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Willow has been woven into baskets, creels and hurdles for thousands of years, and for good reason. It is flexible, plentiful and forgiving. Unlike many craft materials, willow tells you when it is ready: bend a rod and it will either curve smoothly or snap. That immediate feedback makes it an ideal teacher for beginners. A simple round basket, woven from a handful of rods, will teach you the core techniques that have barely changed in centuries. You do not need a workshop full of tools or years of practice. You need a tub of water, a sharp pair of secateurs and a few hours of patience.
For your first project, choose buff willow. This is willow that has been boiled and stripped of its bark, leaving a warm honey colour. It is supple, clean to handle and widely available in bundles. White willow (bark removed but not boiled) is paler and slightly stiffer; green willow, cut fresh, is lovely but seasonal and shrinks as it dries. Start with buff.
Dry willow must be soaked before weaving. Submerge your rods completely in a bath, trough or large bin of cold water. A bundle of buff willow needs 24 to 48 hours of soaking. Thicker rods take longer. After soaking, drain the rods and wrap them in a damp old towel or a plastic sheet. Leave them for 12 to 24 hours to mellow. This evens out the moisture. Test a rod by bending it around your finger; if it cracks, soak it longer.
You do not need much, but a little preparation makes weaving far more enjoyable.
Work at a sturdy table at a comfortable height. Good light is essential. Keep your working rods wrapped in a damp cloth so they do not dry out, and only take out a few at a time. A rapping iron, a flat metal tool for tapping the weave tight, is useful but not essential for a first basket. You can use the back of a heavy knife or a smooth stone.
Begin with eight to ten long, flexible rods. These will form the spokes of your base. Find the thickest ends and push them into a firm bundle. Tie them tightly with string about 5cm from the end. Now spread the rods into a cross shape: four or five rods going one way, four or five the other. This is the slath.
The first weave is pairing. Take two thin rods and push their ends into the slath near the centre. Weave them around the spokes, one going over and one under, then swapping. Keep the weave tight and flat. After two or three rounds, the base will hold its shape. You can remove the string. Continue pairing until the base is about the size of a saucer, roughly 15 to 20cm across. Keep the spokes evenly spaced.
When your base is the size you want, it is time to turn the corner. Bend each spoke upwards. Insert a new spoke beside each one if you need more stakes for a round basket. The base spokes become the stakes of the sides. Secure them with a waling weave: take three rods and weave them together, always passing behind one stake and in front of the next. This locks the stakes upright.
Now switch to randing. This is the simplest weave and the one that will build most of your basket. Take a single long rod and weave it behind one stake, in front of the next, and so on. When the rod runs out, add a new one by laying it alongside the old one and weaving both for a few stakes. Keep the weave snug. Use your bodkin to open a gap if the rod is difficult to pass. Shape the basket by gently easing the stakes outwards for a wider bowl or keeping them vertical for a tall basket. Do not worry if the sides are slightly uneven; that is normal for a first attempt.
A basket is not finished until it has a border. The simplest border is a trac border. Take one stake and bend it behind the next stake, then in front of the one after that, and out. Repeat with each stake, following the one before. Tuck the ends in tightly. You can also do a simple three-rod border if you feel confident. Trim any loose ends with your secateurs.
Now dry your basket slowly. Place it in a cool, airy room away from direct heat or sunlight. Rapid drying will cause the willow to shrink and crack. Leave it for one to two weeks. As it dries, the weave will tighten and the basket will become rigid. A first basket will be wonky, and that is exactly as it should be. Use it for storing kindling, eggs or vegetables. Keep it dry, and it will last for years. If it becomes damp, dry it slowly and it will return to shape. With one basket under your belt, you will already be planning your next.
Cedarcombe shares practical, down-to-earth guidance on rural countryside living and smallholding for readers across the UK.
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