Harvest Basket in Willow: Introduction to Stake and Strand Weaving

In this class, students learn and practice traditional weaving techniques while creating beautiful and functional harvesting baskets. We will use an innately colorful selection of willows cultivated at Sanborn Mills and Willow Vale and learn about the cultivation and processing of this historically important natural material. Our baskets will be built from a round base with weaves mostly in the European tradition, including pairing, waling, randing and woven borders. Every student’s basket will be different! This class is suitable for beginners wanting to learn a base of weaving knowledge or intermediate weavers looking to improve skills and control.  Willow is a stronger more tension-y material than many other basketry materials, strong hands are recommended for this course. Care and use of finished pieces will be discussed in class.

Skills and Techniques:

• An introduction to several weaving techniques/patterns:
  • Pairing/reverse pairing
  • Three-rod wale and four-rod wale
  • A variety of “side weaves” including French randing, English randing, slewing, packing, and zig-zag weave
  • Woven rod borders
• Learning the “feel” of weaving with willow, a unique material in the US
• Learning the use of willow weaving specific tools:
  • Bodkin
  • Rapping Iron
  • Fid
  • Shaping ties and hoops
  • Clippers in a willow context
• Identifying willow in weaving and learning the growth/processing of willow for weaving
• Creating functional and beautiful 3D shapes

Materials Fee: $50 Paid directly to the instructor.

Special Tools or Equipment: Instructor will bring all tools required. Students may bring these tools if they already have: bodkin, high-quality sharp pruners (Felco or similar), rapping iron, fid, conditioning tool (I call it the “Very Important Tool”, a perfect cylinder with no seams, appx 3” in diameter, usually a reusable water bottle/thermos or spray can), 2-4lb weights

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