Basket evolution

If you follow my blog you know the basket making is my bogey. I tried many way to imitate woven basket, but none of them could show the delicate details of a real basket. These pictures present the evolution of my basket making. The first is a very primitive version. There is no real base or rim, only toothpicks thrusted into a wood base, and raffia woven around them. It's not my favourite piece. I realized I had to learn the real basket weaving techniques. So I submerged into the net looking for basket tutorials. Two post ago I showed you the basket for the apricots, which I made using wire and thread. The weaving is fine, but the thread is heary. I would use simple wire for rows, but the wire is too smooth and shiny. For the stakes of the third one I coated wire with raffia, and the rows are raffia, and I really make a basket. For the forth one I used the raffia coated wire for the rows, too. This is the best, or no? What do you know? Thread or wire? The best solution would be a thin paper coated wire or any coated wire, but of course there is any such material in Hungary. I make a mountain out of a molehill,  
don't I? Maybe I ought to use simple wire, and painted it after weaving.