Small Willow Basket Weaving

Learn the way of the willow! Humans have been weaving all over the world, with a variety of materials, shapes, and applications for thousands of years. In this class you will use willow that the instructor has harvested, dried, then rehydrated to weave a small basket starting with the base, all the way to finishing the border. This style of willow basket weaving comes from Europe and is commonly known as ‘stake and strand.’ Some of the specific weaves covered are - twining, waling, and randing. While weaving, we will discuss harvesting and cultivation methods, materials preparation, and ongoing care for your basket.

This is a great beginner class to get familiar with different weaves and learn about the materials, while walking away with a useful item and gaining skills that might go towards weaving larger and more complex baskets. The size and shape of your finished basket will vary, as people pick up and understand the weaving at various paces.