Earlier this year I took an afternoon coil basket making course with indigenous textile artist Lea Taylor. Lea is a proud Wadandi/Minang/Koreng English yok of the Bibbulmun nation and an award winning Aboriginal weaver and artist. Gifted, generous with her knowledge and deeply rooted in the cultural practices of her family and country, it felt a great privilege to listen, watch and learn this ancient craft.
This was my first coil basket using a simple twist and stitch method with raffia. Long strands are bunched together and twisted to build the coils, varying the colour and width of the stitches as it feels right.
The very start needs to be tight and secure with the stitches made close together
Once you’ve decided on the diameter of the base, the coils are then positioned slightly on top of the previous, which then starts to build the basket wall.
Tighter, more close together stitch work creates a sturdier, heavier basket.
