In this Intermediate Basketmaking Course, led by Jordie Reay, you will make a curved or funnel shaped hand basket about 25cm wide by 35cm tall which is perfect for foraging, for use as a handbag or just as a decoration around your house.
This course gives you the opportunity to hone the skills you have learnt as a beginner basketmaker, and to branch out and make your own decisions when it comes to how your personal hand basket will look.
In this class, you will have the opportunity to personalise the finished product you create, and focus more on what skills you want to learn most. This includes shape manipulation, handle wrapping, border designs and learning different weaving techniques. The one-day course includes a lunch break, a tea break with cake, and lots of chatting with like-minded people. Gift Vouchers are available on request.
All materials, tools and safety equipment are included. To take this course, you should have taken our beginner's basketry course or have previous knowledge of the basic basketmaking skills.
Please note: Willow weaving requires manual dexterity so this class may not besuitable for people with hand mobility issues.
ABOUT JORDIE REAY
From a young age, I’ve been captivated by social history, particularly the rich narratives of ordinary people in the 16th and 18th centuries.
Five years ago, I joined over a hundred people at Kentwell Hall in Suffolk, to live as a Tudor and create an annual immersive living history event. Whilst living there, I was introduced to traditional basketmaking in English willow, just one of the heritage crafts being kept alive by the project.
The process is at once meditative and challenging, and I immediately felt a deep connection to the process and to the centuries of artisans who created the techniques I was learning. These traditional basketmaking skills have developed over centuries and reflect both national and social distinctions.
As my skills have developed, I have found immense pleasure in creating baskets, appreciating their sustainability, uniqueness, and the tactile experience they offer. The importance of retaining such artisanal skills has led me to share my passion and I have found joy in teaching and connecting with other makers.
I also have a passion for creating historical clothing, hand-stitching every piece and crafting my own patterns, always using traditional methods and striving for authenticity. My educational background includes studying costume making at Arts University Bournemouth, and I currently volunteer at Kentwell Hall, Athelhampton Manor and Highcliffe Castle, but I am no luddite - I also enjoy creating digital art, both by drawing and graphic design.
Through all these pursuits, I aim to keep history alive and share my love for these crafts with others.
