Willow Weaving Workshop – Hanwell Wine Estate
Hanwell Wine Estate, Nottinghamshire UK

Willow Weaving Workshop

Join us for this introduction to the ancient craft of willow weaving!

Get hands-on during this one day workshop and make a stunning piece of willow garden art. Recent workshops have included making a willow ducks and a willow obelisks.

In a small group, you will learn how to handle the willow and how to bend and shape it into a beautiful piece of garden decor.

All the materials are provided and the workshop includes refreshments and a 2 course homemade lunch, served with local wine.

This workshop is suitable for both complete novices and people with experience of using willow. Jean, your tutor, will share with you her years of experience and knowledge of tools and materials, allowing you to take away a willow sculpture to be proud of!

Outline of the Willow Weaving workshop

9.30am | Light refreshments & settle in.

10am | Welcome.

10.15am | An introduction to the history of willow, then get hands on with your willow weaving project!

11.15am | Refreshment break

12.30pm | Two-course home-made lunch with glass of local wine.

1pm | Continue with your project.

2.30pm | Refreshment break

4pm | Home time!

Willow weaving

About Jean your tutor

A farmer’s daughter with a true passion for the countryside and keeping rural crafts alive, I have been teaching creative basketry for almost twenty years.  I have a deep-seated love of the land and can often be found foraging around local hedgerows for natural materials to use in my work.  I gather earthy, sustainable materials such as willow, dogwood, bark, foliage and fleece which I use to create beautiful, functional baskets and structures with irresistible smells and tactile appeal.  I also grow and harvest willow, reeds, herbs and wild plants in my own little plot of earth – The Brikkle Wood, Hallaton.

Since completing a City and Guilds in Creative Basketry at the City Lit, London in 2003 I have continued to improve my techniques by attending courses with world-renowned basket makers for example, Joe Hogan, Sheila Wynter, Francois Desplanches, Mary Butcher and Owen Jones.

My classes are lively, fun and a lovely way to learn new craft, they attract a broad mix of students from children to adults and people with disabilities, including learning disabilities.

To ensure the quality of your personal experience, the group size will be limited to 8 people.  If you need somewhere to stay whilst you attend the workshop, please click here for details of nearby overnight accommodation and suggestions of places to eat. For more information about this event or other Rural Antics workshops, contact Hanwell Wine Estate,  events@ruralantics.co.uk or 01949 81393. For frequently asked questions about our workshops visit our FAQ page – click here