Willow bike baskets, shoppers and log baskets, small garden sculptures. Twining. Re-found materials.
I am a basket-maker using willow as my preferred material, as I love the feel, smell and huge variety available – one willow basket also replaces a large number of plastic bags – with a durable and beautiful, yet useful item.
I have been working with willow for thirteen years having started in a very small way making willow star wands at events for a local charity I worked with. My interests and abilities have built up over the years, through a range of courses with several teachers. I now teach beginners basketry courses at various locations including Sawston Village College as part of their adult education programme.
In July 2017 I completed the two year City Lit Basketry Course in London, which culminated in a self-led student exhibition at Craft Central in Clerkenwell. The City Lit Basketry course really broadened my horizons of the range of materials that can be used for basketmaking. I have found an additional passion for finely worked twined baskets made out of re-found yarns and threads passed down to me from my Granny’s “stash”. In 2017 I won the Worshipful Company of Basketmakers Basketry of the Year competition with a “twined handbag”.
From 2017 I have been re-seating chairs using 6 way cane weave and paper rush. In 2019 I have learnt the time-consuming but elegant technique of willow close skein seating.