Basket Weaving

Basket weaving, or basketry, is the craft of weaving flexible materials such as willow, rush, cane or grasses into baskets, trays and other useful objects. It's one of the oldest crafts there is, found in cultures all over the world. You work by hand with a few simple tools, and you finish with something you made yourself and can actually use.

Woven basketry is the classic. Stiff upright rods called stakes form the frame, and thinner, bendier rods called weavers go in and out between them. Willow is the traditional choice in Britain, and those rods are often called withies.

Coiled basketry builds a basket in a spiral, wrapping and stitching a bundle of grass, rush or cord round and round on itself.

Frame baskets start with a rigid hoop or skeleton, often made of hazel or willow, which is then filled in with weaving. Think of the traditional garden trug.

Plaited basketry uses flat strips of material crossed over and under each other, a bit like a very determined friendship bracelet.

Tension trays and platters use rods held under tension, so the piece holds its own shape as you weave it. They're flat and round, which makes them a lovely first project.

Dry willow snaps, so it's soaked in water first to make it bendy. Once it's supple, you set out your stakes and start weaving the thinner rods around them, pressing each row down snugly against the last. The simplest stroke is randing: one rod going in front of one stake and behind the next. Other weaves you might hear about are pairing, which twists two rods together as you go, and waling, which uses three or more for a stronger band. Secateurs trim the ends, and a pointed tool called a bodkin opens up gaps in the weave when things get tight.

Your Activity Leader starts with a quick safety chat about the tools, then shows you how to set up your first rods. From there, it's a steady rhythm of weaving, pressing down and turning your piece. There's help on hand whenever a rod goes rogue. By the end, you'll have a platter or small basket to take home, and quite possibly a new obsession.

Yes. Nobody arrives knowing how to weave willow, and the basic strokes are easy to pick up. Your first piece will be charmingly wonky, which is all part of it. Many people find the slow, repetitive rhythm calming, a bit like knitting with sticks. You'll need good use of your hands and fingers, as there's plenty of bending, tucking and gripping.

You might also like Macrame, Rope Making & Useful Knots and Wood Whittling.

See all Camp Wildfire activities