Delia Fian on Foraged Basketry
What first sparked your interest in weaving with foraged and invasive plants, and how has that initial curiosity evolved over time?
I started weaving just to make myself a pack basket for foraging wild food and medicine plants, and to help carry things up the mountainside to the tent I was living in at the time. I had no idea how much the craft would grab hold of me and take over my life! My first pack basket was made with invasive kudzu vines I found down the road, using a random weave technique, where the vines are allowed to trail organically in all directions until a basket form takes shape, which I’d learned from folk artist Nancy Basket. I was amazed at how fun the process was and by the beautiful, strong basket that emerged, looking like it had grown itself right out of the landscape.
From there I went on to study Appalachian white oak weaving at John C. Campbell Folk School, where I learned to turn whole tree trunks into fine weaving material, and create baskets that connected me to the mountain traditions of my grandparents. It was during this mentorship program that I realised I had become a basketweaver. The craft had seeped so deeply into me, and I knew I’d spend the rest of my life exploring all of its possibilities.
The real adventure began then, as I started applying the traditional weaving techniques I’d learned to the invasive plants growing nearby. I was on a mission to see how finely I could process these unruly materials, transforming destructive plants into beneficial works of beauty. As I explored more and more plants, applying different weaving techniques as I learned them, I felt like a kid in a candy store, hungry to try everything! Of course, over the years, the more I’ve discovered, the more possibilities I’ve found waiting around the next bend!
Where do you draw your inspiration from when developing new basket designs?
New ideas for baskets usually grow first from a functional need, such as a sun hat, a wallet, or something to carry vegetables in around the market. However, the designs all have a bit of whimsy woven into them, something that stretches what we think these vessels should look like, just a bit, while still being functional. For example, my pack baskets usually have a large pot-belly, and an open section without any weaving. For bark baskets, I like to incorporate ancient textile patterns that draw the eye, and reveal the beautiful contrasting colors and textures of the bark.
Was there a project in the book that proved particularly challenging to develop, either because of the harvesting process or the weaving technique?
The withy tool basket project in the book was the trickiest, as it was a last-minute addition, for all of the readers who live in the land of wild willow (which I don’t). On a trip in the high desert with family, I happened upon a beautiful patch of roadside willow withies, gathered them up, dried them, and added in this project just before sending in my manuscript! It was challenging getting the withies hydrated properly in the desert where they kept trying to dry out, and weaving without all of my typical willow tools on hand! But I also thought it would be helpful to show that you don’t need to invest in a ton of basketry tools to weave. I’m so glad I included the project, as the basket turned out beautifully, and am grateful to my very patient family for letting me disappear for long stretches on our family trip to weave it!
For someone who's never woven before, which project would you recommend they start with, and what do you hope they will learn from it?
The jar cover in the bark section is a great first project; I’d recommend it to anyone! I’ve even taught it to children several times. You can use a mix of materials (leaves, bark, or split vines), and the project covers a wide variety of techniques that can be applied to weave similar baskets of various shapes and sizes. Since you’re weaving around a jar, you can focus on learning the weaves, without worrying about shaping the basket, which can be the hardest thing for beginners. Even for experienced weavers, this project is a great way to test out new materials in a fast project. It’s such a delight to transform an old jar into something you can use every day and take out in the world with you. I use mine as a water bottle and as a travel mug for hot tea on the go.
Are there any future projects in the pipeline that you are able to share?
As far as weaving projects go, I’m very excited to start making wicker furniture using only invasive vines, and hope to open that can of worms in the coming year! As for teaching and writing, I’ll be adding lots more projects to my online course in the coming months, and have begun dreaming up my next book (but don’t tell my partner, haha)!
