Willow weaving workshops spring 2023 at withysmythe meadow

We will be running the following half day and full day workshops this year from our workshop in stour row Dorset.

for the full day workshop please bring a packed lunch.

All workshops include materials,use of tools and refreshments etc

VENUE

withysmythe meadow

stour lane

stour row

DORSET

SP70QJ

1

sunday April 2nd 2023 Plant supports 10 AM -1PM , 8 places available

Cost £50 per person which includes ,tuition ,use of tools ,and materials and refreshments

.SUITABLE FOR BEGINNERS

On this course we will be constructing a willow plant support for your garden, approxametley 6 ft high, using our homegrown willow grown at withysmythe meadow

2

sunday 16th april 2023. 8 places available

Plant supports ,willow bird table and bird feeder. 10AM -4PM

cost £85 per person which includes tuition,use of tools,materials and refreshments

SUITABLE FOR BEGINNERS

On this course,we will be constructing a willow plant support for your garden ,made from our lovely homegrown willow grown in our willow beds at stour row.we will also be making a willow bird table and if we have time,a bird feeder

3

sunday 7th may 2023 8 places available

Berry picking basket on a premade wooden base 10AM -5PM

Cost £90 per person which includes tuition,use of tools,materials and refreshments.

On this course you will learn how to weave a round basket on a pre made wooden base,so you get to practice all the different weaves,and to finish it off with a willow woven handle.You will take home a tall elegant berry picking basket using a selection of white, buff and homegrown willows from our withybeds.

4

saturday 17th may 2023 10 am till 4 to 5 pm

Willow platter workshop

In this workshop we will be making a willow platter measuring 48 cm wide x 5 cm high.we will be using homegrown willow and buff or white willow for the base sticks and uprights.you will learn to make a willow base using buff willow sticks and by doing a pairing weave throughout the base.you will be staking up the base using buff or white,anduse the 3 rod wale to weave the sides and finish off with a 5 rod border.The platter is perfect for a fruit basket,cheese and biscuits,hang it on the wall.or for the cat to curl up in.This workshop is suitable for beginners or improvers.please call for more info and to book a place.

We will be running more courses during the autumn months and we will be doing or christmas angel and decoration workshops nearer christmas ,but in the meantime ,if you would like to book onto one of the above courses we allow up to 8 people per course, so book now to avoid disapointment.

More workshops comming soon

Please email me on the contacts page or call cath on 07919385854 to book a place on any of these corses.

"His and Hers" Ash basket

We have been asked by a customer to make a basket big enough to keep two lots of cremated ashes in.The lady had lost both parents and wanted to keep them together in the same urn if possible.

She explained that both her parents loved the sea,so we have made them a lovely rectangle basket with a hinged lid,in ocean basket colours,

Inside the basket are two calico bags to put the ashes in,and two sisal rope sturdy handles to carry tjhe basket as Ashes can weigh up to 8 lb each.

willow vikingships

we have been busy this week with ship building,we have sent 3 viking ash urn sfireships to the good ole US of A and one to the UK.

At the moment,9 out of 10 ships end up in the states,there seems to be a lot of viking ancestory over there.We have been adding coloured stripped willow for a bit of colour,The ships that we send to the states have to be made of buff or white or dyed willow,the willow cant have bark on it aas there is a risk of sending deseases over there…apparentley.

willow ash urn fireship for a 22 year old

COLOURED HOMEGROWN WILLOW

Its nearly that time of year again to get out the electric secateurs and start cutting our willow.it sure has gone crazy this year,up to 12ft in length growth in just one year.we will be making coloured willow wreaths and plant supports during the next few weeks

New willow beds

Here at withysmythe meadow, cradletogravewillowcoffins.co.uk w are putting down some new willowbeds, to expand our growing area.we have 20 different varietys of basketry willow at the moment, to see which varietys grow best on our heavy clay soil,so we will be planting packing twine,,brittany green and dicky meadows,all my favourates and they all grow so well here

RAF Happy landings coffin

This is our new masterpiece the ‘happy landings’RAF willow coffin.we made it beyween us and our friend danny whos father passed away.a very fitting tribute made with love

Willow harvesting

For yhe next few months we are harvesting all our homegrown wllow by hand we cut it back to about 10 cm every year .there is 1st 2nd and 3rd year growth.the first years growth will have 2 to 10 rods,2nd year will have up to 20 or more rods and 3rd year 30 to 50 rods .each new willow cutting planted will take 3 years to start producing useful lengths of willow for weaving.

We are growing around 17 different varietys and colours atm and will continue planting for another 2 to 3 years.

The colours we have this year are stunning so we will be able to make some very colourful baskets

View fullsize

Do we repair well loved old baskets?

One of our favourite jobs is repairing a well loved old basket and to give it a new lease of life.Today we have repaired a really really old laundry basket ,the willow was very brittle and had woodworm but it was strong enough for us to cut away the broken woven piecs of willow and replace with some new pre soaked buff willow,The laundry basket is now serviceable and looks great

basket rebuild