Willow Weaving Basketry

Saturday 24 May 2025

About this workshop

During this day-long workshop, Donald will guide you as you make a round bread or fruit basket using a selection of Fife and Somerset willows. Starting with the creation of a traditional round base, we will then attach and weave the sides before completing the basket with a border. You will learn various traditional techniques that you can use and further develop in the future.

This workshop is suitable for beginners who want to try willow basketry for the first time, and also for people who have done basketry before and want to further their practice or experiment.

What to bring

All materials and tools will be provided. Please be aware that working with willow is hard work for the hands and brain, so expect to be a little tired by the end of your busy but enjoyable day. If you’d like to make notes, bring along paper and pencil or a sketchbook.

This is a day-long workshop from 10am-5pm, so please bring a packed lunch. Tea and coffee is available for free throughout the day.

About Your Tutor

Donald Spy is a local Basket maker and willow weaver from Tayport, who started making baskets in 2020 after 28 years in the Fire Service. He grows some willow in Fife, with the rest of his materials coming from Somerset. Willow is a beautiful material; light, flexible and very strong. Perfectly sustainable; it can be grown as a coppice for many years. It sequesters carbon, encourages wildlife and bio-diversity, and is fully compostable.  Using traditional techniques, Donald loves making strong, useful and beautiful baskets with a variety of natural colours and textures.
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