The Showcase

The culmination of our course was a beautiful sunny Shropshire day, with tents in an orchid filled garden and all of our best work on display.

We had to include the final pieces made for the different units, as well as examples of other work we had completed.

We were displaying our items alongside the other Level 2 course, as well as those on the Level 3.

It was a truly gorgeous day, talking with other willow enthusiasts, enjoying the beautiful surroundings and knowing that although our course was finished the friendships made would last.

Back to School…

In 2019 I enquired about the Level 2 and 3 City and Guilds course in Basketry held at Westhope College in Shropshire. It was however full at the time, and so I waited for the next year for a space.

Then of course Covid hit and so I waited again for the beginning.

Finally in October 2021 we began. 7 of us turned up at the college, slightly tired after the early start to get there and nervous about what was to be. Some of us had willow experience, some complete beginners.

Like all good courses this range did not matter, our tutor Gill gave expert tuition and catered for all our needs.

The course is progressive, so we started with the basics and getting to grips with bases.

Next we covered the sides and different weaves that could be done.

Border variations came next, followed by handles.

After this we ventured into more advanced techniques and other materials, such as cane and rush, oval work.

January 2021

My original Christmas plans were scuppered by Covid. New Year has become slightly less raucous since becoming a mum, and obviously Covid had a play in them too! So in went the willow to soak and I made a pledge to see if I could do something “willowy” for the next month.

This is how it went:

January 1st

Steamed and white willow basket with finger holes. Lessons learned included cold weather makes willow take longer to soak, and thus the border is a tad less than satisfactory.

January 2nd

Steamed and white willow oval plant pot cover.

January 3rd

Cut down and sorted the hazel handles.

January 4th

Made the base of a basket in buff willow.

January 5th

Sides of the base made on the 4th. In buff, white and steamed.

January 6th

White and buff plant pot cover.

January 7th

Asymmetric basket in buff, white and a beautiful red dogwood. The dogwood from this basket is taken from cuttings from a local park! I’ve planted a few stems to have my own dogwood in this colour!

Steamed, white and wild willow plant pot cover.

Pegged and wrapped the handle of the buff, white and steamed basket from the 4th and 5th.

January 8th

Freeform flat tray in steamed.

Rubbed down the handles lightly.

Base and staking up for the toilet roll holder.

January 9th

Finish the toilet roll holder. (I am so incredible proud of this basket, my first one from conception idea all the way through to completion!)

January 10th

White basket with plaited border.

January 11th

Collected more twisted handles.

Nest basket.

January 12th

Small asymmetric basket in steamed and buff.

January 13th

Prepped sticks for a large dog toy basket.

January 14th

Base of the dog toy basket.

Base and staking up of a fruit basket in buff and steamed.

January 15th

Finished off the fruit basket.

January 16th

Steamed free form bottomless basket with a white plait highlight.

White decorative tray.

January 17th

Heaven forbid I did nothing.

January 18th

Sorted through the massive delivery of willow! So many beautiful colours!

January 19th

Burkino faso trial in brown willow.

Base of a sculpture.

January 20th

Brown willoe round base.

January 21st

Brown and white willow zigzag asymmetric basket.

January 22nd

Buff willow wall basket.

Sides of the dog toy basket.

January 23rd

Tiny egg basket.

Flat decorative tray in buff.

January 24th

Blooming nothing! Tut tut!

January 25th

White willow swirl basket.

January 26th

White willow wall basket

January 27th

Website work!

January 28th

Sorted and soaked base sticks.

January 29th

Buff and steamed base and upsett,

Buff and steamed base.

January 30th

Buff and steamed small pot cover. (Some terrible mistakes in the weave of this one, so don’t look closely)

Big oval base for a toy crib.

January 31st/February 1st

Finished off the toy crib. (Daughter saw it and immediately asked for a bigger one)

December 2020

It all begins with an idea. 2020 turned out to be quite a bad year. (I know you are rolling your eyes at me for stating the obvious!) But it was for me, a very bad year. It marks the year that I became an orphan.

At 30+ it is not the same obvious tragedy that comes with the statement of being an orphan. But It still feels pretty terrible, even with age and a family of my own by my side. However it is the year that I also discovered exactly how much I needed willow.

Willow has distracted me, numbed me, kept me together and given me time.

One of my willow related highlights was a course I attended to learn some new techniques and hone my basketry skills. I created four of the most beautiful baskets that I have ever woven. The willow was perfect, locally grown, beautiful to bend, just bliss. Exactly what the Dr ordered to round out a very terrible year.