Woven Wall Baskets from Seagrass and Raffia

5 min read

Woven wall baskets bring texture and warmth to a bare wall. Seagrass and raffia are two of the most forgiving natural fibers for basket making, and they look beautiful together. Seagrass gives a basket body and structure, while raffia adds color and fine detail. A small group of three baskets in different sizes turns an empty wall into a focal point.

You do not need a loom or special equipment to weave a wall basket. The coil method builds the basket one round at a time, so you control the shape as you go. Each basket takes about two hours once you learn the rhythm. The materials cost little, and the finished baskets weigh almost nothing, so they hang with a single small nail.

Materials for Seagrass and Raffia Baskets

Buy seagrass cord or seagrass rope in a 6 mm thickness for the coil core. You need about 10 meters of seagrass for a 25 cm basket. Raffia comes in natural and dyed colors; choose two or three colors that suit your room. You also need a large blunt tapestry needle, sharp scissors, and a small bowl of water to keep the fibers flexible while you work.

Soak the seagrass in warm water for 20 minutes before you start. Wet seagrass bends without cracking and grips the wrapping better. Keep a damp towel over the unused seagrass so it stays pliable. Raffia needs no soaking, but a light mist of water stops it from splitting when you wrap it tightly around the core.

Starting the Coil Base

Cut a 60 cm length of seagrass and fold the end back on itself to make a small loop. Wrap raffia tightly around the folded end for about 3 cm to form the center of the base. Thread the raffia through your tapestry needle and stitch through the wrapped bundle to lock it in place. Then bend the bundle into a tight spiral and stitch the first round to the center with a figure eight stitch.

Keep wrapping the seagrass core with raffia as you coil outward. Each stitch should pass through the previous round so the coil stays tight. Pull the raffia snug but not so tight that it puckers the coil. After four or five rounds, the base should lie flat. Check often by setting the base on a table: if it rocks, ease the tension on the next round.

Shaping the Basket Sides

To shape a shallow wall basket, start stacking the coil on top of the previous round instead of laying it flat. Place each new round slightly inside the last one to make a gentle bowl shape. A wall basket only needs 4 to 6 cm of depth, so the sides rise quickly. Keep the stitch spacing even, about 5 mm apart, so the surface looks tidy.

Change raffia color by knotting the new color to the old one on the back of the coil, then wrapping over the knot for a few stitches to hide it. A band of contrasting color near the rim looks striking. When the basket reaches the size you want, taper the seagrass core by cutting away half its thickness for the last round, then wrap it fully and stitch it down to finish the rim.

Hanging and Styling Your Baskets

Sew a small loop of raffia to the back of each basket for hanging. Use one nail per basket, driven into a wall stud or a wall anchor. Hang the largest basket first, then place the smaller ones around it in a loose triangle. Leave 5 to 8 cm of space between baskets so each one reads as its own shape.

Dust woven baskets with a soft brush every few weeks. Keep them out of direct rain and away from steamy bathrooms, because damp fibers can mold. If a basket loses its shape, mist it lightly with water, press it back into form, and let it dry. A group of seagrass and raffia baskets stays attractive for years with this simple care.

Basket Sizes and Grouping Ideas

A wall basket group looks best with three baskets in graduated sizes: one about 30 cm across, one about 22 cm, and one about 15 cm. The large basket anchors the group, while the smaller ones add rhythm. Hang the large basket slightly higher than the others so the group reads as a loose triangle rather than a straight row.

Mix colors across the group for visual interest. If your largest basket is natural seagrass, make the medium one with a band of terracotta raffia and the small one with a band of sage green. Repeating one accent color across all three baskets ties the group together. Keep the spacing between baskets even so each shape stays distinct.

To keep a basket group looking tidy, dust the baskets with a soft brush once a month. If a raffia wrap loosens, dab a drop of craft glue under the loose wrap and press it down. Small repairs keep the baskets looking new for years.

If a basket starts to lose its shape, mist it lightly with water and press it back into form. Drying it upside down on a flat surface helps the base stay even. A basket that dries in shape keeps its shape.

If this was useful, keep going: Basket Weaving Crafts: Creative Hobbies Using Dried Flowers is the natural next read, and the other guides below go further still.

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