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Welcome to Willow Weaving! A day in the beautiful Welsh hills learning this traditional craft. We will cover various techniques using willow, reeds and rushes grown on this lovely site. You will be making anything from fish to dragonflies, pomanders to bird feeders! Small groups, maximum 6, ensures individual tuition. All the materials are included, plus home-made vegetarian refreshments and a simple but tasty lunch. The skills aquired can be adapted to many future projects, and act as a starting point for making willow baskets. Take a break in mid-Wales and take home your very own 'Made in Wales' souvenirs!
Detailed description:We start the day at 10am with a cuppa, meet and greet the various animals who share my life here, and wander round the 7 acre site, seeing how the willow grows and collecting other plant materials to use during the day. Willow is an amazing material; organically grown, biodegradeable and entirely renewable! It's back to the big barn then to make a start; first making willow frame shapes and weaving in the bodies. This is your warm-up! We then move on to flowers - your individual creativity might produce a daisy or a giant sunflower - using new techniques before we tackle yet another set of skills used in making pomanders and dragonflies. If I can persuade you to stop - willow weaving can be very addictive - there will be breaks for drinks and home-made biscuits and cake! We will have a simple vegetarian lunch and continue to learn the many ways of using willow until 4pm when you head off back down the hill with all your wonderful, unique creations!
Hello! My name is Pippa and I have been involved in every branch (sorry..) of horticulture for several decades; I was growing organically long before it was fashionable! The natural world, whether wildflowers, Goldfinches or wide open skies, is my passion. Willow is the perfect material to complement my rural lifestyle, and links in to practical smallholder crafts, artistic ornamentals and basic household items! I have been running willow workshops for over ten years; we chat while we weave, and laugh a lot, but there is a point in every class when silence reigns as all are focussed on their work. I love that feeling of relaxed calm - and the triumphant smiles as people pack all their brilliant creations into the car! This is a special site which I love to share with my visitors, where you can regain ancient skills in a peaceful, natural environment.
'Tanyfron' is at the end of a no through road with only pastures and wilder open hills beyond. The site is about 1100feet above sea level with stunning views on all sides, the nearest dwelling is a mile away. The 7 acre small-holding has paddocks with rarebreed sheep and welsh ponies, hens for delicious eggs, and the latest rescue collie who adores fuss, food and frisbees! There are 2 streams and 3 ponds - one of which is really a lake and habitat for herons, gooseanders, reed warblers, dragonflies and newts. In the skies you may see hen harriers, hear ravens, curlews and cuckoos, while in the barn where we work, the swallows swoop in the rafters. It does of course sometimes rain...this is Wales after all! but even then, the feelings of space and quiet, and the large skies are always present. And naturally, a warm welcome!
All materialsAll refreshmentsOutdoor clothing for Welsh weatherWaterproof footwear
Who can come
Adults
Activity level
not much
Skill level
beginner
If you would like to request for alternative dates not currently showing in availability, please contact the host directly via private message
We use sharp secateurs and other hand tools; I regret that only adults and young adults (16 plus) can be accomodated for insurance purposes. (I haven't lost anyone yet!)
Willow weaving requires a degree of hand and finger dexterity, but there are ways to work around this, which have been entirely successful with older participants - many of whom have athritis for instance.
Dress down! This is a rural activity and mud is sometimes involved...
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