individually handcrafted using Sarpat grass, which grows near water after the Indian monsoon season. This grass is used by weavers to create biodegradable, natural, organic, and light baskets, which can be used for a variety of purposes. These baskets are great for storage and serve as a colorful addition to your home décor.
Artisans in Tamil Nadu, in Southern India, used palm fronds to weave intricate baskets. Their methods were widely used to create watertight and sturdy baskets, bowls, and other holding devices. As the green palm leaves dried out, they shrank, which gave the basket a tight weave and a strong frame. The palm leaves could also be dyed to create bright patterns and designs on the outside and inside of the basket.
The palm leaves are first laid out in such a way so as to make weaving the fronds together easier. The stalks of the palm fronds will be bent in such a way that they are the sides or top border of the basket. The palm leaves are woven together in a grid pattern, although this can vary depending on the vision of the weaver.
Home From India is proud to support the work of basket weavers in Tamil Nadu and Bhadohi, India. We stock decorative baskets in our shop from both of these regions. All our baskets are individually handcrafted, which means your basket will always be one of a kind. Shop the collection here!