Willow workshops 2026
Willow Shoulder Bags at the Setting Gallery, Three Storeys
A weekend course for creative willow lovers who wish to learn some new skills and delve into design and pattern. You will learn traditional basket making techniques including the Catalan style, alongside creatively mixing natural willow colours and playing with texture in weave. Leaving with a sense of pride in what you have made, a connection to the natural world through materials and a beautiful and useful bag to use everyday.
Log baskets at Hawkwood
Spend a weekend making your own log basket. Using traditional basket making techniques, you will learn how to shape a large, strong basket suitable for logs or storage around the home. Using beautiful varieties of Somerset willow you will explore weave patterns and ways to mix colour to create a unique basket to be proud of and used for years to come.
Willow foraging baskets at Highgrove
One-day willow workshop at Highgrove Gardens.
Spend a day at beautiful Highgrove learning how to make a foraging basket from willow. Suitable for beginners.
Willow Shoulder bags at New Brewery Arts
A weekend course for creative willow lovers who wish to learn some new skills and delve into design and pattern. You will learn traditional basket making techniques including the Catalan style, alongside creatively mixing natural willow colours and playing with texture in weave. Leaving with a sense of pride in what you have made, a connection to the natural world through materials and a beautiful and useful bag to use everyday.
Willow Lampshades at New Brewery Arts
Spend a weekend designing and making your own willow lampshade. Using a variety of white, buff and natural barked willows you will be able to create an individual design, thinking about shape and choosing weave patterns. Guided throughout the process but with lots of freedom for creativity, this course would suit those with some previous basketmaking experience who wish to deepen their skills and use traditional basketry techniques in an innovative way. Beginners are also welcome.
Asymmetric Spiral topped baskets - weekend workshop at Hawkwood College
Spiral topped asymmetric basket weekend workshop
Pattern and Texture in Willow - 6-week evening class - SOLD OUT
Pattern and Texture in Willow
Join me in my basket making workshop in Nailsworth and learn three new weave patterns. Be creative with willow and spend some nourishing evenings elevating your baskets to the next level.
Willow Christmas Decorations at Highgrove
Create festive willow decorations at Highgrove with willow artist Tess Wakeling.
Spend a day immersed in festive creativity at Highgrove, where you’ll weave natural decorations to bring seasonal charm to your home.
Willow Christmas Decorations at Hawkwood
Willow Christmas Decorations
Spend a day immersed in festive creativity, where you’ll weave natural decorations to bring seasonal charm to your home.
Willow foraging basket
Willow foraging basket - make a berry picking basket and be guided through the skills needed to make a basket from willow.
Testimonials
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Tess was not only knowledgeable but an excellent teacher. It was one of my best Saturdays for a long time. I came away inspired to do another course
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Tess is generous in all aspects of her teaching - with the knowledge and skills she shares, with the encouragement and patience she holds, and with the confidence and joy that she instills. I came away from her class with a beautiful basket that I am proud to use, and my heart filled with the memory of a truly nourishing couple of days. What was a surprise to me was that Tess’ teaching felt so full and yet so spacious at the same time. An absolute delight!
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I absolutely loved making my willow handbag! I found the whole process really nourishing especially because Tess is wonderfully supportive and knowledgeable, and her workshop is such a cosy creative space.
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It was fascinating to learn techniques that were slightly different from those learnt previously with other makers and the reasons behind the choices made. I will definitely be joining Tess again on her future courses!
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Weekends weaving with Tess are such a relaxing way to learn a new creative skill. Tess is such a supportive teacher and shares options of personalising your creation which makes your piece even more special to take home. Can't wait to learn more and to fill my home with woven beauties
