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.

Over this 2-day workshop you will learn how to design and make your lampshade, whether for a pendant light or lamp. You will start by having a look at the examples and photos for inspiration, and talking through your ideas with the Tutor. Depending on individual experience, you will either make your design using a board to secure the stakes into, or learn the technique of scalloming willow onto the lampshade frame.

You will be able to choose between an open design or a more solid weave, and learn several different weave patterns as you go. These can produce lovely shadows and emit light in different ways.

You will learn various ways of attaching the lampshade frame and border weaves to finish off the lampshade at the top and bottom. If the design is more simple and participants are quick to work, there may be time to make two lampshades, or extra time can be spent learning techniques and starting another shade off to finish at home.

A relaxing weekend of weaving, immersion in willow and an exploration in pattern, texture and lighting design.

Held at the beautiful Hawkwood college in Stroud - Booking now live!