Basketmaking with Braiding-Sweetgrass-slant

Learn a timeless craft and make your own English-base round basket with a handle. A course for anyone who likes to use their hands, enjoys the smell and creaking of willow as they work on their woven basket and wants the satisfaction of creating something unique with lots of practical uses.

This two day course will equip you with the skills to make a truly original basket and provide you with the steps to work on further baskets at home. No previous experience required

Different from "normal" basket making courses we will also dive into the world-view presented in the silent bestseller "Braiding Sweetgrass" by Robin Wall-Kimmerer. The first-people approach to engaging with the natural world, in our case specifically plant-beings, has much to inspire us; even if the materials and styles of basket-making will be the traditional ones of our European lands. We will do this through some nature-connection practices, quotes and discussion. The principles of the "Honourable Harvest" will be introduced.

Times both days:
6.5 hrs teaching time, plus a half hour lunch break, 10am – 5pm

Cost

- The fee includes bespoke tuition and all tools and materials. There will be a STRAIGHT stick handle for those doing step-rimmed baskets. Curved branches have to be brought by participants. Bring your own snacks, drinks and lunch.

If you have any special access or disability requirements, please contact us by email:[email protected]. The venues have stairs and are not wheelchair-accessible.

Cost for 2-day course: Sliding scale, please self-asess your income situation honestly

- good income - £ 140

- low income - £ 110

- no income - £ 80

To secure booking, email [email protected] for BACS to pay deposit fee.

Course Description:

Learn a traditional rural craft and make your own timeless round basket with a handle. A course for anyone who likes to use their hands, enjoys the smell and creaking of willow as they work on their woven basket and wants the satisfaction of creating something unique with lots of practical uses.

This two day course will equip you with the skills to make a truly original basket and provide you with the confidence and ability to work on further baskets at home. No previous experience required.

Alongside advice on how to order and soak willow and what tools to use, you will be given advice on foraging for materials in the garden or hedgerow, and how to incorporate these into your designs. Based on a traditional English round base basket, you can choose from a variety of handle options: traditional handles, inbuilt handles or using a step-rimmed, less conventional lashed-stick handle with contemporary design elements. Which ever you choose, your basket will stand out!

Students need full use of both arms and hands; people with severely strained wrists or hands might struggle with the effort it takes to weave bigger withies. Please let us know before if you need the project adapting in size.

As this is a beginners to intermediate course, baskets will stay within a size of max. 250mm diameter base and ca. max 240mm height, we are thinking medium shopping basket as maximum size. Log baskets, oval or square baskets will be for a different course.

What to bring

Please bring a pen and notebook, glasses if you need them and a camera to document the stages of construction if you wish. Also clothes that aren’t precious or an apron.

What will the course or workshop cover and how will it be taught?

The course will be taught in a mixture of demonstration and application in the group, as well as question-and-answer discussion. Whilst we will follow the steps of the project together, there will be plenty of space for individual design wishes and own pace, with the tutor going around to lend individual support and feedback.

Key techniques learned on the course will be:

general willow weaving techniques, English round base, staking up and upsett, joining, pairing weave and french randing, traditional border OR stepped finish with lashing of the pre-dried wooden handle. Also: all about the (few) necessary tools, hedgerow weaving, green vs. soaked material, sourcing material, storing and the soaking process.

Your tutor will discuss the course content with the class and may make some adjustments to the syllabus based on the needs of the group. She aims to accommodate individual requirements where it is practical to do so.

About the tutor

Hannah Ehlert has successfully run creative green-woodworking courses for the last 17 years. These included hazel wattle hurdles, Swedish spoon- and wood carving, baskets, wood projects for children.

During her three year- coppice worker apprenticeship she has trained with a variety of craftspeople. She has worked in schools as well as with adults. She also runs family and adult Deep Nature Connection courses and works as a qualified Forest School practitioner, co-creating a setting that works neurodivergent- and trauma-informed.

Her classes bring people effortlessly closer and combine fun together with quiet, relaxing time being deeply absorbed in your own project and connecting with nature´s wonders hands-on. People who wish to contact Hannah with questions can do so through [email protected]

Host or Publisher HannahsTreeTimes