Wayside Willow
Chaz Friend
Whole Day Willow Craft Courses
Bark Basket making course (£65)
September 23rd 10:00 - 3:00 @ Saints, Newdegate St, Nuneaton CV11 4ED In this course you will rehydrate bark strips before taking the strips of willow to weave into a small basket made entirely of bark. You will create the base and manipulate the structure to position the sides before continuing to weave. You will then learn how to complete the rim of the basket. There will be opportunity to use a bark cutter to create some strips of your own size to experiment with, There should be enough time to also create a small bark mug placemat. Materials, tools and refreshments will be provided. Bring your own lunch or purchase food from Saints community cafe.
The Venue: Saints nuneaton
Short Willow Craft Courses
Dragonfly Course (£35)
August 26th 2023 10:00 - 12:00 @Saints, Newdegate Street Nuneaton. CV11 4ED
Learn to make, and take home with you, a willow dragonfly, made with several different colours of willow. You will make the body and the wings separately, before combining them and weaving detail into the wings to finish this popular garden sculpture. This dragonfly can be attached to fences, walls or trees or suspended to enhance your garden, courtyard, or an interior space. (NB there is some tight wrapping used in the making of this item that may render the activity unsuitable to those who experience joint or wrist pain.)
Together for Change is a charity , in partnership with a collection of Nuneaton Churches and Christian Organisations who are passionate about bringing community transformation to the heart of Nuneaton. They run the Saints project and cafe.
Christmas Willow Course (£70)
Saturday November 25th 2023 10:00-3:00 @ Saints, Newdegate St, Nuneaton. CV114ED
On this popular Christmas Willow Weaving course you will make a large 60cm high angel (or a smaller one if you prefer) during the morning. In the afternoon you will learn how to make reindeer and Christmas trees. As soon as you have learned these items your time can be allocated to working on those items that you most wish to invest your time in. ( There are also other regular items that I make for Christmas that I can show you on an individual basis during the course of the day when I am not addressing the rest of the group - simple stars, spiral decorations etc) All materials and tools will be provided, but bring a big bag to take away your treasures. You can bring your own lunch, but food can be purchased from Saints
Course for 2024 will be uploaded here early in December. Email me to let me know if there's anything you are particularly wanting and I might add it to the list.
Tension Tray Course (£35)
Saturday October 14th 10:00 - 12:00 @ Saints Community cafe, Newdegate St, Nuneaton CV114ED
A tension tray can create a feature of focus on a table or a sideboard, creating a backdrop for that special item., It can act as a heat mat for a hot dish or a surface to place items like bread rolls or cakes on during a meal. Using several varieties of willow you will first make a hoop before beginning to weave the willow in using a pattern of your choice. These will be woven through a number of ribs, creating the tension and the rigid surface.
Online Courses:
Buy once - access anytime. these courses are mainly short videos that take you through all the stages you need to to make these willow items and acquire these skills. There are numerous variations and tips for teaching others in some of this content.
1/ Beginning with willow:
Learn to make a number of simple items from willow. A great place to start for anyone keen to discover willow weaving. (Tips for teaching to groups ( children, scouts etc)
2/ Living Willow:
Learn how to install and maintain living willow structures. (Domes, tunnels and arbours)
3/ Garden Obelisks and plant cages.
Learn the craft - tame the garden. Great skill acquisition for the seasoned gardener.
Swedish Star (£40)
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Saturday December 16th 2023 1:00 - 3:00 pm @ Saints, Newdegate St, Nuneaton CV114ED
In this course you will learn how to make the Swedish star that has become very popular on social media over the last couple of years. This is a 60cm wide star that will make a fabulous focus on a prominent wall, or in a large window. The star can be displayed inside or out and is particularly partial to a generous covering of fairy lights, especially when positioned outside.
All materials and tools will be provided, along with some seasonal refreshments.
Wayside Willow Courses 2023