“Whether you are a beginner, or an ardent ‘stick-twiddler’, we hope you find something you like, and we look forward to welcoming you to our friendly workshops in the beautiful surroundings of Wakelyns”
Emma & Adam
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Beginners Basketry
February and March 2025
A six week course aimed at beginners which will build your weaving skill from small projects, to frame baskets, round baskets and finally oval projects. We will work together on six Saturdays at
Wakelyns Farm. Tea and coffee are provided. Please bring your own packed lunch.
Week 1 – Saturday 1st Feb
Small projects; hearts, stars, leaf and trays. All projects involve a weave called Randing, great techniques to build awareness of tension in weaving.
Week 2 – Saturday 8th Feb
Bases. We will spend the day creating several types of basket bases (round and oval, we will also look at D shaped and square bases) and explore the techniques to practice to make a strong, beautiful base for your basket.
Week 3 – Saturday 15th February
Frame Baskets. We will spend the day creating several Celtic frame baskets (Berry Basket and Henny Penny Basket). We will also explore willow varieties and patterning with colours.
Week 4 – Saturday 22nd February
Stake and Strand baskets. Round Baskets. Using the bases we made in week 2, we will create a round basket with a hazel handle. We will learn to complete a 3 Rod Wale and an English Rand.
Week 5 – Saturday 1st March
Round Shopping Basket. We will learn the 4 Rod Wale and French Rand this week, alongside a Tracking Border. We will also learn to create a traditional wrapped handle.
Week 6 – Saturday 29th March
Oval Baskets. Having learned a number of weaves and techniques, I will support you to create an Oval Basket of your own design for a specific purpose in your house.
Beginners Basketry on 1 February 2025 – 29 March 2025 (10:00 am – 5:00 pm)
Cost £300
Plus £33 materials
Course runs from 10am to 5pm but extra time is available if necessary!
Living Willow Weekend
25th & 26th January
This year we have decided to make a weekend of it. As these courses are traditionally very small, we are able to cater to your specific needs and concentrate on what you would like to make for your garden.
Saturday – Living Willow Structures
From archways and tunnels to arbours and domes, a living willow structure is a beautiful, sustainable addition to any garden. We will learn the techniques together by working on a structure at Wakelyns. Then you can cut the willow to build your own structure at home, from our
agroforestry willow lines.
Living Willow Structures on 25 January 2025 (10:00 am – 5:00 pm)
Sunday – Furniture
Would you like to learn how to make a living willow bench or chair? Then this is the course for you. Learn the basics of furniture making and take your creation home to plant and grow.
Living Willow Furniture on 26 January 2025 (10:00 am – 5:00 pm)
Course runs from 10am to 5pm but extra time is available if necessary!
Cost £120 per day, £220 for 2 days.
Living Willow Weekend on 25 January 2025 – 26 January 2025 (10:00 am – 5:00 pm)
Ticket Price includes all materials, Wakelyns Kitchen elevenses & lunch plus parking.
Half Day Taster Courses
New for 2025
Lunch Included
Sunday 9th February
10 – 1pm Willow Heart
Come and learn to make a living willow heart to take home and grow.
Willow Hearts on 9 February 2025 (10:00 am – 1:00 pm)
2 – 5pm Harlequin Tree
Come and learn to make a potted willow Harlequin Tree to take home and grow.
Living Willow Harlequin Tree on 9 February 2025 (1:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Sunday 30th March
10 – 1pm Plant Supports
Come and learn to make a willow plant support for your Sweet Peas, using our lovely Wakelyns willow.
Plant Supports on 30 March 2025 (10:00 am – 1:00 pm)
2 – 5pm Bird Feeders
Come and learn to make a willow bird feeder for your garden.
Bird Feeders on 30 March 2025 (1:00 pm – 5:00 pm)
Saturday 26th April
10 – 1pm. Tatza Baskets
Come and learn this wonderful Eastern European technique to make a beautiful bread basket.
Tatza Baskets on 26 April 2025 (10:00 am – 1:00 pm
2 – 5pm Berry Baskets
Come and learn to make a dear little Celtic Frame Basket. Perfect for foraging.
Berry Basket on 26 April 2025 (1:00 pm – 5:00 pm)
Cost – £50
Ticket Price includes all materials, Wakelyns Kitchen lunch plus parking.
Henny Penny Easter Baskets
19th April 2025
Come and learn to make this lovely frame basket, traditionally used to carry eggs, this makes a perfect Easter Basket.
Course runs from 10am to 5pm but extra time is available if necessary!
Cost – £95
Henny Penny Easter Basket on 19 April 2025 (10:00 am – 5:00 pm)
Ticket Price includes all materials, Wakelyns Kitchen elevenses & lunch plus parking.
Bicycle Baskets
4th May 2025
Make a lovely oval bicycle basket, complete with leather trims and straps.
Course runs from 10am to 5pm but extra time is available if necessary!
Cost – £95, 1 day
Bicycle Basket on 4 May 2025 (10:00 am – 5:00 pm)
Ticket Price includes all materials, Wakelyns Kitchen elevenses & lunch plus parking.
Willow Rucksack
28th June 2025
Come and learn to make this lovely willow rucksack complete with leather detail and straps.
Course runs from 10am to 5pm but extra time is available if necessary!
Willow Rucksack on 28 June 2025 (10:00 am – 5:00 pm)
Ticket Price includes all materials, Wakelyns Kitchen elevenses & lunch plus parking.
Cost – £130, 1 day
Large Asymmetric Pot Bellied Basket
12th & 13th July
This year we decided to offer this basket as a 2 day course, making the basket from the base to the handle (in a one day course I make the bases for you). This great sized, useful basket can either be used for everyday use or for storage in your home. It’s elegant lines, beautiful border and
unusual handle, means it is a very satisfying basket to create. Spend a lovely weekend with us at Wakelyns, we will visit our willow beds and harvest some fresh willow to add a splash of colour to your basket, from our beautiful, organic agroforestry lines. We can also coppice and peel some withies, to add white willow to your colour palette.
Course runs from 10am to 5pm but extra time is available if necessary!
Cost – £250, 2 days
Large Asymmetric Pot Bellied Basket on 12 July 2025 – 13 July 2025 (10:00 am – 5:00 pm)
Ticket Price includes all materials, Wakelyns Kitchen elevenses & lunch plus parking.
Lampshades and Lanterns
27th July
Cost – £95, 1 day
Come and learn to make a beautiful woven willow lampshade, using some of our lovely Wakelyns willow.
Course runs from 10am to 5pm but extra time is available if necessary!
Lampshades and Lanterns on 27 July 2025 (10:00 am – 5:00 pm)
Ticket Price includes all materials, Wakelyns Kitchen elevenses & lunch plus parking.
Buttocks Baskets
17th August 2025
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£95 – Ticket Price includes all materials, Wakelyns Kitchen elevenses & lunch plus parking.
Come and learn to make this unusual shaped Celtic Frame basket. A great size for everyday use.
Course runs from 10am to 5pm but but extra time is available if necessary!
Buttocks Baskets on 17th August 2025 (10:00 am – 5:00 pm).
Apple Baskets
Sunday September 28th 2025
Come and learn to make this lovely, seasonal Apple Basket, which also works well as a shopping basket.
£110 – Ticket Price includes all materials, Wakelyns Kitchen elevenses & lunch plus parking.
Course runs from 10am to 5pm but but extra time is available if necessary!
Apple Baskets on 28 September 2025 (10:00 am – 5:00 pm)
Rope-Handled Log Basket
Saturday October 11th 2025
In this course we will create an ample sized log basket with either rope handles or fingerholds depending on your preference. Perfect for cosy, autumn hearths.
£120 – Ticket Price includes all materials, Wakelyns Kitchen elevenses & lunch plus parking.
Course runs from 10am to 5pm but extra time is available if necessary!
Rope-Handled Log Basket on 11 October 2025 (10:00 am – 5:00 pm)
Christmas Decorations
9th November 2025
Come and make your own natural, sustainable decorations for the festive season, with organic Wakelyns willow. We will make Scandinavian Stars, baubles, candle holders and wreathes.
£80 – Ticket Price includes all materials, Wakelyns Kitchen elevenses & lunch plus parking.
Course runs from 10am to 5pm but but extra time is available if necessary!
Christmas Decorations on 9 November 2025 (10:00 am – 5:00 pm)
All tools and materials are provided. Take home your makings.
If you don’t live locally, why not stay over in a Wakelyns Ley Alley Pod?
Book your Willow Phoenix event here:
Other events at Wakelyns are here
Living Willow Structures on 25 January 2025 (10:00 am - 5:00 pm)Living Willow Weekend on 25 January 2025 - 26 January 2025 (10:00 am - 5:00 pm)
Living Willow Furniture on 26 January 2025 (10:00 am - 5:00 pm)
Beginners Basketry on 1 February 2025 - 29 March 2025 (10:00 am - 5:00 pm)
Willow Hearts on 9 February 2025 (10:00 am - 1:00 pm)
Living Willow Harlequin Tree on 9 February 2025 (1:00 pm - 5:00 pm)
Plant Supports on 30 March 2025 (10:00 am - 1:00 pm)
Bird Feeders on 30 March 2025 (1:00 pm - 5:00 pm)
Henny Penny Easter Basket on 19 April 2025 (10:00 am - 5:00 pm)
Tatza Baskets on 26 April 2025 (10:00 am - 1:00 pm)
Berry Basket on 26 April 2025 (1:00 pm - 5:00 pm)
Bicycle Basket on 4 May 2025 (10:00 am - 5:00 pm)
Willow Rucksack on 28 June 2025 (10:00 am - 5:00 pm)
Large Asymmetric Pot Bellied Basket on 12 July 2025 - 13 July 2025 (10:00 am - 5:00 pm)
Lampshades and Lanterns on 27 July 2025 (10:00 am - 5:00 pm)
Buttocks Baskets on 17 August 2025 (10:00 am - 5:00 pm)
Apple Baskets on 28 September 2025 (10:00 am - 5:00 pm)
Rope-Handled Log Basket on 11 October 2025 (10:00 am - 5:00 pm)
Christmas Decorations on 9 November 2025 (10:00 am - 5:00 pm)
Adam and Emma say:
“We have been working together as Willow Phoenix since 2012 and have completed various commissions, festivals, events and community projects together. We currently working on large-scale commissions for the summer season, whilst teaching at Easton College ‘Beginner’s Basketry’ course.”
“We are both very excited to be working with Wakelyns to offer a series of seasonal willow basket projects for beginners to intermediate weavers. We we be including willow grown at Wakelyns and offer the opportunity to learn more about the process of coppicing, its sustainability and how it fits in to the wider landscape of agroforestry.”
“Weaving is a mindful, sustainable craft, good for people, nature, and the planet. It’s the perfect antidote to our fast-paced life and the finished product is authentic and will last a lifetime.Weaving is an excellent way to connect to nature and is gentle, whole body exercise.”
“We are members of the Heritage Crafts Association and support it’s aims of promoting and teaching to keep the craft viable. We have also committed to learning to make baskets from the endangered crafts Red List, to keep the craft alive and accessible to future generations.”
“We look forward to crafting with you in the beautiful setting of Wakelyns, where we will take you through the process of making your own baskets from the willow trees in the field, to your completed project.”
Here are some of Adam & Emma’s other lovely work:
