Willow sculpture with the Scottish Basket Makers Circle

SBC1

We had amazing clear dry weather for this three day course organised by the Scottish Basket Makers Circle. We even worked in t-shirts for some of the time. We were building onto an existing living willow structure in the local Primary School, a small dome that had got rather thin at the base and with most of the growth from the top. The design was a group decision with the main aims being to enhance the play value and provide an outdoor classroom that could also be used for storytelling and performances. Living towers and arches were added either side along with two smaller domes or “pods” and then diagonal  living trellis and and two more towers. We left pathways between the different elements so children could move in and out in different ways. So quite an ambitious job but finished on time and with some willow to spare. Hopefully the structure will be maintained by the school and ideally a good load of chipped bark to mulch around the living willow components.

SBC2

The second course was run by Jenny Crisp who had come up from Herefordshire to teach her very precise and individual style of making. She brought along some fabulous baskets for sale and I just had to buy one ! Her new course list for 2016 is out now www.jennycrisp.co.uk