GROWING WILLOW FOR BASKETRY

Planting basketry willow for the first time you may have a few questions and I will try to answer some of them here:
1. How many do I need to plant for me to have enough for baskets?
     Well, that depends on several factors such as:
    a) Willow variety and growing conditions: Different willow varieties produce differently.
        Some have a few rods per plant and some have a lot. Some produce mostly larger rods and
        some produce mostly shorter rods. 
        Growing conditions vary from location to location and also from year to year.  Moisture, temperatures,
        soils are just some deciding factors.
    b) Basket designs: Different designs require different sizes and amount of weavers.
    c) Size of baskets: Small baskets require smaller weavers and larger baskets larger and/or more weavers
    d) How many baskets annually
        If you have already made your first few baskets, you will have an idea about what you want to do
        and be able to make decisions based on that. If not, I suggest that you start with  50-100 plants and find
        out if you want more later.
2. How much space do I need in the garden to grow willows for basketry?
    Of course that also depends on how many plants you want. In general though, you need much less space
    than most people think.
    Basketry willow is planted close to force the willow to grow long, straight rods without side shoots. 
    I plant the willows in the field 50 cm (20") between the rows and 25 cm (10") apart in the row.
3. Can I plant the willow in a shaded spot?
    Willow requires sun to perform well. So to give your willow the absolutely best growing conditions, you
    need to give them at least half a day of direct sun during the summer.
4. Does willow require a lot of water?
    As the dormant willow cuttings, that you plant, doesn't have any roots yet, it is very important that the
    soil surrounding them stay moist ALL THE TIME during the first growing season. After that they don't
    require more watering than anything else in your garden.
    It is good idea to plant the cuttings in some kind of mulch. See blog post about propagating willow.
5. Which of your willow varieties are best for basketry? 
    The willow varieties listed under "Willows good for basketry" are ALL good for that.
     However, I do have my favourites and this year we are offering 2 different selections of my best basketry
     willow as a package. 
     Information about the selections here on my website.



Words and photos by Lene Rasmussen,Willows.

The MASTER is back in 2018

I am so excited that we are able to repeat this successful event from last year - but this time with 3 x 2 days of classes!



What could be more exciting than to work with an internationally renowned expert in primitive crafts, learning the finer points of willow basketry? Even more so if you get to decide for yourself which project you want to work on with him?






If you agree, you don't want to miss out on this opportunity at Lakeshore Willows, Wainfleet, Ontario in May 2018.






The event will be structured the same way as last year so I refer you to my extensive description from January 2017, which you can see here.

For the details of the 2018 classes and to register, please visit our website here.  
Don't delay, classes will fill up fast!!

Words and photos by Lene Rasmussen,Willows.

NEWS for the New Year

On the first day of the year 2018 I want to wish you all a WONDERFUL, HEALTHY, HAPPY AND SUCCESSFUL NEW YEAR!

Always lots of thoughts, plans and expectations for the new year. On this day we also have some for sure great news for everybody who loves working with willow.

I believe that we - when we teach willow basketry - need to make sure that our followers also are able to purchase dried willow to work with on their own. That has been very limited in North America. Some of you are able to grow basketry willow for your own use. That is wonderful and I am excited to be able to provide you with dormant willow cuttings of some great basketry willow for planting.

For those of you who are not able to - or don't want to - grow your own basketry willow this is the good news:

After two years with less than desired harvests due to drought and unusual high temperatures during the summer, we finally have a normal harvest in sight. This means that we are able to take orders for our own dried basketry willow again. 

Our willow is grown without use of any pesticides, harvested, sorted and dried WITH the bark on. That is how I get the natural colours and shine on my baskets which is not treated with anything - but loving thoughts while being created! No dyeing, wax or lacquer!

Note that the colours you see on just harvested willow (or willow cuttings for planting) is not the same as you get in your basket. The willow changes colours several times. In winter, when it is dormant around harvest time, the colours have intensified. Then the colours will change dramatically during the drying process. Then they change again during the re-soaking process and finally they change when they dry again. In addition to that the growing conditions make a difference and sometimes you will see that one variety doesn't look like it did from other years' harvests. Or like the same variety growing on your friend's property!

A few examples of natural willow colours. 

SO THIS IS EXCITING NEWS, BUT THERE IS MORE!
We now have imported BUFF AND WHITE willow for sale!

 

Although I love my natural willow with the bark on, I do realize that debarked willow - BUFF AND WHITE - do have advantages in some ways and that that will appeal to many basket makers.

Here are a few comparisons:
SOAKING TIME:
NATURAL WILLOW: days or weeks depending on a few factors.
BUFF AND WHITE: less than an hour
LEFT OVER WILLOW AFTER BASKET IS MADE:
NATURAL WILLOW: you don't want to re-soak as there is a big risk that the bark will get loose. If you have room in your freezer, you can keep it there.
BUFF AND WHITE: you can re-soak the willow with no risk.
UNFINISHED BASKET:
NATURAL WILLOW: if you cannot finish your (stake and strand) basket and don't have room in your freezer for it until you have time, it is impossible to finish it later. If you try to re-soak the whole basket, bark may come off and then it is not so beautiful anymore.
BUFF AND WHITE: you can just put it aside and re-soak the top or the whole thing when you are ready to finish it.
COLOURS:
NATURAL WILLOW: you have a variety of the most beautiful natural colours.
BUFF AND WHITE: the golden brown of the buff willow. The white willow can be dyed with natural or commercial dyes.
PREPARATION/WAIT TIME:
NATURAL WILLOW: when you decide to make a basket, you have to wait several days before the willow is soaked.
BUFF AND WHITE: you want to make a basket, put some willow in water for less than an hour, and you are ready to weave.

For more information about dried willow for sale, take a look at my website here.







Words and photos by Lene Rasmussen,Willows.

How to build a living willow PLAY HUT AND TUNNEL

We are now offering kits and instructions for LIVING WILLOW PLAY HUTS AND TUNNELS.

It is becoming increasingly popular to install living willow huts and tunnels at daycares, school yards and your own yard for young children to play in.

Not only are they beautiful structures (when maintained properly), they also give your child a sense of nature as it is a living structure.

So, now we offer kits for your structure - available in spring after harvest of the willow rods - and they come with instructions on how to install.
Actually, we have decided to post the instructions right here for everyone to see and use if you have access to dormant willow rods.

The hut and/or tunnel can be created in different sizes which the kits will reflect, but the instructions are the same.

The ground should be level and without stones approximately 30 cm (1 foot) into the soil.

Step 1:
Start by marking the circumference of the hut.

In my following photos I DID NOT DO THIS, BUT I RECOMMEND THAT YOU DO IT:
Preferably you will put down a heavy landscape fabric that extends about 1 foot beyond the floor of the structure all the way round - BEFORE YOU START INSERTING THE RODS. Some people also use a heavy, black plastic, but I find that it can be too slippery when wet for children to play on.

Step 2:
Mark the spots for the entrance (approximately 4 feet wide)

Insert 3 long rods together, pushing them about 30 cm (1 foot) into the ground.


Twist the rods together and secure with a zip tie.

Repeat at other end of the entrance.


Step 3:
Select your longest and heaviest rods and insert from one door post to the other all the way around the circumference approximately 30 cm (1 foot) apart and pushed 30 cm (1 foot) into the ground.


Twist the two parts for the doorway together and secure with several zip-ties.




Step 4:

Insert 2 additional rods for each already installed rod.
Push them approx 30 cm ( 1 foot) into the ground on either side of the existing rod.
Insert at an angle. 








Step 5:

Start weaving the rods together on a diagonal (over, under etc) and tie at the first cross with a zip-tie, elastic or other.

Continue weaving higher up and around the door "poles"









Step 6:

If you want your structure to be higher than your willow rods will allow, this is where you stop.
Make sure that all the crossings of willow rods are securely fastened.
Skip step 7 and leave the structure to grow.
When the growth on the rods is long enough for your desired height of the structure you simply continue at STEP 7.
This could be at the end of the first growing season, sooner or even later - into the 2nd
growing season.





Step 7:

Gather the tops of the rods in the middle, twisting them together and/or secure with ties.














Step 8:

Cover the ground in and beyond the structure with a heavy landscape cloth (if you haven't already done so) and a good layer of mulch to prevent weeds to grow and to keep the soil moist.










As the willow rods don't have any roots when you install them, it is VERY IMPORTANT to keep the soil around the rods MOIST AT ALL TIMES DURING THE FIRST GROWING SEASON OR TWO.
This is best done by installing a drip-hose and connect it to a timer on the water tap.

Our kit for the play hut or tunnel includes everything you need to install the project: 
Dormant willow rods
Heavy landscape fabric to cover the ground inside + approximately 30 cm (1 foot) beyond the edge of the structure.
Staples to keep the cloth in place.
Ties to hold the rods together.
In addition to that you will need:
Mulch to cover the area in a thick layer.
Drip hose and a timer to water the structure daily during at least the first growing season.

Maintenance:
As the willow start to grow you want to weave the new shoots into the structure to make it stronger and denser.

When the new shoots are about 60 cm (2 feet) long you want to weave them into the structure.
If you wait much longer they may become too stiff for you to do it without breaking or kinking them.

You can continue to do so in future years if you want the structure to be denser.

Alternatively the structure should be trimmed twice a year to keep looking nice.

Do not despair if a couple of your willow rods don't take or die. You can always replace them with growth from some of the other rods as they grow. 

INSTALLING A PLAY TUNNEL
Install a play tunnel in exactly the same way as explained above for the play hut. The shape of the structure is just different.

HAVE FUN!
Words and photos by Lene Rasmussen,Willows.

THE ULTIMATE WILLOW BASKETRY EXPERIENCE WITH DANISH BASKET MAKER STEEN H. MADSEN

What could be more exciting than to work with an internationally renowned expert in primitive crafts, learning the finer points of willow basketry? Even more so if you get to decide yourself which project you want to work on with him?

If you agree, you don't want to miss out on this opportunity at Lakeshore Willows, Wainfleet, Ontario in June 2017.

Danish willow basket maker SteenHedegaard Madsen is well known throughout the international willow basketry community for a variety of reasons.

He is indeed a master basket weaver and you will find many people who will claim that he is THE master. In his modest way he told me that he is not a genius in any way – he has just been around for many years.

I first met Steen in 2013 when I, during a visit to Denmark, had an opportunity to work with him for 2 days in his charming studio.

Here is Steen outside the house in which his studio is along with a kitchen, small dining area and sleeping area for visiting students.

Ever since he was a young boy Steen has been interested in history and antiquity. He would play “stone age” with his friends, hunting with their homemade flint arrowheads and cooking their catch over the open fire while making more arrowheads.

Later – for a total of 19-20 years he would work at a Danish Historical Archaeological Research Center.

Maybe as a natural consequence of his interest for old crafts and skills Steen fell in love with willow basket making and is today one of the foremost experts reconstructing baskets made during a time from which no written documentation exists.

Steen working in his studio

A collection of old and new fishing creels at the wall

But more than that today, for those of us who desire to learn the finer points in willow basket making, he travels the World to teach us classes. Historical baskets – if that is what you are interested in – but not just that. Steen will teach you almost any kind of willow basket and bark container; you just have to ask.

During a class Steen usually teaches whatever each student wants to learn! The topics for the class of the day are pretty much open – only limited by your previous weaving experience and skills.

Check out his information on facebook and his website.

And this is your chance for a new willow experience!

This basket maker whose skills are second to none will teach and guide you in creating the basket you are most interested in making.

The classes will fill up fast so if you want to participate, register NOW.

After you register, you want to spend time over the next couple of months exploring what you want to work on with Steen. Use books, the internet, pinterest, facebook etc for inspiration and bring photos or sketches for the class.

I will ask you a few weeks before the classes what you want to make so that I will be able to have the right sizes and amounts of willow prepared.

Some baskets (for example square baskets with or without a lid) are not for a total beginner and for oval baskets it is also recommendable that you have some experience with willow.

If you have any questions about that you can either ask me when you register or send me a mail.

Here are some pics from Steen that may help you to get started on your search for the perfect project!

 Go here for info about the classes and to register.

Words and photos by Lene Rasmussen,Willows.

A NEW YEAR - NEW WILLOW EXPERIENCES TO EXPLORE

No New Year resolutions, but of course lots of plans!

During 2016 my "new" studio proved to be perfect for workshops taught by me and classes with visiting willow teachers as well as a wonderful home for my own willow creativity.
The PLAN is to give it a "face-lift" this year - as in new eyes and some make up - but it will still in the meantime be perfect for our use.

Keeping you all informed about what is happening at Lakeshore Willows IS a priority, but sometimes "life happens" and planned time for newsletter, blog, website and facebook slips away.
The PLAN is to connect in a more efficient and frequent way at all those venues to share with you exciting planned workshops and other activities.

Selected pics from Hjornholm November 2016 classes

In 2016 I was very happy to have the opportunity to get to know some very talented basket makers whom I had only heard about until then.

Ankaret Dean

One of Canada's "Grand Old Ladies" of willow!

Many people who attended workshops here would tell me that they made one or a few willow baskets many years ago - with Ankaret Dean.

She is an amazing person, still very much involved in her community in McDonald's Corners, Ontario where she had invited me to teach 3 days of classes this summer.

Staying at her home I had the opportunity to learn about some of all the activities she has initiated and/or been involved in and I am looking forward to next time.

Joan Carrigan

One of the people who actually made her first basket with Ankaret Dean, Joan is a fantastic artist/basket maker living in BC.

I knew about Joan from my friend, Danish willow artist and basket maker Eva Seidenfaden who have visited Joan in BC many times to teach classes. So when the basketry guild that I am a member of, Southwestern Ontario Basketry Guild, planned a willow retreat with Joan teaching one of the classes, I was excited to be able to participate.

A wonderful person and inspirational artist I really look forward to meeting again. AND she taught me my first basket weaving with other natural materials incl cedar bark.

Joe Hogan

Irish basket maker known by everybody who loves willow.

Joe was high up on my wish list of teachers to learn from and I was lucky to spend 6 days of willow weaving with him at the Willow Gathering in Decorah, Iowa last summer.

A fantastic week learning from one of the best.

And a few more pics from workshops here during 2016:

     

So now 2017 has arrived and I wish for all that it will be a healthy, happy year filled with positive energy.

Words and photos by Lene Rasmussen,Willows.

Dormant willow for planting

Winter has been unusually warm and friendly here this year and we are enjoying not to have to plow snow. That also means that we are able to harvest willow earlier than normal (unless we get a big storm) and I expect to have dormant willow available for sale during the first 2 weeks of March.

Willow cuttings

An assortment of willow cuttings for propagaion

The willow cuttings are approximately 10 inches long and ready for planting as soon as you can get them in the ground.

Use them for planting a willow bed for basketry or just for some beautiful willows in your garden.

For information and to order please go to our website here.

Willow rods (whips)

Example of dormant willow rods for propagation

Salix koriyanagi 'Rubykins'

The rods are approximately 6 feet long and can be used for living willow projects such as

Play huts and tunnels

Just installed play hut

Living willow fence (Fedge)

Living willow fence June the second year after installation

Woven trees in pots and in the garden

Trees just made

 First summer

After 5 years

Come and make your own tree - several designs available - in a nursery pot ready to take home. You can keep it in the pot on your patio for the first growing season and then transplant it to the garden in fall.

For information about 2016 spring workshops making living willow trees in pots please go to our website here.

Words and photos by Lene Rasmussen,Willows.