Gather plenty of woody vines. In North America, these include wisteria, Virginia creeper, honeysuckle, coralberry, bittersweet and grapevine. Kudzu, often considered an invasive vine, makes an excellent basket weaving material as well.
Clean the vines by clipping away unwanted small branches or leaves. Tiny, twig-like branches can be left on to add interest and a more rustic look, but these vines are more difficult to work with than those that have had the spare twigs stripped away. Leave the outer skin or bark on the vine, or remove the bark and sand the vine smooth for a more finished look.
Cut the vines into appropriate lengths. Larger baskets require longer pieces of vine. For any one basket, cut a few of the strips significantly longer than the others. Soak the pieces of vine in tubs or shallow pans of warm water until soft enough to bend easily, without snapping.
Select one long vine and use it to create two hoops. Form the hoops so that one rests inside the other, at right angles (one horizontal, one vertical). The top half of the vertical hoop will become the basket's handle, and the horizontal one will become the basket's rim.
Wind several other long vines around the original loops. Twist the new vines around the hoops loosely in the same direction, to provide reinforcement.
Form the basket frame by looping a vine around one side of the rim, down and around the lowest part of the vertical hoop, then up and around the opposite rim. Continue moving back and forth, adding more vines as needed. Secure the vines to the original hoops by looping them all the way around before moving on. Mancy Mantha, writing for "Mother Earth News," recommends visualizing a watermelon resting in the basket, to help you shape the basket properly as you add vines to the basket's frame.
Weave vines in and out through the completed frame. Make your basket as tightly or as loosely woven as you wish. Shape the basket as you weave, and don't be afraid to get creative with your shape. Remember, part of the beauty of a handcrafted object is in its irregularities and imperfections. Leave the basket plain, or embellish by attaching found objects from nature or other items, such as handcrafted beads.