HANDMADE

From Nature’s
Colourful Materials
BASKETS
Susie Vaughan has always had a
passion fo r making things. She made
her first basket from a sprouting
w illow tree th a t had fallen across
a brook near her home, follow ing
instructions in a magazine.
Her basketm aking began as a
hobby bu t she soon decided to
specialise in hedgerow baskets,
intrigued by the natural range of
colour and texture th a t can be found
not only in the countryside bu t also
in urban areas.
Susie has experim ented w ith
dozens o f d iffe ren t w oods and has
dem onstrated and sold her w ork in
many countries.
A friend once remarked th a t if
you left one o f her baskets on the
ground it w ould probably grow. She
loves the idea th a t she is giving a
new lease o f life to N ature’s ‘rubbish’
- prunings th a t w ould otherw ise
be chopped up by a hedgecutter
or sim ply discarded. This book will
definitely encourage the first seeds
o f enthusiasm fo r a useful and
fascinating hobby.
HANDMADE BASKETS
From Nature's Colourful Materials
I'm glad to have this chance to thank publicly my family and friends who have
helped with the birth of this book. Without their encouragement it would never
have happened... So, very grateful thanks to my mother for cutting out that
magazine article, Sheila for those inspiring weekend workshops, Ken for
introducing me to so many varieties of willow, Caroline and Frances for their
helpful encouragement and Linda for patiently waiting for the light to be
photographically just right in a number of gloomy woodland locations. I must
also offer a particular word of thanks to my long-suffering family, Mike, Simon,
Laura and Tessa, who have never really grumbled about the growing invasion
of baskets and 'stuff' all over the house and garden, despite having had to share
the bathroom with soaking rods, the airing cupboard with hardening handles
and the vegetable garden with a forest of special willows.
HANDMADE BASKETS
From Nature's Colourful Materials
Susie Vaughan

Search Press
This edition first published 2015

First published 1994 B A S K E T M A K E R S ’ A S S O C IA T IO N S

There are basketm akers' associations all over the w o r ld ,
Search Press Limited
so contact the one nearest to y o u for the relevant h elp
W ellw ood, North Farm Road,
a n d advice. The Basketm akers' Association in the U K
Tunbridge Wells, Kent T N 2 3DR
prom otes classes, courses, exhibitions, lectures and
discussions: w w w .b ask e tasso c.org .

Text copyright © Susie Vaughan 2015

Photographs by Charlotte de la Bédoyère,

Search Press Studios, with the exception of pages
10 to 37, which are by Linda Stephens
Photographs and design copyright © Search Press Ltd.
2015

All rights reserved. N o part of this book, text,

photographs or illustrations may be reproduced or
transmitted in any form or by any means by print,
photoprint, microfilm, microfiche, photocopier or in any
way known or as yet unknown, or stored in a retrieval
system, without written permission obtained beforehand
from Search Press.

The publishers and author can accept no responsibility

for any consequences arising from the information,
advice or instructions given in this publication.

ISBN 978 1 78221 209 6

Readers are perm itted to reproduce any of the item s/

patterns in this book for their personal use, or for the
purposes of selling for charity, free of charge and without
the prior permission of the Publishers. Any use of the
items/patterns for commercial purposes is not perm itted
without the prior permission of the Publishers.

Suppliers
If you have any difficulty in obtaining any of the materials
and equipm ent m entioned in this book, then please visit
the Search Press website: www.searchpress.com

Printed in Malaysia
 Contents

Introduction
6

Tools and equipment

8

Collecting materials
How to start - What to look for - Where to look - When to cut - How to
store - How to prepare - Commercially grown willow
10

Useful trees, shrubs and climbers

Suckers - Climbers and Trailers - Coppiced and pollarded rods - Garden
primings - Wild primings - Special textures
20

How to make a simple round basket

Basic stages - Choosing materials - The base - The framework - The
upsett - The sides - The border - Finishing off
38

Variations in design and weaves

Shaping the sides - Oval baskets - Frame baskets - Handles - Borders -
Bye stakes - Alternative weaves - Lids
50

Gallery
66

Glossary
79

Index
80
Introduction
B ask ets w ere u sed b y our an cestors from the
cradle to the grave - quite literally. N ot only w ere
the ancient Egyptians p laced in w oven cribs at
birth , th ey w ere also b u ried in b ask e t coffins.
B u t far earlier th an th is the craft o f w eavin g
b ask ets had b eco m e a p art of our v ery existence,
fu lfillin g the n eed s of early m an 's every d ay life.
Fin d s o f w o v en tw ig s p re-d ate any frag m en ts of
w o v en cloth and even certain form s of pottery.
B e fo r e th e p o tt e r 's w h e e l w a s in v e n te d
b ask e tw o rk w as u sed as a m o u ld fo r clay objects.
It is even sp ecu lated th at b efore the art of firin g
clay w as discovered w aterp roof b ow ls w ere really
bask ets, lined w ith m u d and left to harden.
O v er the y ears the w ord 'b a sk e t' h as taken on
a n u m b er of sig n ifican t and often d erogatory
m ean in gs. F or in stan ce, if y ou w ere 'p u t in the
b a sk e t' y ou w ere sen t to p rison, if y ou w ere 'le ft
in the bask et' y ou w ere jilted and in G erm any the
phrase 'I have got a bask et' is still used to indicate
th at y ou h av e failed in so m eth in g im portant.
H ow ever, the b a sk e t's m ajor role h as b een as a
con tain er for an y th in g and everyth in g. In alm ost
every cou n try in the w o rld th ere is a trad itio n of
b ask etm ak in g, u sin g p lan ts th at are in d igen ou s
to th at p articu lar area. W illo w , ru sh and cane are
u sed n o w a d a y s fo r m o st co m m ercia l b ask e ts,
b u t in fact it is p o ssib le to u se any w ood th at is
pliable.
G yp sies have m ad e b ask ets from h ed gerow s
for gen eration s and even som e trad itio n al B ritish
b ask etm ak ers m ay have b e en forced to find an
altern ativ e to w illo w d u rin g the Secon d W orld
W ar. W illo w h am p ers w ere con sid ered to b e
such good protection for the food and am m unition
6
that n eed ed to b e air-lifted to tro o p s in E u rope,
th at the use of co m m ercially grow n w illo w w as
b an n ed for any oth er p u rpose.
T h e co n v en ien ce of the th row -aw ay card b oard
b o x and the u b iq u itou s p lastic carrier-b ag have
m a d e so m e p e o p le d isp e n se w ith th e ir old
sh o p p in g bask et. H ow ever, th ere is som eth in g
quite irresistib le abou t the sm ell and tactile appeal
of a country hed gerow basket; it is not only han d ­
m ad e, b u t can also be h om e-g row n .
I m ad e m y first b ask e t fo llow in g in stru ctio n s
in a m ag azin e article. I u sed su pple y o u n g rods
th at h ad sp rou ted from the carcase of an old
w illo w tree w h ich had fallen across a local b ro o k
- and I am ash am ed to say I w as quite p ro u d of
this v ery p o o r attem pt, im ag in in g th at I could
m ake all sorts o f u sefu l th in g s if I w as m aro o n ed
on a d esert island .
L a te r , d u r in g s o m e in s p ir in g w e e k e n d s
w o rk in g w ith b a sk e tm a k e r S h e ila W y n ter, I
d isco v ere d th at b a sk e ts can b e m ad e w ith all
sorts o f w ild and g ard en b u sh es - in fact any one-
y ear-o ld sh oots th at can b e b e n t arou n d you r
w rist can be in corp o rated into the w eavin g.
I retu rn ed h o m e from these w o rk sh op s, eyes
o p en ed , su d d e n ly aw are o f p o te n tia l b a sk e t
m aterial in p ractically every local h ed ge, w o od
and garden.
Sin ce th en I h av e exp erim en ted w ith dozen s of
d ifferen t trees and shru bs, fascin ated b y th e fact
th at th ese 're cy cle d ' b ask ets are giv in g a n ew
lease o f life to b ran ch es th at w o u ld o th erw ise
only b e d estin ed for the b o n fire, or the v oraciou s
ap p etite of the hed g e-cu tter.
T h is b o o k is n o t in ten d ed for th e com m ercial

b a sk e tm a k e r - m y b a sk e ts are lab o u rs o f love
an d it o ften tak es h o u rs to g a th er m aterial and
th e n to w e a v e th em . H o w e v e r, I h o p e th e
in stru ctio n s and id eas w ill in sp ire o th ers w h o
e n jo y w a lk in g in the co u n try and are cap tiv ated
b y the id ea th at it is v ery p ossible, and im m en sely
rew arding, to salvage and reclaim n atu re's annual
harvest.
Introduction
Mediaeval hedge basket. This is made entirely from
woods gathered from one short stretch of a very old
mediaeval hedge below my garden. It is said that the age
of such a hedge can be judged by the number of different
species on one side of a 25-metre (27-yd) length . . . each
species indicating a century of growth . . . this hedge
must be at least 700 years old. The basket is madefrom
privet, sloe, oak, wild honeysuckle, spindle, wild
dogwood and three different varieties ofzvillows.
7
Tools and equipment

V ery few tools are n eed ed to m ak e you r first

b ask e t. I started o ff w ith ju s t a p air o f secateu rs,
a scre w d riv er an d a p o t of p e tro le u m jelly . If y ou
are u sin g o n ly fre sh m a teria l, w h ich does n o t
n e ed to be so ak ed , y o u do n o t e v e n h a v e to
p e rsu a d e the fam ily n o t to use th e b a th fo r a
w eek!
In th is ch ap ter I h av e listed the tools u sed to
m ak e all the b ask ets m en tion ed in th is book, b u t
only th e secateu rs are essen tial to b eg in w ith -
you can im p rov ise for the rest.

8
 Tools and equipment

1. Secateurs (pruning shears) - sharp ones are

essential.

2. Basketm aker's bodkin - a tap ered m etal tool

w h ich creates a space th rou g h the w eav in g for
n e w rods. A fin e scre w d riv er, a m e tal sk ew er
and a N o. 6 or 8 kn ittin g need le are quite adequ ate
at first.

3. Grease horn - trad itio n ally tallow , stored in

an old co w 's horn, w as used as a lu b rican t for the
bod kin . Instead , lard m ixed w ith fine shavings
a n d s h r e d d e d s a c k in g c a n b e k e p t in an
u n b reakab le container.

4. Craft knife - 1 also have a sp ecial k n ife w h ich

h as a cu rved blad e and h an d le th at I fo u n d on a
v isit to F rance, b u t a stan d ard craft k n ife w ill
p ro ve m o re th an adequ ate.

5. Long ruler - a 60 cm (2 ft) piece of w ood,

m ark ed o ff in cen tim etres or inches, is ideal.

6. Rapping iron - a h eav y b lu n t tool u sed to

com p ress the w eave. N ot really essen tial as any
n arrow , solid piece of m etal w rap p ed w ith a
cloth w ill do.

7. Flat stone or m etal w eight - to w eig h dow n Sharp secateurs are the only essential tool needed to
th e b a se o f the b a sk e t as w o rk p ro g resses. make your first basket.
8. String and clothes pegs - to m ark and hold
th ings in place.

9. Old tow el or blanket - to w rap so aked rods

w h ile th ey 'm e llo w '.

10 . M askin g tape - to se cu re th e sh ap e of
p rep ared rod s for fram e b ask ets w h ile th ey dry
o u t and set.

1 1 . Plant sprayer - u sefu l fo r k eep in g b o u g h t-in

w illo w dam p w hile y o u w ork.

12 . Large w ater trough - only n eed ed if you are

so akin g d ried w o od s or b o u g h t-in w illow . (The
b a th w ill do!)

9
Collecting materials
M o st co m m ercial b ask ets are m ad e from cane,
ru sh or w illow , b u t it is quite p o ssib le to m ake a
container that is bo th strong and highly ind ivid ual
from the annu al p ru n in g s th at are p u lv erised or
d iscard ed from h ed g es and gard ens each year.
How to start
W h y n o t let th at neat, su b u rb an p riv et h ed g e
(Ligustrum spp.) grow fo r a y ear an d tu rn th e
long, slen d er shoots into a sm all b read basket? O r
y ou could h arv est the d eep -purp le w ild dogw ood
(Cornus spp.) b efore it is attacked b y the m onstrou s
10
flail hedge-cutter, and create a practical blackberry
b ask et that w ill n o t show the stains of the ju icy
berries.
N ot all b u sh es are su itable, b u t it is u n u su al for
m e to h av e to travel v ery far to find a w ealth of
good m aterial. I rarely go fu rth er th an a few
m iles. It is only a m atter o f b eco m in g aw are of
w h at is grow in g in you r ow n local en viron m en t
and exp erim en tin g w ith it.
H ow ev er - a w ord of w arnin g! It m u st be
Garden hedge of privet (Ligustrum spp.). This hedge,
which had been allowed to grow all summer, was the
inspiration for the basket shown on page 76.
 Collecting materials

p o in ted ou t th at every h ed g e and every bu sh

b elo n g s to som eon e; w h at y ou m ay th in k is a
clu ster o f p o ten tially excellen t ash h an d les m ay
in fa c t b e th e s ta rt o f a fa r m e r 's p r e c io u s
w in d b reak , so p erm issio n m u st first b e given
b efore y ou cut.
It is alw ay s w o rth it. A fter all, if y ou tu rn up
w ith m erely a pair o f secateu rs in y ou r h an d you
w ill h ard ly lo ok as if y ou are abou t to strip the
h ed ge naked. It can th en b e p oin ted out, quite
g en u in ely, th at g ard en p lan ts - like the b rillian t
red an d g ree n d o g w o o d s (Cornus spp.) - are
g rea tly e n h an ced b y reg u lar, ju d icio u s p ru n in g .
T h e co lo u r o f th e y o u n g sh o o ts is m u ch m o re
v iv id th e fo llo w in g y ea r an d th ere w ill b e m an y
m o re o f th em .

<1 A butchered hedge - the remains of a country hedgerow

after being 'pruned' by the mightyflail hedge-cutter.
V Red and green dogwoods are very popular shrubs on
urban sites and should be pruned regularly.

11
Collecting materials
H a v in g said th a t, h o w e v e r, I am slig h tly
cau tiou s abou t ad v o catin g v io len t p ru n in g of
p recio u s g ard en b u sh es. A lth o u g h I annu ally
'cro p ' m y ow n dogw ood plants - and they thrive
on it - I once h elp ed a frien d red u ce an eld erly
d og w ood shru b to a clu ster of stum ps. The sh o ck
to its sy stem w as so great th at it h as never b e en
the sam e since!
In the n ext ch ap ter I d etail som e of the w ood s
I h av e u sed so far. The list is n ev er com p lete as I
am alw ays exp erim en tin g w ith som eth in g new ,
b u t it does give an id ea o f the great v ariety of
p lan ts th at are av ailable to everyone, w h eth er
th ey live in th e to w n or cou n try - and, b ecau se
y ou u se only one se aso n 's grow th, th ey are sh oots
th at w o u ld oth erw ise on ly b e p ru n ed and b u rn t
b y th e to w n p a rk g ard e n ers, or ch u rn ed in to
p u lp b y the annu al visit of the farm h ed ge-cu tter.
Colour and texture - bolts of green dogzvood, two
varieties of willow, broom and corkscrew hazel.
12
T h e re are fe w h a rd an d fa s t ru le s w h e n
ch o o sin g m aterial to m ak e a h ed g ero w bask et.
A n y o n e-y ear-old rods th at w ill n o t snap if b en t
arou n d you r w rist can b e u sed so m ew h ere in the
basket.
A h ed g ero w b ask e t is a v ery tactile object. It
sh ou ld m ake y o u w an t to p ick it up, ad m ire its
textu re and th en su rp rise y ou w ith its d eliciou s
arom a.
Y o u w ill soon fo rget the p ricked fin gers as y ou
d e-th orn ed th e w ild dog rose (Rosa canina) and
the stru ggle to g et a p erfectly rou n d base. A s y ou
stand b ack and adm ire y o u r first b a sk e t y o u w ill
only rem em b er th ose in sp irin g cou n try w alks
th at m ad e y ou realise th ere is a w e alth o f m aterial
sim p ly w aitin g to b e g ath ered and giv en a n ew
lease of life.
What to look for
C o lo u r an d te x tu re are th e m o st im p o rta n t
elem en ts to rem em ber. T h e colou r o f th e b rig h ter
w ood s w ill fad e as th ey fin ish d ry in g out, b u t
m an y w ill retain a d istin ctive shad e of the o riginal
and som e - like the d ap h n oid es w illo w (Salix
Purple-coloured bloom of the young shoots of the
daphnoides willow (Salix daphnoides).
 Collecting materials

daphnoides) - w ill im p rov e and d evelop a p u rple-
co lo u red b lo o m , like a grape, and an arom atic
sm ell.
A ll the m aterial is ju st one y ear's g row th of a
w id e v ariety of trees and b u sh es w h ich can be
fo u n d in to w n gard en s and the cou n trysid e. It
m u s t b e a b le to p a s s th e 'w r is t - t e s t ' (se e
p h o to g rap h b elo w ) and shou ld be at le ast 45 cm
(18 in) long, alth ou g h it is som etim es p o ssib le to
u se sh orter rod s if y o u use a Fren ch rand ing
w eav e (see p ag e 64).
w o n d erfu lly textu ral qu ality to a b asket. Su itab le
w ood s can b e d efin ed ro u g h ly into th e fo llow in g
groups:
1. Su ck ers g row in g arou n d th e base of estab ­
lish ed trees.
2. L o n g p ieces fro m trailin g or clim b in g plants.
3. R eg u larly co p p iced or p o llard ed trees.
4. A n n u al g ard en p ru nings.
5. A n n u al sh oots cu t from cou n try h ed ges.

6. O n e -y e a r -o ld ro d s w ith s p e c ia l te x tu r a l
interest.

Applying a wrist test to broom. Any rod that does not

snap when bent around your wrist can be used
somewhere in a basket.
A lth o u g h y o u w ill n e ed a lo t o f slen d er,
tap erin g rod s of p en cil th ick n ess, th ere is also
p len ty of scop e for b u sh y shoots w ith m an y fine
(Cytisus spp.)
sid e grow ths - for in stan ce, b ro o m
an d sn o w b e rry (Symphoricarpus albus) add a

13
Collecting materials

mmmiBI
wÉm m ,

Pollarded limes (Tilia spp.) can befound in churchyards.

Where to look
C ou n try road sid e h ed g es are in v alu ab le if th ey
a re r e g u la r ly tr im m e d as th is e n c o u r a g e s
v igorou s, even g row th of n ew w ood . H ow ever,
y o u h a v e to cu t w h a t y o u w a n t b e fo re th e
m ech an ical h ed g e-cu tter gets there.
W o od lan d s are a great sou rce for w ild, trailin g
m aterial th at h as to stru ggle fo r light.
T o w n p ark s and sch ool grou n d s all have to be
cared for. M an y are p lan ted w ith large areas of
d og w ood th at h as to b e p ru n ed regu larly. A sk
the h ead gard en er w h en th is w ill b e done.
C h u rch y ard s so m etim es h ave p ollard ed trees
th at n eed to b e T am ed ' each year.
L a n d s c a p e d s ite s a ro u n d s u b u rb a n lig h t
in d u stria l areas are also o fte n p la n te d w ith
su ita b le sh ru b s b u t, o n ce ag ain , alw ay s ask
p e rm issio n b e fo re sn ip p in g .

Birch saplings (Betula spp.) give good texture.

14

P ru n in g y ou r ow n garden, o f course, takes on
an en tirely n ew d im en sion . Y ou can also try
grow in g p articu lar b u sh es or shru bs th at are
d ifficu lt to obtain. C o lou rfu lly stem m ed w illow s
take v ery easily from cu ttin gs and a pollard ed
e u c a ly p tu s w ill p ro d u ce o n ly th e a ttra ctiv e
ju v en ile foliage w h ich is quite lost from v iew at
th e top of a 15m (50ft) tree.
A lth o u g h the w o od y ou collect m u st not be
alread y dead and dried, th ere is n o th in g w rong
w ith cu tting su itable w o od from a tree th at has
b e en u p rooted in a gale or felled for its tim ber.
T h e m o rn in g after a sto rm is a good tim e to
search fo r fa lle n b ran ch es.
Collecting materials
When to cut
G ath er th e w ood w h e n the sap is dow n, b etw een
m id-O ctober and M arch. C ut w ith sharp secateurs
an d leav e tw o or th ree b u d s for n e x t y ear's
sh oots.
T h e colou rs are p ro b ab ly b e tter from F eb ru ary
on w ard s, after som e heavy frosts, b u t I u su ally
fin d it h ard to w ait th at lon g - th e season is short
en ou g h as it is.
Sprouting shoots on afallen willow tree. The thicker rods
from this particular tree made excellent handle bows.
15
Collecting materials
The author's collection of cut rods being 'weathered' in a shady area of the garden.
Tie the m aterial in lab elled b u n d les (it's easy to
m u d d le u p som e leafless tw igs and forget w h en
y ou co llected th em ) and let th em 'w ea th e r' or
'fa d e ' u n d er a h ed g e or in a shady, dam p spot for
tw o or th ree w eeks.
T h ere are som e excep tion s to th is rule. C ertain
w o o d s n eed to b e k ep t d ry or le ft fo r only a day
or tw o; th ese are m en tion ed b elo w or in the n otes
abou t in d iv id u al p lan ts in th e n ext chapter.
T he id ea b eh in d w eath erin g the w o od is to let
it d ry o u t slo w ly so th at th ere w ill b e little
s h r in k a g e w hen th e b ask et is f in is h e d .
T rad ition ally th e w o od is left u n d er a h ed g e
b ecau se it is th u s p ro tected from drying ou t too
q u ickly b y the d am p w in ter grass.
S tored u n d er th e rig h t con d ition s, som e of
these w o od s can still b e u sed in M ay w ith o u t any
16
rnSSaUbm .
fu rth er p rep aration . O th ers, like vin e (Vitis spp.)
an d elm (Ulmus spp.), w ill n eed to b e so ak ed in
the b a th b y th is tim e, o th e rw ise th ey w ill crack.
It is n o t w o rth keepin g m an y hed gerow w oods
after m id-M ay. A lth ou gh som e can be soaked
before use, their colour w ill never b e as vibrant.
The b e st th in g to do is to h av e a large b o n fire -
and lo o k forw ard to the n ext season 's grow th!
How to prepare
M ost h ed g ero w w o od s need only to be w eathered
for tw o or th ree w eek s b efore th ey can be used.
H ow ever, th ere are som e w o od s th at need extra
attention.

E v erg reen p lan ts like h o lly (Ilex spp.) have
p rickly leaves th at m u st b e rem oved.
B ram b les (Rubus spp.) can b e d e-th orned by
p u llin g th em firm ly th rou g h a th ick pair of leather
g a rd e n in g gloves, th en re p e a tin g th e p ro cess
from the other direction. This rem oves the prickles
w ith o u t d am agin g the bark.
De-barbing brambles
T h e b arb s on w ild d og rose (Rosa canina) can be
eased off in d iv id u ally b y hand.
T in y leaves on trailin g len gth s of ivy (Hedera
spp.) can be preserv ed b y soakin g the cu t stem s in
a so lu tio n of g lycerin e (one p art glycerine, tw o
p arts w ater) fo r fou r to five days.
Som e clim bers, su ch as h o n eysu ck le (Lonicera
spp.) and clem atis, w h ich h av e bark s th at peel
easily, can b e tied in a coil, b o iled in an old
sau cep an for a short tim e, and th en peeled.
Long, straigh t b ran ch es of ash (Fraxinus spp.)
or sw eet chestnut (Castaneasativa) can b e prepared
as h an d le b ow s. C h oose rods th at are fin g er-th ick
and g en tly ease th em into shape, tak in g care
arou nd the arch. T ie and th en leave to dry for a
few w eeks, ch eck in g and ad ju stin g the shape
fro m tim e to tim e.
Collecting materials
Som etim es, if w o rk in g late in the season , it is
n ecessary to p rep are h ed g ero w m aterials as if
th ey w e re farm ed w illo w (see b elo w ). A fter
so akin g in cold w ater fo r som e h ou rs, w rap th em
in an old tow el and leave to m ello w overnight.
(Y ou can speed u p the p ro cess b y u sin g h o t
w ater).
Commercially grown willow
A lth o u g h it is quite p o ssib le to m ake y ou r first
b ask ets exclu siv ely w ith th ese 'w ild ' w ood s, it
is also w o rth co n sid erin g th e u se of com m ercially
grow n w illo w (Salix spp.) as w ell. T his h arm ed '
w illo w con sists o f a n u m b er o f v arieties w h ich
are g row n sp ecifically for bask etm ak ers.
W h en y ou co n sid er th at m ak in g a 30 cm (12 in)
ro u n d b a sk e t co u ld e n ta il fin d in g b e tw e e n 70
an d 100 su itab le ro d s, y ou w ill u n d e rsta n d the
a ttra ctio n o f in clu d in g b o u g h t w illo w - e sp e ­
cially if y o u p lan to m ak e se v e ra l b ask e ts.
Buying farmed w illow
F arm ed w illo w is b o u g h t in b o lts - tied b u n d les
- each m easu rin g ab o u t 92 cm (3 ft) arou n d the
base. T radition ally they are alw ays sold as bu nd les
o f the sam e length, b u t th ere are som e su p p liers
w h o are h ap p y to sell 'sta rter b o lts' of m ixed
le n g t h s to p e o p le w h o h a v e ju s t b e g u n
b a sk e tm a k in g as a ho b b y .
Different types of w illow
W illo w fo r m a k in g b a s k e ts co m e s in th re e
d ifferen t form s:
B ro w n - dried w ith its b a rk on. It takes the
lo n g est to p rep are, b u t is p ro b ab ly th e m ost
su itab le to u se w ith h ed g ero w w ood s.
B u ff - b o iled in its b a rk fo r several hou rs, th en
p eeled . T he tan n in in the b a rk dyes th e w illo w a
pale ru sty colour.
W hite - cu t and left in sh allo w w ater for the
w inter. W h en the sap rises in the sp rin g th e b a rk
can be p eeled aw ay, leavin g cream y -w h ite rods.
17
'А':,а

O A selection of different types offarmed willow.
B o th the b u ff and w h ite w illo w are easier to use
and take m u ch less tim e to p rep are for use, b u t
n eith er really com p lem en ts the ru stic ap p eal of
the h ed g ero w w ood s as w ell as the b ro w n w illow .
Preparation and storage of farmed w illow
A ll th ese w illo w s sh ou ld be stored in a dry, cool,
d ark and airy place. T h ey all h av e to b e soaked in
cold w ater and left to m ello w in an old cloth
b efore th ey are su p p le en ou g h to b e u sed for
w eav in g w ith o u t snapp ing.
P re p a ra tio n tim e v a rie s a c c o rd in g to th e
th ick n ess of the rods, b u t as a ro u g h guide b u ff
sh ou ld b e soaked for b e tw e e n th irty m in u tes and
tw o h ou rs, w h ite w ill take a little lon ger and
b ro w n w ill take an y th in g fro m tw o d ays to tw o
w eeks - exp erien ce w ill guid e you. I w as very
disappointed w ith one particu lar variety of w illow
u n til I w as ad v ised to leave it soakin g for tw ice as
Collecting materials
lo n g as I th ou ght. A s a resu lt it w as as su p p le as
a sh o ela ce!
A fter b ein g soaked all rods need to b e m ellow ed
in a dam p cloth (an old tow el or b la n k e t is ideal).
A few h o u rs is u su a lly lo n g en o u g h fo r the
sh o rte r ro d s, b u t o v e rn ig h t is b est. T h is allow s
the w ater to p en etrate rig h t th rou g h the w o od so
th at it does n o t crack w h en y o u are u sin g it.
C are n e ed s to b e ta k e n w ith so a k in g and
m ello w in g tim es. If w illo w is not so aked long
en ou g h it w ill b e too rigid to w ork; if it is soaked
too lon g it w ill b e co m e slim y and the b a rk on the
b ro w n rod s w ill start to peel.
B u ff and w hite w illow , w rap p ed in a cloth, w ill
n o rm ally still b e u seable for abou t tw o days:
m u ch lo n g er th an th is and it w ill start going
m ou ld y. B ro w n w illo w h as a lon ger 's h e lf life' -
abou t a w e ek - b efo re going off. B efore it gets to
th e s lim y sta g e , u n u s e d w illo w s h o u ld b e
u n w rap p ed and d ried off. It can be resoak ed and
u sed ag ain , b u t it w ill h a v e lo st so m e of its
o riginal lustre.
Soaking willozv rods.
19
Useful trees, shrubs and clim bers
In this chapter I m ention som e of the shrubs and
trees that I have experim ented w ith in m y baskets.
The list is by no m eans definitive and is alw ays
being added to, as that is the pleasurable nature of
this type of basketry.
D ifferent regions w ill produce a plentiful supply
of alternative m aterials - the diversity of baskets
that result are proof that it is a craft that encourages
and thrives on individuality.
Look for the unusual textures as w ell as the fine,
pliable shoots. I once found som e w ild plum ,
20
delicately coated w ith lichen, on the north edge of
a w ood. Sadly the tree was not there the follow ing
year - it had been uprooted to m ake way for a
barbed-w ire fence.
The list is divided into six groups: suckers;
clim bers and trailers; coppiced and pollarded rods;
garden p ru n in g s; w ild p ru n in g s; and sp ecial
textures. I have only m ade one entry for a particular
plant, although som e could be included in m ore
than one category. M ost need to be prepared in the
usual w ay by w eathering under a hedge for a few
 Useful trees, shrubs and climbers

weeks, but check w ith the preparation details in the Lilac (S yrin ga spp.)
previous chapter for specific treatm ents like boiling N ot a special w ood, but as these suckers never
or de-thorning. flow er they do need to be rem oved from the tree.

Poplar or aspen (P opulus spp.)

Som e varieties have an arom atic, balsam smell, but
Suckers use the rods before the buds becom e sticky.
Rem oving suckers from established trees is usually
doing them a favour. Sw eet or Spanish chestnut (C astan ea sativa)
N orm ally too thick for anything but handles, but
an attractive grey colour.

A Beech suckers.

Beech (Fagus spp.)

The pointed buds are sharp when dried. Very pliable,
despite side shoots.

Fruit trees - apple, pear, plum , etc.

N ot very exciting colour or texture, but it is always
satisfying to use w ood that needs to be pruned.

O Fruit tree suckers.

21
Useful trees, shrubs and climbers
A shiny piece of red bramble weaves itself through a hedge of field maple.
Climbers and trailers
M any bushes in this group are particularly useful
if found in a dark, shady spot w here they have
becom e long and leggy in their struggle to reach
the light. Som e can be boiled to rem ove the bark
(see preparation notes on page 17).
Holly. The longest pieces can befound in the darkest areas
of a wood where the branches have to searchfor light.
22
Bramble (R ubus spp.)
There are m ore than 2,000 varieties and all are very
prickly! M ost types can be used and are w ell w orth
the effort to prepare (see page 17) as they are very
strong and pliable.
Clematis (C lem atis spp.)
Long, young stem s can be boiled, revealing cream y
w ood. N ot very strong because of the w eak joints,
but good colour contrast for side w eaving.
Dog rose or common briar (R osa canina)
C arefully b reak off ind ivid ual thorns w ithout
dam aging the b ark (or yourself). C an be used to tie
in the slath.
Holly (Ilex spp.)
Choose the thin, long green stem s found trailing
under w oodland bushes. Do not w eather for long
as they becom e brittle. If used w ithin a few days, it
w ill rem ain dark green as it dries.
Honeysuckle (L on icera spp.)
G arden varieties produce long stem s, very suitable
for stripping. The w ild version, com m only found
in hedges, is distinctive in w inter w hen you can see
clearly how the fine stem s have tw ined around
them selves. These 'rop es' can be used as they are -
no need to unravel them. Old w ood (finger-thick)
can also be used as a basis for free-form fram e
baskets or unusual, tw isted handles.
Useful trees, shrubs and climbers

23
Useful trees, shrubs and climbers

Hop (Humulus lupulus)

W ild hop is unpleasant to use because of the very
rough texture of the stems. H ow ever, the flowers,
w hich withstand light handling, are very decorative
if left to dry on the stem w ith the leaves removed.
M ust be used before 'rigor m ortis' sets in as cannot
be soaked. Stem s of the garden version, golden hop
(.Humulus lupulus aureus), are m uch kinder to the
hands.

Ivy (Hedera spp.)

One of the few plants I use for its decorative leaves
(see preparation notes on page 17). Choose stem s
w ith tiny leaves.

Passion flower (Passiflora spp.)

N ot for a robust basket, bu t very light w inter
pruning w ill produce fine stem s w ith delicate
tendrils.

Periwinkle (Vinca spp.)

G ood for slath tying of very fine baskets.

W inter-flowering jasmine (jasminum

nudiflorum)
Keeps its colour better if w eathered for only a short
time.
Ivy.
Other suitable plants
Several other garden clim bers can be used: akebia,
w istaria, Boston ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata),
etc. - it all depends w hat you can find and w hether
you can justify pruning it.

O Coils of other useful climbers: ivild dog rose, akebia, hop,

stripped honeysuckle and clematis.

24
Çri’g ;
Useful trees, shrubs and climbers

26
 Useful trees, shrubs and climbers

Coppiced and pollarded rods

Eucalyptus (E u calyptu s spp.)
The young, bushy side shoots of som e varieties are
truly violet-coloured and, if kept dry after being
w oven, keep their colour well. Leaves are tenacious
and have to be plucked laboriously by hand - but
it is w orth it. Only the young shoots have the
delicate colours, so trees have to be pollarded
annually after about two years of growth. If planting
one yourself choose a hardy variety.

Lime (T ilia spp.)

Pollarded lim es can be found in m any tree-lined
streets (and even in som e churchyards) as they are
particularly resistant to extreme weather conditions,
pollution and severe pruning. Find out w hen they
are going to be trim m ed and choose stem s that
have had full sunlight, as these have the best colour.
Salix vitellina provides brilliant yellow shoots.
<1 Eucalyptus.
V Pollarded lime in a churchyard. The suckers around W illow (S a lix sp p .)
the base o f the tree have been removed.
The m ost reliable, supple m aterial, excellent for its
wide variety of colour and length. W illo w hybridises
freely in hedges, but if you w ant the m ore interesting
colours you need to grow them yourself. W illow

Salix sachalinensis. An unusual willow that has

flattened, curled branches that look as if many fin e rods
have been fused together.

27
Ч А'
 Useful trees, shrubs and climbers

Cutting coppiced willow. Unusual coloured willow is easy to grow and, if regularly cut, in
two or three years will provide plenty of material.

takes from cuttings very easily and, if kept cop­

piced, w ill soon provide lots of attractive stems.
P articularly recom m ended are the daphnoides
varieties, w hich take on a purplish bloom as they
dry out.
A ccording to an old w ives' tale, w illow grows
better if the 'sets' (cuttings) are planted in the
ground on a w axing m oon - a fact that has baffled
scientists, w ho adm it that it seem s to be true w hen
tested, despite there being no logical explanation.

Salix japonica has small shiny pink 'pussies' in

<1 Cutting red willow shootsfrom an old stump. the springtime.

29

Garden prunings
The annual autum n tidy-up gains a new perspective
if you start considering w hat can be included in the
next basket.
Bay laurel (Laurus nobilis)
The specim en clipped shrubs grow n in tubs are
obviously no good, but if you are lucky enough to
have a large bush, you w ill find straggly stem s
searching for the light at the base of the plant. The
30
Cotoneaster.
arom atic leaves can be left on in the w eaving - a
disposable feature of a special kitchen basket!
Butcher's broom (R uscus acu leatu s)
Strong green stem s w hich w ere once used to m ake
broom s for cleaning butchers' chopping blocks.
Choose the thinner stem s for a distinctive round of
four-rod randing. C an also be found in the wild.
 Useful trees, shrubs and climbers

Cotoneaster (C oton easter spp.)

Choose the longest pieces w ith no side branches.
These fine rods are useful for French randing.

Dogwood (C ornus spp.)

Brilliant coloured stem s - red, green, yellow , etc.
Responds w ell to being cut back, producing m any
m ore stem s the follow ing year. Very pliable; canbe
used anyw here in the basket.

Snowberry.
Snowberry (S ym phoricarpu s albus)
Look for long, sm ooth, silvery shoots as w ell as the
characteristically fine, tw iggy branches that w ill
give a bird's-nest texture to a basket.

Forsythia
Forsythia (F orsythia spp.)
Slightly textured bark, bu t only useful as w eavers.
Pruning m ust be done early in spring and sparingly
as this bush is ablaze w ith gold flow ers in March.

Laburnum (Laburnum spp.)

Fine, silvery w ood, good for randing, bu t be aware
that all parts of this tree are poisonous.
Privet (L igu stru m spp.)
Fine, greyish rods. G ood for side w eaving.
Peach (P runus persica)
Short bu t colourful pink shoots, useful for French
randing.
Vine.
Vine (V itis spp.)
Long, jointed grow ths w ith elaborate tendrils are
pruned each year and can be used w ith great effect.
Weigela (W eigela spp.)
Long, reddish-brow n stems. O nly used as w eavers.

31
Useful trees, shrubs and climbers

Wild prunings
Ash (F raxin u s spp.)
Long, stout shoots found in regularly trim m ed
h e d g e s m a k e e x c e lle n t h a n d le b o w s. V e ry
distinctive in the roadside hedge, being head and
shoulders above the rest.
Ash.

Wild dogwood.
the hedge. The variety w ith leaves that turn the
deepest purple in the autum n produces the best-
coloured w ood. Once you have recognised this
shrub you w ill w onder w hy you w ere never aware
of it before.

Blackthorn or sloe (Prunus spinosa)

Like its fruit the sloe, the wood has a purplish
bloom . But it also has fiendish, spiky thorns w hich
have to be cut off before use. Traditionally this
tough w ood was used to make such diverse objects
as the teeth for hay rakes, w alking sticks and Irish
shillelaghs (cudgels). M aking a useful basket from
such an inhospitable, thorny hedging plant I regard
as a challenge.

Dogwood (C ornus spp.) Elm.

N ot as pliable as the garden version, but can be
used as side stakes as w ell as w eavers after a
p articu larly dry su m m er. R e g u larly trim m ed
hedges produce a large quantity of fine stem s of
equal size. Good, deep purple colour especially if
found grow ing on the sunny, south-facing side of
Elm (U lm us spp.)
M any varieties of elm shoots can be used, but m y
favourite has a corky-textured bark w hich is w orth
looking out for. It can only be used in big baskets as
the bu tt end is very thick. It usually needs to be
soaked for a few hours unless used fairly fresh.

32
 Useful trees, shrubs and climbers

Field maple (A cer cam pestre)

G inger-brow n shoots often have fissured texture
not unlike some varieties of elm.

Hazel (C orylus spp.)

Traditionally, gypsy baskets w ere m ade of this, but
com pared w ith other w oods it is dull and tends to
crack if ben t at right angles. H ow ever, it is a useful
side w eaver and is usually plentiful in roadside
hedges. (The catkins are a special bonus, see also
the entry under 'Sp ecial textures' below ).

Field maple.
Hazel.

Spindle.
Spindle (E uonym us spp.)
One of the few green-coloured w oods that can
retain vestiges of its natural colour, if used fairly
fresh. The straight green shoots have attractive thin
reddish-brow n vertical lines.

Yew (T axus spp.)

N orm ally too little grow th is m ade in a year, but I
include it because I once found a long new shoot in
a dark corner of a w ood that m ade an unusual
'scaly' handle bow . Please rem em ber that this tree
is poisonous.

33
Useful trees, shrubs and climbers

Special textures
These are the w oods that give particular character
to a hedgerow basket.

Alder (A lnus spp.)

N eeds to be picked early w hen the m ale catkins are
still hard and the fem ale catkins are violet-coloured.
M ature cones w ill not survive any w ear and tear
and are best rem oved.

Australian bottlebrush (C allistem on spp.)

Alder. Som e good textures can be discovered quite by
chance. I w as given some pruned branches from a
W eeping birch.
ram pant bush that w as going to be burned - 1 found
th a t b o th th e seed p od s and th e le av e s are
surprisingly sturdy and resilient, even m onths after
being w oven into a basket.

Birch (Betula spp.)

A clearing of self-seeded saplings is a m agnificent
sight on a sunny w inter's day. The fine, bushy
branches are rough on the hands, bu t they do
provide a good, colourful contrast for the side
w eaving. D rooping branches from the w eeping
birch (Betula pendula) have purplish-brow n catkins.
If cut early in w inter, w hen they are still very tight
and hard, m any of these catkins w ill rem ain after
being w oven into a decorative basket.

Broom (C ytisus spp.)

Produces vigorous bushy branches if regularly
pruned. The dark green colour is best retained if
kept in a dry place after cutting. Soak if necessary
for a few hours before use.

Corkscrew hazel (C orylus avellan a contorta)

A b ra n c h fro m a m a tu re tree w ill g iv e an
interestingly tw isted handle or create an unusual
basis for a fram e basket.

O Corkscrew hazel.
34
Useful trees, shrubs and climbers

35
Useful trees, shrubs and climbers

Larch.

36
 Useful trees, shrubs and climbers

Hazel (C orylu s spp.)

If picked and used early in the season, shoots w ith
undeveloped catkins are very decorative in a small
basket. Fine side shoots on these stem s add to the
texture.

Larch (Larix spp.)

Cones are surprisingly tenacious. A n attractive
addition to the side weaving, though they m ay need
to be soaked in hot water for an hour before use.

Magnolia (M agn olia spp.) Hazel catkins woven with willow and red dogwood.
N ot a tree to prune regularly, b u t surprisingly the
young grow th w ith tight, velvety flow er buds can
be woven. (I discovered this by accident w hen a
large lorry broke a branch of m y M agnolia salicifolia).

Mistletoe (V iscum album )

Yellow y-green leaves and stem s can som etim es be
com bined and w oven w ith other, m ore bushy,
w oods. Rap dow n carefully as the short, jointed
stem s are brittle w hen dry. (M istletoe that has been
used to decorate the house at Christm as and New
Y ear is usually too dry to w eave w ith after it is
discarded on Tw elfth N i g h t . . . so leave some
outside to w eather slow ly!)

Oak (Q uercus spp.)

Look in hedges for young shoots w hich have oak
Magnolia.
apples, form ed by the gall w asp grub.

Pussy w illow (Salix caprea, cin erea or discolor)

A general nam e given to any of these varieties of
w illow , grow ing in the wild. Branches need to be
cut long before the silvery m ale catkins develop
into balls of yellow pollen. N ew shoots are short
and stout, but the shiny 'pussies' are a definite plus.
All w illow s - there are hundreds of varieties - have
catkins w hich vary in size and colour; bu t only a
few cling resolutely to the branch after drying out.

Whortleberry or blueberry (V accinium spp.)

Careful pruning will produce short, bushy branches
that are a textural bonus. The colour of the green
stem s w ill som etim es keep better if they are cut,
kept in a dry, dark place, then soaked for a short
tim e in hot w ater before use. Oak.

37
How to make a simple round basket
A sim ple round basket is a good design to attem pt
first. Do not expect a perfect, round basket - the
shape will im prove with practice. M ore importantly,
choose w oods w ith good colour and texture. Your
finished basket w ill be individual and far more
appealing than its cane cousin - and the aroma of
some w oods w ill be an everlasting bonus.
A ny of the m aterials m entioned in the 'U seful
trees, shrubs and clim bers' chapter can be used as
w eavers, but the side stakes are best m ade from
w illow or one of the garden dogw oods, as they
have to be fairly pliable w hen they are bent dow n to
becom e the border.
As in any craft, the traditionalist w ill say that
there is a 'right' and a 'w ron g' w ay to do things.
H ow ever, never be put off from trying out your
ow n variations. If it is strong and looks right, then
it is 'right'.
The instructions included in this book are m ore
suitable for right-handed people. If you are left-
handed, you m ay prefer to w ork in the opposite
direction and the instructions w ill therefore
need to be reversed. It m ay also prove easier if
the diagram s are view ed through a mirror.
38
Basic stages
There are seven basic stages for this basket:
• C hoose the m aterials: decide on the colour
schem e of your basket and collect the necessary
m aterials.
• The base: m ade by form ing a 'slath ' w ith six
strong, stoutish sticks. These are bound together
firm ly and then a 'pairing w eave', w ith fine rods, is
used to separate each base stick to form a spoked-
w heel shape.
• The fram ew ork: long rods are inserted either
side of each base stick and bent upw ards to form
the fram ew ork of the basket.
• The 'u p sett': the side stakes are held in place
w ith a firm band of upsett w eaving know n as
'w aling'.
• The sides: various w eaves can be used to build
up the sides of the basket, finishing w ith another
band of waling.
• The border: at the required height the side
stakes are bent over and w oven into a decorative
edge.
• The finishing process.
All these stages are described in m ore detail in the
follow ing pages.
Som etim es rods w ill snap as you are w orking.
This is not a disaster. Sim ply cut off the broken
rod, insert a new one beside it and carry on.
t> The simple round basket made to the instructions
described in this chapter.
How to make a simple round basket

Choosing the materials The hase

Any w ood that passes the w rist test (see page 13)
will do. H ow ever, it is im portant to rem em ber the
follow ing points: the base sticks m ust be the stoutest;
the side stakes should be both strong and pliable
(especially at the point w here the border w ill begin);
1. U sing the screw driver (or bodkin), pierce holes
and the w eavers should alw ays be the fin e s t.. . but
through the centre of three base sticks. Tw ist the
as colourful, textured and adventurous as you like.
screw driver slightly to elongate the split and create
To com plete the basket you w ill need the m ateri­
w hat is know n as a 'sm ile'.
als listed below . The am ounts quoted are only
approxim ate, and it is alw ays advisable to gather
extras to allow for the replacem ent of rods that
break.
• Six base sticks, all of pencil thickness and about
30 cm (12 in) long. 2. 'Slype' (sharpen) the tip ends of the unslit
sticks. This can be done w ith a sharp knife or the
• Tw o or four long lengths of a fine, trailing plant
such as bram ble (Rubus spp.), w ild dog rose (Rosa
canina), stripped honeysuckle (L oniceraspp.), akebia
(Akebia spp.) etc. You m ay need to soak them for a
short time.
• Tw enty-four slender rods for base pairing, eight
slightly thicker than the rest.
• Tw enty-four side stakes (preferably w illow or
dogw ood) about 75 cm (30 in) long. They should all
be of a sim ilar thickness at about 45 cm (18 in) from
the tip (thin) end. This is w here they will be bent
dow n for the border and it is im portant to choose
pliable rods that are not too thick at this point. 3. Thread a slyped stick through the pierced sticks,
• Tw elve fine w aling rods for the upsett (willow or one at a time, ensuring you alternate the 'tip s' and
dogw ood are best). 'butts' (thin and thick ends).

• A quantity of w eavers.
• Tw elve top w aling rods.
• A pair of secateurs, a screw driver and a knitting
needle.
A com plete set of tools used in basketm aking is
given earlier in the book. H ow ever, for this, your
first basket, only the secateurs, a screw driver and a
knitting needle are really crucial.

4. Thread the other two sticks in a sim ilar way,

again ensuring that you alternate the tips and butts.
You now have a cross-shaped slath.

40

5. H old the slath in your left hand and insert the
trim m ed tips of two pieces of bram ble, etc., into one
side of the smile. Leave one of the pieces at the
front. Take the other piece behind the three base
sticks and back to the front.
6. Securing the right-hand w eaver w ith your left
thum b, take the left-hand w eaver across the first
three sticks, behind the next three and round to the
front again. A s you do this, turn the slath a quarter-
turn anticlockw ise.
7. R e p e a t th is b in d in g m o v e m e n t, alw ay s
w orking w ith the new left-hand weaver and pinning
dow n the other end w ith your left thum b, until you
have com pleted tw o rounds. This w eaving stroke
is called 'pairing'.
How to make a simple round basket
8. N ow gently prise one of the sticks to the side,
taking care not to crack it. Take the w eaver round
to the back of this stick, pull it dow n firm ly and
then bring it back to the front.
9. Continue pairing in this way. Treat each base
stick separately, easing the sticks into the shape of
a spoked wheel.
A tight w eave at this early stage w ill help to
ensure a strong basket.
10. Join in the other long pieces, as necessary,
using a 'pairing jo in '. A lw ays m atch tip ends to tips
and butt ends to butts. The new rod is placed to the
left of, and under, the old end. In this w ay the new
w eaver holds the old end in place. The ends are
trim m ed off later.
41
How to make a simple round basket

Start using the base pairing rods as soon as the

spoked-w heel shape is established. U se the finer
rods first, alw ays checking the position of the spoke
sticks. Ease them into place w ith each pairing
stroke.

12. ' Pick off' or trim the ends w ith secateurs, cutting
them diagonally so they rest firm ly against a stake
and cannot slip through the gap.
Finish the base w ith tips, taking the last strokes
11. I like to w ork w ith two sets of w eavers opposite under the previous row of w eaving to stop them
each other, especially on larger baskets, as it is unravelling.
easier to achieve a regular shape. W hen the first
long pieces run out, join in one pair of w eavers
there and start off another pair on the opposite side
of the base by inserting the trim m ed tips under the
previous row of w eaving. Carry on pairing w ith
each group, taking care not to let one overtake the
other.

13. If necessary, secure the w eaving tem porarily

Half-finished base made with two sets o f weavers. Pegs
can be used to keep the weavers in place whenever you
need a break.
by tying it across w ith tw o pieces of thin string.
Trim the base sticks level w ith the outside edge.
A slightly dom ed base w ill not w obble. You can
encourage this shape by bending it over your knee
from tim e to tim e as you work.

42
 How to make a simple round basket

The framework
Staking up Pricking up
Belly

Back
Each rod has a natural curve when flexed.

Slype the butts of the side stakes. You w ill see that
each rod has a natural curve w hen flexed. If you
w ant the basket to have vertical sides, slype on the
'belly 7 of the rod; if the basket is to be m ore bow l­
shaped, slype on the 'b ack 7.

2. Turn the base over (cut sides facing down) and

lay this 'spider's w eb' on the floor w ith a w eight on
it. Using your thum bnail, indent the rod close to the
base and gently bend each stake up, letting it go
after the kink is made.

1. W ith the underside of the basket facing you,

insert a rod through the w eaving on either side of
each base stick, cut-side upperm ost. It is easier to
do this if you first create a channel w ith a bodkin or
knitting needle, dipped in tallow or petroleum
jelly, if necessary. Push the rod in as far as it w ill go.
Repeat this w ith all the side stakes.

43
How to make a simple round basket

'immi
mm
I, ;•

3. Gather up the stakes, two at a time, from opposite 4. Tie the stakes together w ith string. The fram e­
sides. w ork is now com plete and ready for the next stage.

44

The upsett
The upsett is w orked w ith a three-rod wale. A more
even basket is produced if the w ale is m ade with
tw o sets of w eavers, each 'chasing' the other round
the basket.
How to make a simple round basket
1. Trim the tips of six w aling rods. Insert three of
them to the left of one of the side stakes and the
other three to the left of the stake that is directly
opposite.
45
How to make a simple round basket

Each w eaver should be firm ly pulled dow n both

at the back and at the front on each stroke. Try to
avoid a gap betw een the base pairing and the side
w aling.

2 . W orking w ith one set of weavers, take the middle

one of the three rods (B) behind one stake and out
to the front. N ow pass another rod (A) behind two
stakes and out to the front. You now have three
w eavers com ing through separate gaps.

5. W hen these two groups of w eavers run out,

3. U sing the left-hand w eaver (C), take it in front
of two stakes, behind one and bring it to the front.
Repeat this stroke, alw ays using the new left-hand
w eaver.
join in the other six w alers using a 'w aling jo in '. Lay
a new rod beside and to the right of the old end,
m atching butts to butts and tips to tips.
As you w ale these early rounds, check that the
stakes are being coaxed evenly into place and the
w eaving is pressed dow n firmly.
If you have used string to secure the base, you
can usually undo it w hen two or three rounds of
w aling are completed.

4. Before catching up w ith the other set, start the

second group in the same way. N ever allow the
groups to overtake each other.

46
 How to make a simple round basket

The sides
W hen w eaving the sides I often find it easier to
w ork w ith the basket on a table, or a tall stool, but
you can carry on w orking w ith it on your lap if you
prefer.

2. Rap the w eave dow n gently after a few rounds.

If you w ant to w eave a thin band of a more
textural w ood like larch, w hich has cones that take
up extra space, ju st w ork w ith one set of w eavers
for this part.
Carry on w eaving until the basket is about 10 to
15 cm (4 to 6 in) high, including as m uch contrast
and variety as you like.

1. W eaving the sides allow s plenty of scope for the

im agination. Choose w oods w ith both colour and
texture - you will be surprised at the variety it is
possible to achieve.
A sim ple pairing w eave (in front of one stake,
behind the next and out to the front, using two rods
alternately) is best for your first basket. O ther types
of w eaves are described in the 'V ariations in design
3. Finish the sides w ith another band of three-rod
and w eave' chapter.
waling. Rap dow n again.
Join tw o w eavers at the points w here each group
The essential rule to rem em ber is that the weavers
of w aling rods finished and w ork as before, w ith
m ust be thinner than the stakes; otherw ise the
two groups on opposite sides.
stakes w ill be w eakened and kinked by the heavier
m aterial. You m ay find later that you are always
w anting to use heavier w eavers - the answ er then
is to use bye stakes and four-rod randing (see pages
62 and 64).

47
How to make a simple round basket
The border
There are m any types of borders that can be used.
For this, your first basket, I recom m end a plain
three-rod border, described below . There are lots of
others and some are m entioned on pages 58 to 62.
1. M ake a kink in all the stakes over a piece of w ood
abou t 1 cm (3/s in ) th ick (or ab o u t tw ice the
diam eter of the stakes at this point).
2. Carefully bend dow n stake A and pass it behind
stake B and out to the front. Repeat w ith the next
two upright stakes (B and C) to arrive at the position
show n above.
First three stakes being brought down as described in
step 2, at the start of the border.
48
The first few stakes that are w oven in the border
m ust not be pulled too tight; there m ust be room to
thread the last stakes through them at the end of the
border.
D E
3. Take the left-hand one of the three stakes (A)
and pass it loosely in front of the upright stake (D),
behind the next (E) and then back out to the front.
N ow bend the left-hand upright stake (D) dow n
so that it lies flat beside stake A as show n above.
4. Repeat step 3 w ith the other two sets of stakes (B
and E) and (C and F), so that you have three pairs of
stakes in front.
G H
5. Ignore the left-hand stake (A) of the left-hand
pair (this w ill be picked off later) and taking the
right-hand one (D), repeat step 3. Carry on in this
w ay around the basket, alw ays using the right-
hand rod of the left-hand pair.

Finishing off
W hen there is only one vertical stake left, the final
horizontal rods have to be threaded into place. This
can be tricky to do at first w ithout kinking the rods
badly. A n alternative bu t less satisfactory m ethod
of finishing, w hich is know n as 'cram m ing off', is
also described at the end of this section.
Before w orking the rods through this final stage
it m ay be necessary to soften them by firm ly
running them through finger and thum b.
w X Y
1. W hen only one upright stake rem ains w eavers
w ill be arranged as show n above.
z less satisfactory than the one described earlier.
A B C
2. Ignore the left-hand rod of the left-hand horizontal
pair and take the right-hand one (W) in front of the
upright stake (Z) and back through the loop made
by the first rod that w as bent dow n (A). The final
upright rod (Z) is then threaded beside it.
x Y z
3. A gain ignoring the left-hand rod in each of the
final three pairs, finish by taking each right-hand
rod (X, Y and Z) in front of tw o stakes and behind
one before threading it through into the pattern.
How to make a simple round basket
z .! i!
4. Finally, w hen all the w eavers have been inserted
and the border is as illustrated above, trim all the
ends w ith secateurs. M ake neat, diagonal cuts and
ensure that each end lies against an upright stake.
This final operation is called 'picking off'.
Do not despair if the result is not perfectly
e v e n . . . you are not using a m achine-m ade
p lastic. H alf th e ap p eal of w o rk in g w ith
hedgerow w oods is that they inevitably display
a rustic, country character of their own.
Cramming off - an alternative method
This is an easier m ethod of finishing a border, bu t is
5. A fter threading through the final upright stake,
take the next horizontal rod, kink it w ith your
thum bnail w here it m eets the third border stake
and slype the end about 5 cm (2 in) below this. Use
the greased bodkin to open the pathw ay, then tap
dow n the cram. This is a sim pler, but w eaker, w ay
of finishing and can be used if the rods are 'tired '
and easily kinked. Finish the basket by picking off
the ends as described above.
49
Variations in design and weaves
Once you have m ade the sim ple round basket
described in the previous chapter you will have
learned m any of the basic skills of the craft. N ow try
out som e of these variations. You will be surprised
w hat you can achieve w ith different m aterials and
just a little im agination.
I tend to concentrate on round and oval shapes
w hen w orking w ith hedgerow m aterials because
the m ore interesting, textural w oods cannot usually
be bent around tight corners.
Dingestow garden basket - note the lovely blue of the daphnoides
willow. The handle is madefrom a sweet chestnut sucker.
50
Shaping the sides
The shape of the sides of any basket can be altered
by pulling out, or pushing in, the side stakes as you
weave. It is easier to give the basket a 'w aist7, or
increase the outw ard flow of a garden basket if you
do a few rounds of French randing as you change
the shape. This procedure is described on page 64.
Follow the randing w ith a band of w aling, to
establish and control the new outline.

Oval baskets
The m ethod of m aking an oval basket is very
sim ilar to that for the round one described earlier,
except for the details about starting the base.
A n oval base needs base sticks of two lengths.
They should be about 5 cm (2 in) longer than the
actual basket size. The num ber you use depends on
the design, bu t three, four or five long ones and six
or seven short ones usually m eets m ost needs.
D ouble sticks are needed at each end.
1. Thread the long sticks through the pierced short
ones and arrange them so that w hen you open the
stakes out and pair round them individually, they
w ill form a uniform oval shape.
2. Bind the slath w ith two sets of w eavers, using
'reverse pairing' for one set as described on page 63.
This type of binding helps to counteract the natural
tendency of an oval base to distort. After completing
two rounds start opening out the base sticks and
pairing round them individually. Continue as for
the round base.
Variations in design and weaves
W hen staking up you m ay find you only need to
insert one stake for each base stick on the straight
sides. If the stakes are too close together, only very
fine w eavers can be used. The rounded ends need
stakes on both sides of each base stick in order to
achieve a pleasing outw ard flow to the design.
Frame baskets
This is an alternative way of w eaving a basket and
utilises a prepared fram ew ork of a rim and pre­
form ed ribs. The rim can be a regular round or oval
shape or, if you w ant to m ake som ething a bit more
individual, you can also use a naturally irregular­
shaped branch as a basis.
The rim and ribs m ust be m ade at least a few
w eeks in advance to allow the shape to 'set' and dry
out.
A lthough it is fun and satisfying to m ake a frame
basket, I find that only w illow and bram ble can be
successfully w oven round such tight corners.
Round or oval frame
Select a strong w illow rod, about 215 cm (7 ft) long,
for the rim. Thick pieces of w ild bram ble or dog
rose are also very suitable. Shape the w ood by
coiling it inside a m ould, such as a large preserving
pan, and leave it to dry out for a w eek or tw o. This
is easier than trying to coax the rod into shape while
you splice and join the ends.
Butt end
1. Before the rod is com pletely dry m ake a long,
scarfed join leaving an overlap of about 15 cm
(6 in).
51
Variations in design and weaves
2. Tem porarily bind the jo in w ith m asking tape -
this is rem oved as the w eaving progresses. C heck
the shape of the rim from tim e to tim e; w hen it is
thoroughly dry you can start to m ake the basket.
3. M ake the ribs from thick rods w hich have been
split lengthw ise. Split a rod b y m aking a small cut
at the butt end.
4. G radually coax the split to travel dow n the rod,
controlling it w ith your thum bs.
If one half gets too thick, it is easy to regulate the
split by exerting a little m ore pressure w ith the
thum b on the thicker side.
C arefully shave these split ribs w ith a knife,
paring aw ay som e of the soft core bu t m aintaining
a regular thickness. Bevel the sharp angles of the
sides.
52
5. Bind pairs of ribs together w ith pieces of m asking
tape and gently bend into shape. You w ill probably
need three pairs for each basket. Secure them
together w ith string and leave to set. C heck the
shape occasionally and, as w ith the rim , w hen they
are thoroughly dry you can start the basket.
6. W orking at one end of the basket, attach the first
pair of ribs to the rim. U sing a fine w illow w eaver
rand around the fram ew ork, w eaving in and out of
the ribs and around the rim.
Continue r anding until you reach the point w here
the next pair of ribs are to be added.

7. Slype the next pair of ribs and push them through
the w eaving to lie neatly against the inside of the
rim.
You w ill find the w eaving needs to be b u ilt up at
the edges. Sim ply take the w eaver around the rim
one extra tim e to keep the line m ore or less straight.
A ll joins on this basket should be butt to tip. Try
and vary w here the joins come; alternatively you
can treat the joins as an im portant part of the design
and ensure they alw ays occur on, say, the two
central ribs.
W hen you can, add the final tw o ribs in the same
w ay as described above.
W hen all the ribs have been added start w orking
at the other end of the basket, binding the first two
ribs in exactly the same w ay as before. W ork towards
the centre from both ends, inserting the other ends
of the ribs into the w eaving. By the time you reach
the centre the w eaving line should be straight.
V Ovalframe basket - madeentirely ofde-thorned brambles,
including the root of one of the long pieces.
Variations in design and weaves
Free-form frame basket
The m ethod of w eaving described above can also
b e ap p lied w h en u sin g an irre g u la r-sh a p e d
fram ew ork of tw isted w ood.
The rim can be m ade by m aking a scarfed join, or
you can take two distorted pieces and bind them
together at each end. A lternatively, a long piece
can be w rapped round itself to form a rough ring;
use a knife to trim the ends neatly to fit in w ith the
design of the basket.
L o o k fo r w o o d th a t is f in g e r - th ic k an d
interestingly crooked. W ild honeysuckle that has
had to scram ble around branches in a gloom y
w ood for a few years w ill often provide stim ulating
m aterial for m aking this type of basket. There are
also tw o garden trees w hich are easy to grow and
ideal for the rim - the tw isted w illow (Salix tortuosa)
and the corkscrew hazel (Corylus contorta).
A Irregular orfree-formframebaskets. Thepart-completed
one on the right illustrates the method ofweavingfrom both
ends into the middle of the basket. Note that two ribs still
have to be inserted into the weaving at the top end. Note also
that all the joins have been made against the two central
ribs.
53
Variations in design and weaves

Handles
A sh rods m ake strong, sim ple handles for a sm all
basket and are a good foundation for the m ore
conventional 'rop ed ' handles. Choose rods that are
betw een pencil and finger thickness. The black
buds are an added feature, though you m ay w ant
to shave them off if you are w rapping the handle
w ith fine rods.

M ake a handle 'bow ' by gently bending the rod and

tying into shape. Leave in a w arm place for at least Yellow handle liners inserted in the sides of the basket.
a w eek to set, checking and correcting its shape
from time to time.

A simple handle
Handle liners W hen the border of your basket is finished rem ove
These are thick extra pieces of w illow that are the tem porary handle liners.
tem porarily inserted in the side w eaving to keep a
space open for the handle (see above right). They Belly

should be taller than the eventual height of the

basket so that they can be rem oved easily. 1.

Slype one end of the liner and push it right dow n
(as far as the first w aling, if possible) to the left of
and beside an upright stake. Repeat on the opposite
side of the basket. C ontinue w eaving until the
border is com pleted, treating the liner and its
neighbouring stake as if they w ere ju st one stake.
1. Slype the ends of the handle bow on the belly.
Insert and then rem ove a w ell-greased bodkin into
the space left by the handle liners. Push both ends
of the handle dow n into place.
The handle is secured w ith fine pegs of dry
w illow that are pushed through the handle to stop
it being pulled out - a procedure called 'pegging
the bow '. Insert a greased skew er, or bradaw l,
diagonally through the handle, betw een the row s
of top waling.

54
 Variations in design and weaves

Use a bodkin to m ake a space betw een the w aling

on the left-hand side of the handle (seen from the
inside). Thread the rods, one at a time, through to
the outside of the basket and leave them until later.

2. Rem ove the skew er and then tap the slyped end
of a short piece of dry w illow , no m ore than 3 m m
( Vs in) thick, through the slit. Cut both ends of the
peg to leave it flush w ith the sides of the basket.

A roped handle
Fine rods are w rapped around the handle bow to
m ake a m ore substantial and stronger handle.
After pegging the bow select eight to tw elve
slender rods (w illow is usually best because the
rods m ust be very pliable) and slype them on the
belly.
Insert three or four of the rods - depending on
size - dow n into the w eave on the left side of each
end of the handle. A greased bodkin w ill help to
ease a pathw ay.

2. N ow repeat the procedure w ith the second

group of rods, starting on the other side of the
basket. If there are still gaps in the w rapping you
can insert an extra rod or tw o and try to ease them
in to fit the space.

1. Taking one set of rods as a group, w rap them

round the bow three or four times, w ith evenly
spaced gaps, until you reach the other end of the A sparsely wrapped handle can look attractive if you
handle. They should end up on the inside of the choose a coloured willozv handle bow as an intended
basket, close to the border. feature of the design.

55
Variations in design and weaves

Herring-bone finish
A herring-bone finish is an attractive alternative
m ethod of finishing the w rapping rods.
W rap the handle as described in steps 1 and 2 in
the above section, ending w ith the w rapping rods
on the outside of the basket.

3. Take the ends (all together) from (A), diagonally

across the handle to the inside of the basket (B),
rou n d the h an d le (C) and d iag o n ally across
them selves back to the outside. N ow pass them
through the w aling to the inside (D).

V iew ed from the

inside o f the basket
1. Take individual rods, starting w ith the one
nearest the handle, from (A), diagonally across the
handle to the inside of the basket (B), round the
handle (C), diagonally back across itself (D) and
then thread it through the w aling to the inside of
the basket.

4. M ake a rope-like tw ist w ith the ends (A) and

thread them through the w aling (B) to the outside,
keeping a good tension, and then take the ends back
through to the inside again (C).
Finish off by w eaving them individually, in and
out of the waling.
Repeat steps 3 and 4 for the ends at the other side 2. Repeat w ith each rod in turn, keeping the rods
of the basket. firm ly on top of each other and the tension tight.
Finish as before, tw isting the rods into a fine rope
and threading them through the w aling to the
outside, then back to the inside, before w eaving
away the ends.

56
 Variations in design and weaves

Side handles
For a large log basket, side handles can be made
around a sm all handle bow in a sim ilar m anner to
that described earlier. O n sm aller baskets, how ever,
side handles are best m ade w ith two long, stoutish
rods (once again w illow is the m ost reliable).
It is usually necessary to 'tw ist' the rods for this
latter type of handle. This involves breaking up the
fibre of the rod and tw isting it like a rope so that it
can travel round tight corners w ithout kinking. It is
a difficult technique bu t I m anaged quite w ell at
first by w inding the rod tightly around a bottle to
m ake it m ore pliable. H ow ever, like everything
2. Take up the first rod (A) again and w ind it round
else, it is an acquired skill that com es w ith practice.
the handle in the rem aining gaps.
The m ethod I use is given below .
W eave away the ends.

Twisting w illow rods

Som etim es, particularly w hen m aking sm all side
handles, it is necessary to tw ist w illow rods, thereby
breaking up the fibre som ew hat, in order to pass
the rod around very tight corners w ithout kinking.
Secure the butt end in the basket and grasp the
rod in your left hand, about 15 cm (6 in) from its tip.
Now, using your right hand, roll the tip of the rod
betw een finger and thum b and then w ind the tip
round and round, as if cranking a handle, until the
fibres are broken apart.
1. Slype and insert tw o rods (A and B) into the As each 15 cm (6 in) section is tw isted, m ove the
'sid in g', one beside each of two stakes that are left hand dow n the rod and repeat this w inding
about a hand's w idth apart. The right-hand rod (A) operation.
should be slightly thicker than the other as it acts as W hen using the rod to m ake the handle, etc., re­
the bow. tw ist each section as you w ork w ith it.
W ith the outside of the basket facing you, bend
the right-hand rod (A) over in a bow shape and
thread it through the waling, to the left of the other
handle rod (B) and into the inside of the basket,
leaving enough space for a hand to fit comfortably.
Take the second handle rod (B) and w ind it
evenly around the bow rod (A) three tim es before
threading it, to the right of the bow rod, through the
w aling to the inside of the basket.
N ow take it back to the left of the bow rod, wind
it under and round the handle again and thread it
through the w aling to the inside.

57
Variations in design and weaves
Borders
The three-rod plain border used in the m aking of
the basket in the previous chapter is a strong yet
simple one to master. The border can also be w orked
as a four- or five-rod border by bringing down extra
rods at the beginning, alw ays w orking w ith four or
five pairs of rods in front. H ow ever, there are m any
other variations and som e are described below.
If you are using farm ed w illow for the basket the
rods should be given an extra soak before starting
any border.
Four-rod-behind-two border
This is an attractive, slightly w ider border that can
also be w orked w ith five or even six rods. For a
successful border to be achieved the stakes m ust be
close together; otherwise a very loose, wobbly edge
will result.
M ake a kink in all the stakes ju st above the
w aling, as described in the previous chapter.
A B C D E F
1. Bring dow n four stakes to the front, passing each
behind tw o upright stakes and out to the front as
shown.
58
Four-rod-behind-two border.
E F G
2. Take the left-hand rod (A) loosely in front of two
upright stakes (E and F), behind the next (G) and
out to the front. N ow bend the upright stake (E)
dow n to lie beside (A).
F G H I
3. Repeat step 2, w ith the next three sets of stakes
(B and F, C and G, and D and H), so that you have
four pairs of stakes in front.
Carry on like this, alw ays w orking w ith the
right-hand rod of the left-hand pair, continuing the
pattern of going in front of tw o uprights and behind
one until there are only tw o uprights left.
At first the instructions for some of the borders
may sound impossibly complicated, much like
some knitting patterns appear to me - but please
do not panic! If you feel you are getting in a
muddle, just look carefully at a completed section
of the border. It should be possible to see the
pattern that you are aiming to repeat.

First stakes taken down
4. The next tw o horizontal w eavers (U and V) are
each threaded under the first stakes that w ere bent
dow n (A and B) and the last uprights (Y and Z) are
threaded beside them.
A B C D
5. The last four w eavers com plete the pattern by
passing them in front of three stakes and behind
one stake.
Plaited border
This border design m akes an im pressive finish.
The stakes should not be too close together because
they could then kink quite easily in the wrong
places.
Plaited border.
Variations in design and weaves
Find three extra rods, the sam e thickness as the
upright stakes, and two short pieces of w illow to
use as markers.
A B C
1. Place a m arker (Mi) to the right of an upright
stake (A) and bend the stake over it at 90 degrees.
Put the butt of one of the extra rods (R i) beside it and
on top of the m arker. Leave about 10 cm (4 in)
projecting inside the basket.
Repeat w ith the second m arker (M 2 ), the second
extra rod (R 2 ) and the next stake (B).
2. G ently curve the left-hand pair (A and Ri) over
the second pair (B and R 2 ) and in front of the next
upright stake (C) to the inside of the basket. Do not
pull them tightly.
59
Variations in design and weaves
3. Bring dow n the next upright (C) on top of the
curved pair (w hich now act as the m arker) and lay
the third extra rod (R 3 ) beside it, projecting inside as
before. You now have two pairs at the front and one
inside the basket.
4. Curve the next pair (R 2 and B) over the next (C
and R 3 ) and in front of one u pright (D) to the inside
of the basket. There are now tw o pairs on the inside
and one on the outside.
5. N ow take the left-hand inside pair (R1 and A)
over the other inside pair (R2 and B) to the outside,
bringing the upright stake (D) dow n beside them.
You w ill now find you have three rods in a group
rather than a pair (D, A and Ri). In the follow ing
steps leave the right-hand rod (Ri for exam ple)
behind each time - it w ill be picked off later.
60
G
6. C ontinue w orking round the basket, alw ays
using the left-hand two rods in each left-hand
group, until you are back at the beginning.
z w
7. The tem porary m arkers m ake the finishing-off
easier. Rem ove the first m arker and, w ith the help
of a greased bodkin, thread the left-hand pair (V
and Y) to the inside, follow ing the path of the first
m arker (over one pair, under one pair).
The second pair (Z and W ) is then w orked in a
sim ilar w ay and taken to the inside, follow ing the
path of the second m arker (M 2 ).
As the border nears com pletion all rods should
be gently w orked betw een finger and thum b to
prevent kinks in the w rong place.
U X V Y W Z
8.
8. N ow finish off the projecting bu tt ends (Ri, R 2
and R 3 ) you inserted at the beginning. Pull each
inside pair to the left and insert a bu tt through the
gap, under the border, to the front.

9. Finally, take the right-hand rod of each of the
three pairs (Z, Y and X) on the inside of the basket
out to the front, continuing the pattern. Either cut
off the other rods (U, V and W ) inside the basket, or
finish off by threading them through, inconspicu­
ously, to the outside.
Double-staked border
O n a big basket you m ay find that the gap betw een
stakes at border height is too wide. U sing a greased
bodkin, insert an extra rod beside each stake and
use these pairs as if they w ere one w hen w eaving
the border. This m akes a m ore substantial border
for the larger basket.
Double-staked border.
Variations in design and weaves
Follow-on border
This is a w ay of m aking a border slightly w ider and
stronger. I use it quite often as it gives the basket a
solid rim.
Follow-on border.
After com pleting the original border, do not
trim the long, tapering ends of the side stakes.
Instead, use them to weave a plait on the rim of the
basket. Add three extra rods of a sim ilar thickness
and use two short pieces as m arkers, as before. Take
care not to pull the first few strokes too tightly, so
that there is sufficient room to thread the last stakes
into the pattern, as you finish off.
61
Variations in design and weaves

Bye stakes
Bye stakes are extra side stakes inserted after the
upsett to give greater strength to the basket. They
are particularly useful in hedgerow w ork as they
m ake it possible to w ork w ith thicker w eavers
w hich w ould otherw ise be too strong for m ost side
stakes.
Calculate the finished height of the basket and
cut the appropriate num ber of bye stakes to this
m easurem ent. Slype the thinner ends and, using a
greased bodkin, insert one to the right of each stake,
soon after com pleting the bottom wale.
If using farm ed w illow bye stakes, it is not
necessary to soak them first of all.
Just before w orking the border, cut the tops of
the extra stakes flush w ith the last row of waling.

Bye stakes inserted to the right of side stakes.

Foot border.
Foot border
This is a border w hich is w orked on the underside
of the basket. It is particularly useful if w oven in
buff or w hite w illow on a basket that is likely to
have a good deal of w ear (a log basket for exam ple).
It can also be very decorative if added to any basket
and can be useful to hide an uneven, w obbly base!
A fter finishing the top border turn the basket
upside dow n and, w ith the help of a greased bodkin,
insert stakes through the w eaving beside each side
stake.
W ork a few row s of w aling, rap dow n firmly,
then w eave a border. If there is plenty of space
betw een the rods a plaited border is attractive, bu t
if they are closer together a three- or four-rod
border is best. (M ake sure you choose rods that are
fine enough, otherw ise you w ill end up w ith a
bum py base that still rocks unevenly).

62

Alternative weaves
A lthough it is a good idea to keep the w eave simple
w hen using hedgerow w oods, there are several
different w eaving strokes you can try.
Reverse pairing
This is like an ordinary pairing w eave except that
the two rods are inserted from the back. The left-
hand w eaver com es over the other w eaver to the
front, around the stake and out to the back again.
W hen a w eaver runs out m ake a join by inserting
the new w eaver from the back, under the old end.
A n oval base needs two sets of w eavers to tie in
the slath. If one set is w orked w ith reverse pairing
it w ill prevent the base from w arping.
I find it useful to use tw o sets of w eavers on any
hedgerow base as it m akes a very tight weave.
For a round basket tie in the slath w ith ju st one
pair of w eavers and w ork a few rounds of ordinary
pairing, finishing w ith tips.
Join in a new pair of w eavers here and continue
w ith the conventional pairing w eave. A t the same
tim e start reverse pairing w ith a second pair on the
opposite side, pushing them under the w eave from
the back.
The tw o groups chase each other round, but
m ust not be allow ed to overtake.
Simple randing
Sim ple randing is the m ost basic w eaving stroke,
using ju st one w eaver and passing it in front,
behind, in front, etc., of the upright stakes. Joins are
m ade only w hen the w eaver is finished. It needs an
Variations in design and weaves
odd num ber of stakes, therefore an extra one will
have to be inserted in m ost round baskets.
Both the English and French versions of randing
require a quantity of even-sized rods - not alw ays
an easy task w hen dealing w ith hedgerow woods,
bu t relatively sim ple if w orking w ith farm ed
w illow . French randing is a particularly useful
alternative, especially if you find a quantity of
interesting bu t short stem s, e.g. peach prunings or
som e pussy w illow branches.
English randing
Sort out the sam e num ber of w eavers as stakes,
preferably ju st long enough to go once round the
basket.
1. Start w ith the butt end of a w eaver (A) inside the
basket, resting against a stake.
W eave it in and out until you reach its bu tt end
as show n above and, if necessary, trim off the tip.
2. Repeat w ith another butt (B), starting in the
space to the right of the first w eaver.
C ontinue in this m anner until all the w eavers are
used. D o not let them overlap. Rap dow n to give a
close weave.
63
Variations in design and weaves

French randing Four-rod randing

Select rods as for English randing.
This is like w aling and is particularly suitable for
hedgerow w ork as it produces a strong, tightly-
packed w eave. I use it for the sides of big baskets
and w hen I am w orking w ith thick w ood that w ill
not easily be coaxed round tight corners. You
usually need the extra strength of bye stakes for
this weave.

1. Insert a butt (A) behind a stake and take it in

front, behind and out to the front again.
Insert a second bu tt (B) into the space to the left
of the first w eaver (A) and w eave it in and out
again.

An example offour-rod randing.

W ork w ith tw o groups of four rods on the
opposite sides of the basket.
Insert four tips in separate spaces. Each rod -
alw ays starting w ith the one on the left - goes in
C B A Y X front of two stakes, behind tw o and out to the front
again. The tw o groups of rods are w orked round
2. Continue like this around the basket until there the basket, bu t m ust not overtake each other.
is a rod com ing out from every space. W hen
inserting the last tw o rods (X and Y) you have to lift
up the first rods (A and B) to fit them in.
Carry on around the basket, w eaving each rod in
and out ju st once, alw ays m oving in the same
clockw ise direction. A t the end of each round you
will find two rods com ing from two spaces. W ork
the low er ones first.
It is easy to create some interesting spiral patterns
w ith French randing by using rods of different-
coloured bark in a regular order . . . for example,
every fourth rod could be a daphnoides willow,
w hich w ould give contrasting pu rp le stripes,
corkscrew ing round the basket.

64
 Variations in design and weaves

Lids
There are various ways of designing lids for round
or oval baskets. They can (a) fit over the top, (b)
drop on to an inside ledge, (c) have an inner ledge
that fits inside the basket or (d) be sim ply a flat
shape that drops ju st inside a bottle-shaped basket.

(a) Lid fits over the top o f basket (c) Lid with an inner ledge

Basket with a domed lid. The lid stays in place because it

has an inner ledge that fits inside the basket.
(b) Lid drops on to inside ledge (d) Flat lid for bottle-shaped baskets

M ake the lid like a base, shaping it to be domed

or flat as required. If it is to fit over the top, m ake it
like a very shallow basket. Insert side stakes, upsett
the sides and w eave two or three rounds of w aling
before w orking the border.
A n inside ledge on a basket can be m ade in two
w ays. A preform ed ring of w illow , m ade from a
long stout rod (like the rim of a fram e basket) can be
attached to the inside of the basket below the
border, and bound in place w ith a very long piece
of bram ble or akebia, or even fine w illow rods.
A lternatively, a w ider ledge on a big basket can be
m ade by kinking the bye stakes tow ards the centre
of the basket and w eaving a few rounds on them
before finishing w ith a border. Returning to the
original upright stakes, w ork a few rounds of waling
and then finish off w ith a top border.
A large lid w hich has been m ade w ith bye stakes
can have an inner ledge w hich fits inside the top of
the basket. The ledge is m ade by pricking up the
side stakes before w eaving the full w idth of the lid
and w orking a few rounds of w aling and a border Potter's lidded basket madefrom wild dogwood and willow.
on these stakes. Finish w eaving the rest of the lid on Theflat lid rests just inside this bottle-shaped basket.
the bye stakes, inserting m ore rods for the outer
border.
If the basket has a w aisted neck like a large bottle,
a flat lid can be m ade by om itting the upsett and just
m aking a border w ith the inserted side stakes.

65
Gallery

66
 Gallery

A Eucalyptus flower basket -

the violet-coloured eucalyptus
used in this basket keeps its
colour well.
O Penpont garden basket
woven from larch, broom, sweet
chestnut and various willows.

<| Holly and ivy basket, made

from holly, ivy and various
willows. Ivy leaves do go brown
in time, but will stay
surprisingly supple for years if
you first preserve the stems in a
solution of glycerine and water
(see page 17).

67
Gallery

Daphnoides flower basket. Apart

from the daphnoides variety of
willow, this basket includes ash
and larch.

Yellow apple basket woven from larch,

snowberry and willow. It seemed
unnecessary to prune the odd side
branch on this simple handle bow.
Instead, the end was incorporated into
the herring-bone finish.

68
 Gallery

A Left: Green-rimmed bowl

madefrom a wide assortment
of materials. They include
bramble, red and green
dogwood, beech, wild
honeysuckle, wild dogwood,
eucalyptus and willow.
Right: Raglan birch bowl -
two varieties of birch,
dogwood and willow.
Branches from a beautiful
weeping birch that was
overhanging a pavement had
to be pruned - but I was in
time to rescue somefor this
basket.

Large green bowl - green

dogwood, spindle, holly, poplar
and willow. This basket was an
attempt to harness the best
green rods I couldfind.
Although eventually they all
faded, they still retained more
than a hint of their original
colour.
69
Gallery

A A wide-rimmed platter woven from green dogwood,

spindle, broom, hazel, larch and poplar.

<1 Cook's companion - aflat trencher woven with

willow, hazel, akebia, dogwood and bay. The bay leaves
can be plucked off and added to stews and sauces.
70
 Gallery

Cefn Maen blackberry picker. .. red dogwood, lime, daphnoides willow, oak, larch and broom.
Blackberries cannot stain the red dogwood and daphnoides willow used in this basket!

71
Gallery

72
 Gallery
<] Oval frame basket - made entirely of de-thorned
brambles, including the root of one of the long pieces.
This design is based on a traditional Irish basket that
was usedfor straining vegetables. It is called by a
variety of names including sciathog, ciseog and scagaire.
Although it isfun and satisfying to make, Ifind that
only willow and bramble can be successfully woven
around such tight corners.

V Eucalyptus trencher wovenfrom eucalyptus, vine and

willow. Vine tendrils are very tough and rarely break off
after being woven into a basket.

A Small trencher and 'garden memories' trencher. The

latter contains a woven rope of garden leaves such as
daffodils and crocosmia.

<! Raglan lime bowl - red dogwood, lime, and many

types ofwilloiv, including the daphnoides variety.
73
Gallery

A Clothes basket and oval peg basket. The clothes basket

is madefrom red and green dogwood, wild dogwood,
vine, elm, a rope of entwined garden leaves, sheep’s wool
found on barbed wire and some seaside memories. The
peg basket is woven with red dogwood, four varieties of
willow, broom, larch and vine.
A A laundry basket madefrom green dogwood, vine
and many varieties of willow. Each year brings afresh
harvest of materials. This trailing length of vine would
be ideal for another basket when it is pruned at the end
of the grape season.

t> Festival basket. This is madefrom birch, elm, wild

and garden dogwoods, vine, various willows and a rope
of garden leaves threaded with pebbles and shells that
have holes in them.

74
Gallery

A A simple round basket

madefrom privet, bramble,
forsythia and willow. It
was created because I saw a
privet hedge that had not
been neatly trimmed at the
end of the summer and I
decided that the prunings
could be put to better use.

<1 Country garden basket

made with vine, broom,
larch and willow. The
plaited foot border (see page
62) protects the base of this
basket, which is intended to
be used. The handle bow is
made of vine.
76
 Gallery

Log basket that includes eight varieties of willow, vine and elm.

77
Gallery

Montgomery chair: eucalyptus, larch, Australian bottlebrush and

several types of willow.
78
Glossary
Back - the outside curve of a rod
Belly - the inside curve of a rod
Bolt - a bundle of commercially farmed willow
Bow - a stout rod, previously curved to form the basis
of a handle. Often wrapped with finer rods
Butt - the thick end of a rod
Bye stakes - extra stakes in serted to stren gth en
the side stakes
Chase - when using two sets of weavers on opposite
sides of the basket, each group chases, but does not
overtake the other set
Cramming off - an alternative way of finishing off the
last rods in a border
Coppiced wood - shoots that are annually cut down
to ground level to produce more, colourful growth
the following year
English randing - a weave which uses as many
weavers as stakes. Each weaver is taken individually
in and out for its entire length before the next weaver
is used
French randing - similar to the above except that
the weaving is worked in rounds. Each weaver is
taken in turn and goes in and out just once each round
Handle liner - a temporary rod inserted in the side
weaving to keep a space open for the handle
Mellow - soaked woods are left to mellow in an old
cloth at least overnight to ensure the water has
penetrated right through to the centre of the rod
Pairing - a weave which uses two rods
P e g - a short piece of dry willow inserted through a
handle bow to prevent it from being pulled out
Picking off - trimming unwanted ends by cutting
them diagonally with secateurs, leaving each end
resting against a stake
Pollarded wood - some trees regularly have their
branches cut close to the trunk at a certain height. If
this is done annually the wood can be used for
weaving
Pricking up/down - making a kink in the stake. Side
stakes are pricked up ready for the upsett and side
weaving and pricked down ready for the border
Reverse pairing - a weave using two rods, especially
useful for preventing oval bases from distorting
Rod - wood of one year's growth
Scarfed joint - method of joining a long rod in
preparation for a frame basket
Set - rods are shaped to form handles or the basis for
a frame basket, then left to set or dry out in a warm
place until they hold their shape
Siding - weaving on the sides of a basket
Simple randing - a weave which uses only one
weaver at a time
Slath - bottom sticks of a round or oval base are
bound together to form a cross shape. (Tying in the
slath)
Smile - gap created in base stick by piercing it with a
bodkin
Slype - slanting diagonal cut
Stake - rod that forms the framework for the side
weaving
Staking up - inserting side stakes into the base, ready
for the side weaving
Stroke - a general term for all weaves
Tip - thin end of a rod
Upsett - first few rounds of waling after inserting the
side stakes
Waling - a strong weave worked with three or four
rods
Weather - hedgerow woods are left in a shady spot to
weather, or dry out partially
79
 Index
Tools and equipment 8-9
Akebia 24,25,40,65,70 Farmed w illow 9,17-19,58,62 O val baskets 51 Trees, shrubs and climbers 20-37
A ld er 34 Field maple 33 climbers and trailers 17,22-25
Anatom y o f a rod 13 Follow-on border 61 Pairing 38,41-42,47 coppiced and pollarded rods
Ash 17,32,54,68 Foot border 62,76 join 41 27-29
Aspen 21 Forsythia 31,76 Passion flow er 24 garden primings 30-31
Australian bottlebrush 34,78 Four-rod randing 30,64 Peach 31 special textures 20,34-37,47
Four-rod-behind-two border Pegging the bow 54-55 suckers 21
Basket, types of 58-59,62 Periwinkle 24 w ild primings 32-33
flower 67,68 Frame baskets 34,51-53,72 Picking off 42,48,49 Twisting rods 57
frame 22,34,53,72 Free-form baskets 22,53 Plaited border 59-61,62
garden 50,67,76 French randing 13,31,50,63,64 Poplar 21,69,70 Upsett 38,45,62
handled 66,68 Fruit trees 21 Pricking up 43
log 57,62,77 Privet 7,10,31,76 Vine 16, 31,73,74,76,77
round 7,38,69,70,72,76 Garden primings 30-31 Pussy w illo w 37
trenchers 70,73 Waling 38,45-46,62,65
Bay laurel 30,70 Handles 54-57 Randing join 46
Beech 21 bows 15,17,32,33,54,55,68,76 English 63 Weathering 16
Birch 14,34,69 herring-bone finish 56,68 Four-rod 30,64 Weaving
Blackthorn 32 liners 54 French 13,31,50,63,64 broken rods 38
Blueberry 37 roped 54,55-56 Simple 63 English randing 63
Borders 38,48-49,58-62 side 57 Rapping 9,47,62,63 four-rod randing 30,64
double-staked 61 twisted 22,34 Reverse pairing 51,63 French randing 13,31,50,63,64
follow-on 61 Hazel 33,37,53,70 join 63 pairing 38,41^12,47
foot 62,76 corkscrew 12,34,53 Ribs 51-53 reverse pairing 51,63
four-rod-behind-two 58-59,62 H olly 17,22,66,69 Rims 51-53 side 22,31,37,47
plaited 59-61,62 Honeysuckle 17,22,23,39,53 Roped handles 55-56 simple randing 63
three-rod 48-49,58,62 H op 24,25 waling 38,45-46,62,65
Boston ivy 24 Scarfed join 51,53 Weigela 31
Brambles Iv y 17,24,66 Side Whortleberry 37
17,22,40,51,53,65,69,72,76 handles 57 W ild primings 32-33
Briar 22 Joins w eaving 22,31,37,47 W illow 6,7,15,27,29,38,40,53,
Broom 12,13,34,67,70,71,74,76 pairing 41 Shaping 54,59,65,66,67,68,69,70,73,
Butcher's broom 30 reverse pairing 63 base 42 74,76,77,78
Bye stakes 62,64,65 scarfed 51, 53 sides 50 daphnoides 12,29,50,64,68,70,
waling 46 Simple randing 63 71,72
Catkins 33,34,37,64 Slath 22,24,38,40,41,51 farmed 9,17-19,58,62
Clematis 17,22,25 Laburnum 31 Sloe 7,32 pussy 37
Climbers and trailers 22-25 Larch 37,47,67,68,71,74,76,78 Snowberry 13,31,68 twisted 53
Coppiced and pollarded rods Lids 65 Spanish chestnut 21 Winter-dWering jasmine 24
27-29 Lilac 21 Special textures 20,34r-37 Wistaria 24
Cotoneaster 31 Lim e 14,27,71,72 Spindle 7,33,69,70 Wrist test 13,40
Cramming o ff 49 Splitting a rod 52
Magnolia 37 Staking up 43,51 Yew 33
D og rose 12,17,22,25,40,51 Materials Suckers 21
D ogw ood 7,10,11,12,14,31,32, how to prepare 16-17 Sweet chestnut 17,20,21,67
38,40,65,69,70,71,72,74 how to store 16
Double-staked border 61 what to look for 12
when to cut 15
Elm 16,32,74,77 where to look 14-15
English randing 63 M ellow ing 9,17,19
Eucalyptus 15,27,67,69,73,78 Mistletoe 37
Oak 7,37,71

80
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 BRING A BREATH OF THE COUNTRYSIDE Into yo u r hom e w ith
a handm ade (o r even h o m e -g ro w n ) basket! You can ga the r all
the m aterials you need in the w oods, in hedgerow s and in you r
ow n garden - d o g w o o d , w illow , clem atis, larch and dozens o f
o th e r plants and trees. All en tirely natural and o fte n m aking use o f
prunings w hich w o uld oth erw ise be w asted.
This book shows you, ste p -b y-ste p , how to make a range o f
w o n d e rfu l baskets alive w ith the colours o f the natural w orld.
F ull-colo ur diagram s and p h o to g ra p h s guide you on y o u r way,
and the gallery o f innovative handm ade baskets w ill inspire you to
create som ething tru ly original.

From Nature’s
Colourful Materials
Previous edition
'Excellent diagrams and photographs...
Highly recommended.' Start magazine
'Search Press has republished this superb book.
An easy to use, step-by-step guide to making baskets
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