Workshops
BASKETMAKING WORKSHOPS AT THE OLD BREWERY STUDIOS 2026
Welcome to our 2026 willow weaving programme. From March through to November 2026 we will be providing one, two and three day basketry workshops with professional basketmakers from the UK and Europe. They all work with a glorious palette of sustainable materials and generously share their techniques and practice with students here at our venue. What a privilege!
Workshop Levels
Workshops are suitable for beginners, improvers and advanced students. Not all workshops are suitable for beginners, so before booking, please check which workshops require previous experience in basketry. You need to have strength and flexibility in your hands for all basketry.
Workshop information
Workshops have 8 students, unless otherwise stated. Workshop times are from 9.30am-4.30pm with a break for elevenses and lunch. You need to bring your own lunch. We request that mobile phones are put on silent throughout the workshop.
How to book a place on a workshop
* Choose a workshop and send an email to Sue at suekirkwillowbaskets@outlook.com (You cannot book workshops online).
*You will then receive an email from Sue with a letter attached which contains information about workshops and payment details. Bookings are only secured once payment has been received in full. Please note:It can take a couple of days for Sue to reply to your booking request.
*We have a refund and cancellation policy. Please read this before making your payment.
*If a workshop is full, you can join a reserve list. We often have cancellations, just email Sue to join a reserve list for a workshop.
MULTI-STRAND WEAVE BASKETS WITH SUE KIRK
Monday 2nd and Tuesday 3rd March FULL
Cost £240 Level: Suitable for all abilities. 9.30am - 4.30pm, (8 students)
There are three variations of multi-strand weaves to choose from, a rope coil weave, a herringbone rope weave and a tick-tock rope weave. Choose one of these three weaves and using coloured willows create a highly textured surface on your basket. Beginners work with the most straight forward rope weave on a basic form. More experienced makers can experiment with different numbers of side stakes positioning them closer or further apart in order to create shorter or longer strokes, changing the textures of weaves, the possibilities are endless!
LEATHER STRAPS AND HANDLES WITH JUSTIN CAPP
Thursday 5th March 4 spaces available
Cost £100 9.30am - 4.30pm. (8 students) Suitable for all abilities. BRING A BASKET TO WORK ON
A one day (fact finding and practical) workshop for basketmakers to learn about leather straps and handle options for their baskets. In this workshop you will spend the morning learning how to cut and burnish straps and go on to learn some braiding and plaiting options for decorative effect. Learn how to approach different ways of fitting (like splicing around an upright) and how to choose the right area on your basket for strength and stability. Learn fixing options like copper rivet, screwed bolts and whip stitching options.
In the second part of the day you can explore making a pair of handles or a longer shoulder strap for your basket (not buckle, just braided and fixed). Go home with a completed handle on the basket you have brought with you.
BEGINNERS BASKETS WITHOUT BASES AND SWIFTS WITH THE CODDIWOMPLERS
Friday 20th March 7 spaces available
Cost £85 9.30am - 4.30pm. (10 students) Suitable for all levels designed for complete beginners
The Coddiwomplers are back to teach these beautiful Willow Leaf and Mini Wooden Based Baskets and Swifts. Join Emma and Fiddler for the day and learn how to weave these beginner level items. The baskets are a perfect way of storing fruit, nuts or utensils in your home and the swifts look fantastic swooping around on your wall. Learn basic basketry techniques such as randing and trac borders. Perfect for those who are ‘basket curious’ without having to make the tricky bases and borders.
LOG BASKET WITH WITH KIRK OR HUNTINGDON BLIND SCHOOL LAUNDRY BASKET WITH SUE
Thursday 26th and Friday 27th March
Log basket FULL
Laundry basket FULL
£240 per person, 3 spaces on each course, 9.30am-4.30pm Suitable for intermediates and those with experience.
UNDERFOOT BASE WARNING ! You have to be strong and flexible to make the base as it is made on the floor under your feet for up to 30 mins!
Choose to make either a log basket with Kirk or a buff willow laundry basket with Sue which is based on the design from the Huntingdon Blind School. Both these baskets require you to have strength and flexibility due to the thickness of the rods and the position you stand in when making the underfoot base.
Spend two days making a traditional English heritage basket, learn various techniques such as an underfoot base, pull down wale, upset with 3 rod wale, French rand, 'staircase' slew, 4 rod wale, 5 rod border and rope handles. Work with willow grown organically in King's Cliffe and buff willow from Musgroves in Somerset.
WILLOW BACKPACK WITH ANNE METTE HJORNHOLM
Saturday 11th April-Monday 13th April FULL
Cost £365 , Level: Intermediate and advanced, 8 students, 9.30am-4.30pm
The backpack is not a beginners project, so students will have to have some experience in weaving and shaping baskets.
The backpack is done like a fishing creel just higher, starting on a thick u-shape with long scalloms tied on the curve and these first rods become the stakes at the back. The base is woven back and forth and afterwards more stakes are inserted in the base, shaped and the basket is woven with waling and can be done in numerous different patterns like French or English randing etc.
The lid is done after the main backpack is woven so it is individually fitted. Woven with spaces for the leather attachments.
If the first backpack is completed you have the option to start a smaller one, or a basket to hang on the wall. It could also be an option to make a shoulder bag (fishing creel) instead of the backpack. Students don't have to make the exact same thing.
Anne Mette Hjornholm is one of Denmark's finest basketmakers she works prolifically creating exciting new designs using traditional weaves in a contemporary style. Her original designs are woven from her own beautiful home grown willows. Anne Mette teaches basketmakers across Europe and her recent project, 'Interweaving' involved teaching disabled adults in Denmark, Norway and Hungary.
SCULPTURAL BASKETS WITH ANE LYNGSGAARD
Tuesday 14th April -Thursday 16th April FULL
Cost £365, Level; intermediate (experience with French randing is required) and advanced, 8 students
This beautiful sculptural basket is made on a Catalan base and contains multiples of French randing in different coloured willows which accentuates the curvaceous form and organic fluidity of the side walls. Ane will also show you how to wrap a border with willow bark, a signature feature of her contemporary work.
Ane Lyngsgaard is one of Denmark's leading basketmakers and her fabulous app, 'Baskets 2 Day' is enjoyed by many makers across the globe. Ane generously shares her skill and knowledge using this forward thinking technology and has produced a series of online courses with support from the Danish Art Foundation.
SPRING GARDEN SUPPORTS AND BIRD FEEDER WITH JUDI EVANS
Monday 27th April FULL
New date! Wednesday 18th March 5 spaces available
Cost £120, Level: All abilities, beginners welcome. 8 students
Suitable for complete beginners as well as those with some experience, this workshop will equip you with all the skills you need to make attractive plant supports for your borders and pots. Judi will also show you how to make a round bird feeder.
You will learn how to select and grade unstripped willow rods ready for weaving a 3 rod wale to create chunky spirals and tiered bands around tall thick uprights, finishing with decorative ties at the top.
There are two designs to make so you can try both or make a matching pair. The finished structures stand at around 175 cm tall and are perfect for Sweet Peas, Clematis , Jasmine and other outdoor climbers.
INTERLACE PEBBLES AND SMALL ORGANIC FORMS WITH SUE KIRK
Tuesday 28th and Wednesday 29th April FULL
Cost £240, Level: All abilities, beginners welcome. 8 students
Spend two days weaving willow into a beautiful small organic form. Learn how to design a form from a starting point such as a pebble, build a frame using hoops of willow and learn how to weave your form using the interlace technique, also referred to as 'random weave' or 'free weave'. Learn how to expand and reduce the shape and how to weave density and pattern into the forms. We will be working with hard willow rods such as Packing Twine, Green Dicks and Dicky Meadows and you will learn how to prepare these rods for interlacing. We will also look at work by contemporary willow sculptors and discuss their methods of interlacing with an aim to develop your own individual style of weaving.
OVAL SHOPPER WITH PETER DIBBLE
Monday 1st-Tuesday 2nd June 2 spaces available
Cost £240 , Level: Intermediate , 8 students, 9.30am-4.30pm
The aim of this workshop is to teach you how to make an oval basket starting with the underfoot base technique, another practice more commonly seen in the UK. There will be plenty of things to learn, from material selection to weaving styles, bordering techniques to handle wrapping. This will all lead you to making a beautiful basket. The start of this basket needs a lot of flexibility and I’m not referring to the willow! Being able to stand and touch your toes is quite important when making the base. Start stretching now if you fancy this workshop.
SQUARE SHOPPER WITH PETER DIBBLE
Wednesday 3rd and Thursday 4th June FULL
Cost £240 , Level: intermediate and advanced, 8 students, 9.30am-4.30pm
The aim of this workshop is to teach you how to make square work without using corner posts, so called “blunt cornered square work”, a technique more common in the UK. There will be a variety of other skills to master like making slewed bases using a screw block, staking up using both slyped & scallomed stakes but most importantly we will be concentrating on the finer details of keeping those corners square right through to the border. Then with the addition of a handle you'll finish with a beautiful sturdy basket.
INTRODUCTION TO OPEN HEXAGONAL PLAITING WITH POLLY POLLOCK
Thursday 2nd - Friday 3rd July 8 spaces available
Cost £240, Level: all abilities welcome, no experience necessary, 8 students, 9.30am-4.30pm
On this two-day course we will work with ‘flat band cane’ to learn the basic principles of hexagonal plaiting/weaving. This is a good material to use to make a first basket. You will learn how to weave a flat sheet of hexagonal plaiting forming the base of your basket. You’ll learn where to place and turn corners moving from 2D to 3D, to create a basket form, weaving up the sides, and finally a simple method of finishing off the border.
On day two, with a basic understanding of the principles of hexagonal plaiting, there will be several options to choose from - these might include working with a different material, working on a different scale, making a different shaped form/basket, repeating what you made on day one consolidate/improve on what learned …… there will be several options on offer to choose from. There will be examples of hexagonally plaited basketry for you to observe and photograph, books to browse through which have sections about hexagonal plaiting and how it’s used traditionally around the world, and also how more contemporary makers are using hexagonal plaiting in their work.
WALL BASKET WITH MARGUERITE HERLANT
Monday 27th-Tuesday 28th July 2 spaces available
Cost £280, Level: Suitable for beginners with some basketry experience, 8 students, 9.30am -4.30pm
A wonderful opportunity to work with one of France's finest traditional basketmakers. Marguerite taught at Tear Up festival in 2024, has exhibited her beautiful openwork in Catalonia and has collaborated with artist Andrea Sparta. On this two day course you will learn to make a flat round base woven with French randing, then to create the curved and asymmetric shape from this round base. To hang it on the wall, we will make a 1 rod handle.
ROUND REINFORCED OPENWORK WITH MARGUERITE HERLANT
Thursday 30th- Saturday 1st August 1 space available
Cost £365, Level: intermediate with experience and advanced, 8 students, 9.30am-4.30pm
This reinforced openwork round basket is inspired by one of the traditional designs that David Drew used to make, this basket is rich in techniques that will add to your practice of round basketry. Some of the techniques that we will use are a base wale to the left, fitching and pairing, the making of a foot and cranked rope handles.
Before attending this workshop, make sure that you already have made a few round baskets, and that you are in a good physical condition, as we will work with willow from 6 to 9 feet.
ROUND WILLOW BASKETS IN NANSA TECHNIQUE WITH MONICA GUILERA
Monday 10th - Wednesday 12th August FULL
Cost £365 , Level: all abilities, beginners welcome, 8 students, 9.30am-4.30pm
The Mediterranean is home to a distinctive tradition of weaving used by fishermen to make a variety of fishing baskets and traps. In Catalonia ‘Nansa’ fish traps were made in a variety of shapes and sizes depending on the kind of fish they wanted to catch, the traps were usually made in the winter with a very tough kind of rush (Juncus acutus) as well as split cane (Arundo donax) and olive stems.
Monica has adapted this technique creating beautiful combinations of willow with different coloured threads. In this workshop you will start with a traditional nansa ‘grid’ base attached to a thicker willow hoop, then move on to the sidings, bundle border and handle to make a useful and elegant round basket.
Monica Guilera is a Catalan basketmaker with many years making and teaching experience, she makes her living making baskets, teaching and demonstrating and has taken part in many exhibitions both in Spain and internationally. Monica's baskets continue to evolve, while rooted in the Spanish and Mediterranean traditions, she brings colour and contemporary style to her baskets.
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INSPIRED BY KISHIES AND CAISIES WITH TIM JOHNSON
Thursday 13th - Saturday 15th August FULL
Cost £365 Level: Suitable for both beginners and those with experience, 9.30am-4.30pm
Shetland and Orkney have diverse basketmaking traditions using locally available materials to fulfill a variety of functions on the croft and at sea.
Shetland’s Kishie backpacks are traditionally made with oat straw and soft rush while Orkney’s Caisies were made with straw and a wider variety of locally available plant materials such as heather, mugwort and dock stems. These traditions are unusual within the British Isles having evolved without the use of willow.
In this workshop you will make two baskets inspired by Kishies and Caisies, one smaller and one larger, combining readily available chair seating rush and a variety of traditionally used coir and sisal twine for the weaving.
Tim Johnson is an English basketmaker based in Catalonia specialising in soft material techniques creating a variety of contemporary and traditional baskets that he exhibits and sells internationally. Tim has visited Orkney and Shetland several times while researching their basketmaking traditions and pursuing his interest in the Caithness Hayve and related baskets using the Neolithic Braiding technique.
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FISHING CREEL WITH FRANCOIS DESPLANCHES
Tuesday 18th-Thursday 20th August FULL
Cost £365, Level: Advanced, 8 students, 9.30am-4.30pm
A great opportunity to work with one of France's leading basketmakers Francois Desplanches. The fishing creel is rich with techniques perfect for advanced basketmakers who wish to refine their skills and work to precision.
Francois says,
'The fishing creel is not exactly the one from the French book, where it is made on a wooden former. I've stopped working on these formers because they are not easy to find or make (I have two sizes), and also because I found it very tiring for the hands to work on them. When I met Catherine Davies and Pascal Carr from Scotland, I remember Pascal copying an old creel he had found in an antic shop, a lovely one; I have adapted the recipe to make mine, but I guess it's very close to an English standard, with front stakes inserted through the base "U" shape stick, like in square work'.
OVAL SHOPPER WITH FRANCOIS DESPLANCHES
Saturday 22nd-Sunday 23rd August FULL
Cost £280, Level: beginners with experience and intermediates, 8 students, 9.30am-4.30pm
A great opportunity for beginners who have made a few baskets and for intermediates to work with French basketmaker Francois Desplanches. You can experience the joys of French bases which are made on formed hoops, learn how to create scalloms and brush up on borders and handles. This elegant shopper is the perfect way to experience French basketry.
Francois says,
'When I began basketry I only made the oval scallom stakes shallow and large baskets, and very soon I realized that people were also expecting a narrow and high version of it, with a lengthwise handle, that's how I came to it. These baskets are made using English randing and slewing techniques, my favourite ways to rand a basket.'
FINE WILLOW SKEIN BRACELETS WITH JEFKA GEYSELS
Tuesday 1st - Wednesday 2nd September 3 spaces available
Cost £280, Level: beginners with experience, intermediates and advanced, 8 students, 9.30am-4.30pm
During this two-day workshop you will learn the process of making skeins from willow.
We process the precisely made skeins into a bracelet. You will practice shave and measuring rings and assemble them into a perfect structure. This structure is then wrapped with the made skeins. Everyone can make bracelets at their own pace, simple or more elaborate.
Jefka Geysels made his first basket at the age of five. But his real passion lies in fine skein work. Because of his enthusiasm, he followed a two-year training course with Esmé Hofman from 2019 to 2021. Jefka's innovative fine skein willow work is stunning and was recently exhibited at Milan Design Week. In 2023 Jefka won First prize at the Polish World Basketry Festival.
ERGONOMIC SHOPPING BASKET WITH JEANNY BOUWEN
Thursday 3rd - Friday 4th September 2 spaces available
Cost £280, Level: Intermediates and advanced, 8 students, 9.30am-4.30pm
This shopping basket takes on beautiful shapes. It follows the curve of your body on one side and bulges out nicely on the front. This basket is mainly about design. The attractive colours are obtained by the home-grown willow that will be offered. It is expected that you can already handle the basic techniques smoothly so that your focus can be on the attractive shape.
In 2000 Jeanny wove her first basket from a book she found in the library. From the beginning she was attracted by the material and quickly started looking for real craftsmanship. Jeanny went on to be taught by Jan De Vos and José Schilder both in the field of growing the ideal willow and the technique of weaving. Jeanny teaches across Europe and collaborates on unique designs with her son Jefka, their basketry business, De Ratelaar is based in Belgium, they run workshops and make beautiful bespoke commission work.
SQUARE LIDDED BASKET WITH SOFT CORNERS WITH NADINE ANDERSON
Monday 14th - Wednesday 16th September 4 spaces available
Cost £320, Level: intermediates and advanced, 8 students, 9.30am-4.30pm
Create a beautifully textured blunt cornered square basket in English rush. Explore the use of twinning techniques over varying numbers of stakes to make striking patterns. The basket and lid use a twill weave, and handles utilise the white willow after the bark has been slipped off. Fine plaits or cordage fasten the handle to the lid, and Nadine will encourage participants to make their baskets unique and individual.
BEGINNERS ROUND SHOPPER WITH JEAN SHORE
Thursday 1st - Friday 2nd October 1 space available
Cost £240, Level: Complete beginners welcome, 8 students, 9.30am-4.30pm
Whether you’re looking for a fun creative experience or keen to learn a new skill, this 2-day workshop is the perfect introduction to basket making.
Designed for beginners, you’ll be guided step by step through the process of creating a beautiful round shopper basket to take home and treasure.
Over the two days, you’ll learn how to:
- Choose and prepare the willow
- Create a sturdy round base
- Set up the uprights and weave the sides using traditional techniques such as paring, waling, and French and English rands
- Form a lovely border
- Finish with a wrapped handle
By the end of the workshop, you’ll have gained the confidence and skills to continue your basket making journey — and a gorgeous handwoven shopper you can be proud of!
PANIER COQUILLE WITH AMANDINE LOUBERE
Wednesday 7th - Friday 9th October 1 space available
Cost £385, Level: Advanced, 8 students, 9.30am-4.30pm
The Panier Coquille or 'Shell Basket' is one of Amandine's own designs, this contemporary basket contains Catalan and French techniques made on a small Catalan base. This workshop is for advanced students only plus you need hand strength, it's really the hand that shapes the basket, like pottery.
Amandine was a student at Fayl-Billot where she learnt classic French techniques, she now grows her own willows near the Amanca River, which she weaves into her beautiful fine willow work and unique forms. Amandine makes contemporary and traditional basketry and runs her basketry business 'Le Lieu des Loups' in Blondefontaine, France.
CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS WITH THE CODDIWOMPLERS
Monday 26th October 8 spaces available
Cost £85, Level: Complete beginners welcome, 10 students, 9.30am-4.30pm
Selection of willow Christmas decorations.
This Christmas, come and join the Coddiwomplers for a fun, relaxed willow weaving workshop. Under the tuition of two experienced basket makers, you will learn some basic skills and techniques of willow weaving whilst creating a range of beautiful Christmas decorations for your home including a wreath, reindeers, stars and Christmas trees.
This course is suitable for beginners, so no previous experience is necessary. However, some manual dexterity and hand strength will be required.
EXPLORING RUSH WITH FELICITY IRONS
Tuesday 27th - Wednesday 28th October 1 space available
Cost £240, Level: All abilities, beginners welcome 8 students, 9.30am-4.30pm
Spend two days working with Felicity Irons using her hand cut rushes from the rivers Ouse and Nene. Felicity will guide you through your chosen project/s. Choose from spiral and square bath mats, hats, place mats, bags and more! Learn a variety of techniques from plaiting, check weave and pairing, trac borders and sewing plaits. Many of these techniques have not changed for centuries. Felicity and her team at Rush Matters create floor matting for National Trust properties and create bespoke work for interiors across the globe. A fabulous opportunity to weave with one of our country’s finest makers.
HARVESTER AND GATHERER HANDBAGS WITH SUE KIRK AND JUSTIN CAPP
Wednesday 4th - Friday 6th November 1 space available
Cost £320, Level: Intermediate and advanced, 8 students, 9.30am-4.30pm
This course is designed for students who want to further their skills with leather. Justin Capp with be teaching how to add lids, hinges and straps with buckles to your baskets. Sue and Justin have worked together designing handbags for some time. The Gatherer and Harvester baskets are a step on from the Plum handbags which are usually taught here.
Work with Sue on the first half of the course, make a rectangular based narrow basket with curved or straight sides. Techniques include; square base with randing, scalloms, French randing, three rod and four rod wale.
On the second day Justin Capp will teach the leather craft element of the course. You can compliment your basket with leather additions. Make a brass buckle adjustable strap with keeper and a lid of your choice. Choose between either the 'Harvester' (hinged flat lid, whip stitched to a fitted rim) or 'Gatherer'(hinged double thickness flat lid). Both options include the choice to decorate with traditional stamping tools to create a design of your own. You can also add a Sam Brown stud closure and straps and hinges fitted with copper rivets.
Skills include: cutting leather with a strap cutter, burnishing edges, circle and slot hole punching, decorative tooling with stamp design, whip stitching and braiding.
ALI BABA LINEN BASKET WITH ANNA LIEBMANN
Wednesday 11th - Friday 13th November 3 spaces available
Cost £320, Level: Intermediate and advanced, 8 students, 9.30am-4.30pm
Students will learn how to make a large Ali Baba basket, suitable for throwing all your dirty washing in and hiding it out of sight in a beautiful way! There is the option of building an underfoot round base, or using the split slath method. then We will cover pull down waling, a myriad of different side weaves, working with colour, 4 rod waling, 6 rod or other thick rod border, lots of basket shaping and stake control, and a lid with a handle. Suitable for students familiar with willow basketry who have worked on at least a few stake and strand baskets before, preferably able to work under their own steam already.
