Wow I really have been AWOL haven't I?!

The builders started on our loft in August and because of one problem or another they didn't leave until October. Then started the whole redecoration nonsense and because of all the new fire doors barely a room was spared. I finally finished painting on 17th December after weeks & weeks of emulsion. And I'm still not finished but that's a story for another day.

So on the 20th Oct I did a fantastic Willow Weaving Course at Thatcham Nature Reserve. It was run by Christine Brewster who has a studio in Englefield and runs lots of courses. Have a look at her website

www.stripeybasket.co.uk

or book a course at Thatcham this Spring

http://www.westberks.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=3791

First we started with the Willow

It had been soaked for a week in cold water to make it pliable.

First we twisted it round to make a circle

Then we put four twigs from top to bottom to give us a frame to weave into

Then we started to weave the sticks across

we had to keep pushing the willow down at the ends to keep them from bending up.

We kept working until the whole circle was full

Then we trimmed the edges to make a trivet or plant pot stand

After success with the trivet we were able to start the basket. For this we needed a board with holes in a circle to push the tall fat willow through. This was called Stakes & Strands. The stakes are fat willow roughly the same size then thinner willow to weave.We tied the willow at the top and at the bottom then pushed the card down nearer the bottom.

We placed the willow cage on our laps and started to weave. We were using two willows for this pattern, one starting on the stake behind the other. The pattern started in front of the stake so front, back, front and so on. The second willow did the same so they covered both sides of the stake.

We were pushing the willow down as we worked. It became really soothing and rhythmic and the whole room went very quiet but a contented quiet. You had to concentrate enough to block all other thoughts out and just concentrate but it was really meditative.

When we got to a height we were happy ..

..with we changed to another pattern called English Radding

This pattern required you to start the willows from the next Stake along so that you were building up the sides in a swirl.
So if I started on stake 1 I weaved as far as I could go then started the next willow on stake 2. When I got to the desired height of my basket I untied the top then cut the stakes to size

I then trimmed the willow that was left sticking out.
We turned the basket over to the base and removed the cardboard

To make the base we bent the willow across the top of 5 stakes and then under the 6th all the way around, trimming off the ends.

Ta Dah!!

I am really pleased with my basket. It now sits in my bathroom and holds toilet rolls!

There was still a few hours left so we were able to try 'free form' weaving. Christine has made many different free form designs including a full size bear. Look at her website to see her gallery. Stunning!

In all free form you start with a sphere

 Once the sphere was made you just wrapped the willow around and in and under until the shape started to form.

I used techniques I had learnt during the day and made.....

A ROBIN!!

How cool is that?!

I am really rather pleased with it, can you tell?

So these are all the things I learnt to make on a one day course

I will definitely do this again. I really enjoyed the steady rhythm of the weaving. Christine runs courses in all sorts of interesting weaving so do look at her website. She is a very gentle & patient teacher.