Willow Projects Gallery
Introductory half-day workshops
Simple projects for a morning, afternoon or evening workshop, suitable for complete beginners.
Bird Feeders
Create a hanging basket for holding fat balls to feed the birds in your garden, or alternatively for storing garlic or shallots in your kitchen!
This is my most popular project for workshops – it introduces some simple willow crafting techniques and uses thin willow rods which don’t need as much finger strength to bend into place.
You’ll learn several willow crafting techniques, including the 3-rod wale weaving pattern, how to create a tie and doing a simple border.
Swallows
Decorative willow swallows – these look great hung on a wall, fence or mounted on a pole in your garden.
You’ll learn how to shape a frame and fill in with a figure-of-eight weaving pattern, common techniques when creating willow sculptures.
Dragonflies
Eyecatching sculptures for your garden, perfect for hanging above a pond or perching on a rock at the water’s edge.
You’ll learn about weaving in a spiral pattern, a really versatile technique that you can use for various sculptural projects.
This project involves bending longer and thicker willow rods – you will need some good finger strength and dexterity.
4ft Obelisks
Great for supporting climbing plants such as sweet peas, or they also look fantastic decorated with fairy lights as alternative Christmas trees!
On my half-day workshops, you’ll create a 4ft obelisk using a 3-rod wale weaving pattern, easy to pick up for beginners.
Tension Trays
These woven trays are based on a Catalan design and can be used as serving platters, trivets for hot pans, or just for decoration!
A really simple but effective design, that you can customise with different banding colours and edging patterns.
Willow Stars and Reindeers
Create your own natural decorations, including star-shaped wreath bases, wall-hangings or smaller stars and reindeers to hang on the tree.
Perfect for a group activity for Christmas!
Full day courses for those wanting to do a bit more…
Longer willow projects, great for immersing yourself in a day of learning new skills.
Obelisks
On my full day courses, you’ll be able to weave your own 5 -6 ft tall obelisk, ideal for those that want to create larger willow features for their garden.
On this course you’ll learn 3 different weaving patterns, designed to give strength and stability for larger outdoor structures.
No previous weaving experience is required, but you will need a good level of concentration to keep track of the different weaving patterns, as well as good hand strength and dexterity.
Oh and plenty of room in the car!
Frame Baskets
One of the easiest ways to make your first willow basket, based on a simple frame pattern.
Smaller frame baskets are ideal for foraging and berry collecting, or you can create larger vegetable trugs using the same methods.
Fruit Bowls & Baskets
An ideal introduction to some of the techniques used in traditional willow basket making.
On my full day courses you’ll create your own round willow bowl or basket from scratch.
You’ll weave a base and set up the willow to create your shape, learn about waling and pairing weaving patterns and how to lay down a simple border.
For baskets you’ll also learn how to add a wrapped handle.
This course can also be adapted as a half-day workshop, using a wooden base as a starting point.
Book a Workshop
If you’d like to have a go at making your own unique willow creations, take a look at my upcoming workshops with places available to book online.
All of the projects here are also suitable for private workshops, great if you’d like to arrange a birthday celebration, a team building activity or a memorable experience with a group of crafty friends. Please drop me a message to find out more!