Basket Making Experiences
Helena Golden Willow Woman delivers weaving courses and workshops in a relaxed enjoyable manner.
Classes & Workshops
Willow, tools and tuition are provided and you will create your own willow basket (or plant pot, bird feeder, wreath) to take home.
Community Groups
Willow Weaving workshops can be tailored to suit the needs of specific groups / organisations. Please get in touch to discuss your ideas.
Willow Weaving Workshops are popular with Womens Groups, ICA, Heritage Event Organisers, Sports & Social Clubs, Youth Groups or simply a group of friends who get together to try a new craft.
Courses in Leitrim
Over the course of the day, you will learn how to weave a basic round willow basket. This course is suited to beginners or those who wish to practice the techniques involved in the round basket. Fun and learning guaranteed! The feedback from Helenas 1 day courses is just phenominal due to her inherent ability to deliver clear instruction and make participants feel at ease.
1 Day classes in Leitrim Village are scheduled throughout the year.
Helena will also travel to you if you would like a basket making class in your area or if you have a group interested.
Schools Packages
Basket Making & Willow Craft for Schools
Onsite and Online options
Workshops and Craft Kits are ideal for all secondary school students, including TY and also 6th class primary students.
Our Willow Weaving experiences place an ancient craft in the hands of today’s students, opening the door to their creative expression by facilitating them to weave tangible, practical household and garden items. The tactile nature of weaving is eco-friendly, sustainable and delivers a calming effect on the weaver.
This is an experience that is deceptively simple, bringing diverse personalities peacefully together as they set about a common purpose, with each arriving at similar, yet unique results at the end of the workshop. Students gain a practical insight into how their ancestors relied on the land and its plants to create baskets that were used at home and on the farm for potatoes, turf and shopping and each student weaves their own item of willow basketry to take home.
Team Building Basketmaking Events
Whatever the nature of your business or organisation, bringing your people together for a Willow Weaving workshop is a popular choice of Team Building activity. Generally, this is an entirely new experience for everyone involved – you all start at the same level and over the course of the workshop, each person will learn the basic techniques of basketry to create a unique and functional item of basketry for their home or garden. These workshops are described as fun, relaxing, challenging, meditative and the overall feedback from participants is “I can’t believe I actually made that”. Willow weaving is all about creating connections – connecting the willow rods to weave a basket and connecting your people for a better workplace.
Contact Helena for details – she came bring the workshop to you or you can come to her
Specials
Weave a Willow Lampshade
”There’s a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in”.
Willow will always bring a natural beauty to any home – but add some light and a little magic happens. Willow lampshades create a beautiful, dappled effect and brings a sense of coziness and atmosphere to any room.
Over the course of the day, you will learn how to weave a willow lampshade (includes materials and lamp fixtures).
For use with a cool touch LED bulb (bulb not included).
This course is suited to beginners or to those who wish to practice the techniques involved in willow weaving. Fun and learning guaranteed in the comfortable setting of St. Josephs Hall, Leitrim Village.
Workshop based in Leitrim Village – next availability:
TBC
Helena will also travel to you if you would like a basket making class in your area or if you have a group interested.
Live Online Workshop
Would you like an online willow weaving workshop?
Join a 3 hour workshop via Zoom
All materials will be delivered to your home and you will be emailed a link to join the online Zoom class.
Perfect for you if you would like to try weaving, if you have a few hours to spare and if you would like to be part of a small safe group.
You just need access to Zoom and somewhere to soak willow rods e.g. bath, water butt, nearby stream or river (if using stream or river, secure the rods well, so they don’t float away)
During a 3 hour workshop, you will weave your own Vase or plant pot and you will learn about the willow and try a couple of different types of weaving methods.
There are currently no online workshops running at this time. New dates for 2023 to be added soon!!
