Date 5-6 June 2027 (2 Days)

Price £240

Maximum number of places 6

Book Please book with Shannon by using this booking link.‍ ‍

Course Details

Skein Willow & Split Hazel: A Woodland Frame Basketry Workshop

Spend two days at Ellekers Wood learning the craft of frame basketry, working with woodland materials to make your own two-hoop handled basket.

Beginning with hazel, you’ll learn how to split and dress the wood to create the handles, rim and structural ribs of your basket frame, before weaving with split willow skeins; produced using critically endangered heritage craft techniques.

This is a hands-on course with plenty to explore before the weaving begins. You’ll be guided through each stage, from preparing the materials to building the frame and weaving your basket. Suitable for all abilities as accommodations can be made for those without prior knife skills. The course involves a fair amount of knife work and requires a reasonable level of dexterity, so patience and a willingness to get stuck in are helpful.

Working with natural materials in a woodland setting offers an opportunity to slow down, reconnect with the landscape and appreciate the knowledge held within traditional woodland crafts. Over two days, you’ll explore the relationship between tree, material and maker, leaving with a handmade basket and a deeper understanding of the craft behind it.

The techniques shared during this workshop draw on the teachings of basketmaker Benjamin Naleau, alongside further learning with Esmé Hofman, a master of fine-skein willow basketry.

Catering:

For all courses, a hearty, healthy lunch is provided (please let your tutor know of any dietary requirements when booking), along with tea, coffee and water. Breakfast and evening meal is self-catered, with firewood and charcoal-based cooking available.

We also provide firewood, brew-kit, washing up and cooking facilities, crockery and cutlery. 

Guests should bring; barbecue food or pans for cooking on a fire for breakfast and evening meals.

Facilities:

Facilities include covered workshop spaces, an undercover outdoor cooking set-up, comfortable compost toilet, plenty of loo roll, and handwashing.  A good stone track leads to the the wood where there is space to park, please keep speed under 10mph.

Tutor Bio

Shannon Berry @shannon.berry.nature

Shannon Berry is a UK-based woodland craft practitioner specialising in split-wood basketry, greenwood turning and coppice crafts. Working with locally sourced woodland materials, their practice explores the relationship between trees, traditional craft techniques and contemporary making. They are particularly passionate about keeping critically endangered heritage crafts alive through making, teaching and sharing the knowledge held within these skills.

Their work combines traditional techniques with contemporary design, celebrating the natural qualities of each material and the connection between woodland management, craft and the landscape. From harvesting and preparing materials to the finished piece, Shannon works closely with the rhythms of the woodland, exploring how traditional skills can continue to thrive in modern life. Through their workshops, they invite others to slow down, work with their hands and develop a deeper connection with the natural world.