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Lisbon – Textile Exhibitions 2014

Lisbon – Textile Exhibitions 2014

 We have just returned from our Worldbasket Textile tour in Lisbon. View of Sao Vicente de Fora      A wonderful relaxed city, with lovely architecture, cobbled streets and hills so nice to walk up, the narrow back lanes to look down at the city or to 

Dhurries

Dhurries

Dhurries, flat woven rugs in cotton, wool and jute, have long been a cottage industry in many Indian small villages and towns of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, with weavers being local men employed to create these hard wearing and attractive rugs,also in Punjab, where the 

Ghanaian baskets

Ghanaian baskets

New pictures from our Basket supplier in Ghana,  Baba tree company

Baba Tree basket makers
The basket makers with their wears.

New in ,our winter collection of Ghanaian baskets, these beautiful and practical baskets are a must.

They are so versatile our customers tell us they use them for everything from,collecting fresh produce from
the garden,(they look lovely full of fresh apples) storage of everything from kindling wood by the fire, children’s toys

cats and small dogs adore sleeping in them and of course their wonderful for shopping at any market.

We’re very proud of our baskets as they are Fair trade, meaning that, due to the weavers being paid a fair wage for their craft, the overall effect over the last ten years
has meant basket weaving has attributed to the upgrading of the Bolgatanga region, where these are made.

A load of baskets going off to market.
A load of baskets going off to market.

These baskets are made with straw in the villages around Bolgatanga in the North East of Ghana, the weavers are both men and women, who work sitting on the floor of their houses or under shady trees.

Gathering the straw.
Gathering the straw.

First they split the straw, which is then twisted ready for weaving,

Abugre Abentarah splitting straw. He will, then roll the two strands together making a pliable rope that is used for weaving.
Abugre Abentarah splitting straw. He will, then roll the two strands together making a pliable rope that is used for weaving.

before being dyed by immersion in small pots of hot water to which the desired colour batik dye is

The dyed straw ready for weaving.
The dyed straw ready for weaving.

added, the baskets are then shaped and woven in the traditional African style.
With the final touch being the strong leather handles being stitched.

handle stitchers
The leather handles being stitched on.

These baskets arrive to our warehouse in large sacks with the baskets flattened to make transport more effective.
So we then sprinkle them with water and quickly reshape them.

Drying in the sun.
Drying in the sun.

When you purchase one of our baskets this is how you will receive them, simply place them under a shower spray to dampen them and gently push them into shape
and allow a couple of hours to dry and voila you are the proud owner of an

attractive durable basket, ready to go!

As each basket is unique we photograph each one so you will buy exactly the one you choose from our webpage.

A wall of baskets
A wall of baskets