Unit 222 Research

Mind map of avenues to explore to decide on what traditional basket to make

What to research and why?

Exploring ideas

The first task for this unit was to explore techniques and decide what basket to make and why.

The unit asks us to research a range of basketry techniques used by historical, cultural and contemporary designers who specialise in making baskets with handles using traditional techniques.

So many rabbit holes to go down! I decided I wanted to have some sort of connection to whatever basket I ended up making, so I did the mind map to right to help decide what to search for.

I was born in Shropshire and spent my teenage years in the Highlands of Scotland, followed by university in Glasgow, then a stint in London and back to Shropshire - so they were geographical themes to explore.

My interests, outside of weaving, which has now taken over with the City & Guilds course, are parenting, auntying, dog walking, vegetable gardening, foraging and mushroom picking - all practical themes to explore.

Mind map showing research options for traditional baskets

Where to research mind map

How to research traditional baskets?

Searching Google for terms like 'Traditional baskets' quickly highlighted the need for some more focused research strategies.

Whilst some useful results came back for John Cowan, Bob Johnson, Basketry and Beyond, Woven Communities, Worshipful Company of basket Makers and Heritage Crafts, there was too much to look and try to focus on usefully.

I decided to make a research mind map to be able to focus my research and make the most of my time, as well as plan in a couple of trips to far distant lands, like Wales.

Acton Scott Heritage Farm - credit ASHF Facebook

Volunteers living the Victorian life at Acton Scott Heritage Farm

Acton Scott Heritage Farm visit

Acton Scott Heritage Farm is a Victorian Farm museum owned by the Acton Family for the past 900 years and managed my a charity now. It has lots of interesting Victorian heritage items, so I contact the charity to ask if I could have a look at their baskets...read about the visit.

Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery - photo credit Visit Shropshire

Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery

Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery is my local county town cultural offering. It's a great afternoon out with a toddler, has had an upgrade since I last visited and is really interactive now. I even found a few traditional and historical baskets...read about the visit.

Rescuing, Reviving, Retaining Exhibition Cardiff

Rescuing, Reviving, Retaining Exhibition

What a great exhibition staged by the Basket Makers Association and the Worshipful Company of Basket Makers. Lots of ideas, will my inspirational basket be found in Cardiff? Click here to find out...

Laundry basket on the MERL online catalogue

Museum of English Rural Life (MERL Online)

What an amazing resource, you can browse a museum from your sofa. At this point in the research I was convinced I would be doing a laundry basket so at least my end product would be useful, even if I wasn't emotionally connected to it. Did I find my perfect basket here? Read on...