Willow Handbag Weaving Weekend
With Tess Wakeling
Saturday 15th & Sunday 16th March
Spend a weekend learning how to make willow handbags based on the Catalan style of basketry. Using a pre-dried oval hoop to weave the base onto, you will learn two or three different weave patterns for the sides of the basket, creating different textures and patterns. After weaving a rod border, you will finish by fitting a leather strap with metal rivets.
Ideal for those with some previous basketry experience.
Price includes lunch in our cafe and tea/coffee and cake.
There will be a £20 charge on the day to cover materials.
Please this is a two day course only. Both days need to be selected.
Tess teaches basket making at Ruskin Mill College in Gloucestershire, a centre for therapeutic craft which connects young people to the land and builds confidence and practical skills through making. She loves to pass on these skills to others and share in a craft that is satisfying and can be addictive to learn. Working mostly with willow, Tess also sells her own designs after completing a City and Guilds Basketry qualification. Her willow lampshades are made to order and have been featured in Country Living’s ‘Modern Rustic’. She loves bringing natural materials into the home, whether it’s a functional basket or sculptural art work. In an age where we are all increasingly aware of what we buy and where things come from, learning to make things from willow feels like a worthwhile step towards a more sustainable environment.