Workshops

Willow Day Workshops are suitable for beginners and those with existing willow weaving experience.  Just bring along lots of enthusiasm and by the end of the day you will be taking home your basket or animal sculpture!  With now over a decade of teaching experience throughout the UK, Sarah concentrates on teaching willow baskets that she has designed for you herself.

TIME:

9.15 arrival for 9.30am start. 5.45pm finish (approximately)

VENUE:

Chevithorne Village Hall, Chevithorne, Tiverton, Devon, EX16 7PU. (15 minutes from M5, junction 27. Just 30 minutes westwards from my previous main venue!)

DETAILS:

Maximum of 8 participants per day.  Price includes refreshments and all materials.  Tools provided.

LUNCH:

Please could you bring your own packed lunch.  I provide refreshments, biscuits and afternoon cake.

TO BOOK:

Click on a ‘Make a Booking Enquiry’ button.  This will take you through to the booking form.  Once your completed booking enquiry form is received I will reply via email within 4 working days with current availability and full payment instructions.  Payment is accepted by electronic bank transfer or PayPal. (If you wish to pay by PayPal please tell me in the booking form message box.  Please note, Paypal is subject to an additional transaction charge).

GIFT VOUCHERS:

Ideal birthday, anniversary or Christmas gift for family, friends or colleagues.  Gift voucher recipients have priority booking and the chance to book before anyone else (including those on my MailChimp list).  Valid for 2 years, a gift voucher enables your lucky recipient to experience a day basket or sculpture making at a workshop of their choice in a lovely Devon venue.  To arrange your gift voucher please complete my booking enquiry form or email willow@sarahlebreton.co.uk.  A £105 gift voucher enables your gift recipient a place at one of my Willow Day Workshops.  I also offer a £55 voucher that enables part payment towards a workshop.  Once purchased, you will receive via email your electronic gift voucher ready for emailing or printing.

BESPOKE WEAVING EXPERIENCES – NEW FROM AUTUMN ’24:

For a more bespoke weaving experience at my home workshop in a beautiful Devon garden setting, I am now offering you the opportunity to make either one of the willow baskets that I have designed for my Willow Day Workshops or attend private training with 1:1 or 2:1 tuition.

Choose to make one of the baskets that I have designed for my Willow Day Workshops. For that special occasion or for those who wish to be taught in a smaller group. £175 1:1, £285 2:1, £395 3:1 per day, includes materials.

The opportunity to hone your basketmaking technique and skillset, having teaching tailored specifically to your ability is I’ve found incredibly valuable. This is why I am now offering one day (or more if you’d like!) basketmaking tuition for intermediate weavers. The focus will be tailored to what you are needing to learn, perhaps it’s stepping up to make that decent square work basket, or tips and tricks for bordering down.  Private Tuition £200 1:1 or £340 2:1 per day, includes materials.

For your bespoke weaving experience email willow@sarahlebreton.co.uk with your request.

JOIN MY MAILING LIST:

Head to my Contact Page, fill out the quick form and tick the box next to ‘SIGN UP TO OUR MAILING LIST!’ You will be joining my MailChimp newsletter and receive Willow Day Workshop dates prior to their general public release.  Sept – Dec Workshop dates released mid June.  January – April ’25 dates will be released in early October ’24.

2024 © sarahlebretonwillow

2 Day English Round Basket

Description

Over 2 days you will be immersed in creating an English stake-and-strand round basket.  This will be either a decent size willow shopper or a medium log basket. Methods and traditional techniques will include an underfoot tied slath base, English rand weave and a Somerset handle. You will also learn how to grow, harvest and prepare your willow ready for weaving. Suitable for beginners and those with willow weaving experience. Thursday 28th & Friday 29th November.

Dates & Availability

Thu 28 Nov 2024 3 Places Available
Cost: £175

Garden Basket

Description

Ever popular, choose to make either a lovely oblong or oval willow basket.  Perfect for gathering vegetables and foraging.  I designed and developed both of these baskets so that you get to learn some English Willow techniques and achieve a decent size basket in a day.  Oblong garden basket is ideal for beginners and oval basket is best for those with a little more basket weaving experience!

Dates & Availability

Fri 6 Sep 2024 Fully Booked
Thu 12 Dec 2024 Fully Booked
Cost: £105

Beginners Round Basket

Description

If you’ve ever wanted to make a willow basket but not known how to start, this lovely round basket is perfect for a small shopping trip!  Created by me especially for beginners, whilst making this basket you will learn some traditional English techniques and use willow grown on the Somerset Levels.

Dates & Availability

Sat 7 Sep 2024 Fully Booked
Thu 31 Oct 2024 Fully Booked
Wed 11 Dec 2024 3 Places Available
Cost: £105

2 Day English Oval Basket

Description

Create a lovely oval English technique stake-and-strand willow basket. This 2 day workshop will enable you to make your perfect shopping basket with methods including an underfoot tied slath base and a traditional Somerset handle. You will also learn how to grow, harvest and prepare your willow ready for weaving.  Ideal for those with a little more basket weaving experience or for adventurous beginners! Email me to register interest for this workshop.

Cost: £175

Berry Basket

Description

My take on a traditional English Berry Basket, brought up to date with a leather handle.  This lovely neat basket is perfect for foraging seasonal fruits or even as a casual handbag!  Great for both adventurous beginners and those with some previous basket weaving experience.

Dates & Availability

Fri 18 Oct 2024 Fully Booked
Sat 16 Nov 2024 Fully Booked
Cost: £105

Zarzo Basket

Description

Great for beginners, choose to make either an incredibly sculptural round Zarzo or still striking but more practical rectangular Zarzo basket.  Due to demand, for several years now I’ve been teaching these wonderful baskets that were developed by Danish basketmaker Ulla Misser.

Dates & Availability

Wed 30 Oct 2024 Fully Booked
Cost: £105

Lampshade - Zigzag Weave

Description

Make your very own large feature willow lampshade for your home.  Using the popular ‘zigzag’ weave and assorted willow colours you will create a (40cm diameter) medium size drum or cylinder shaped shade.  Ideal for those with existing weaving experience or adventurous beginners!

Dates & Availability

Fri 15 Nov 2024 4 Places Available
Cost: £105

Ose Basket

Description

Practical and beautiful, make a lovely Ose basket.  Using locally sourced willow, over a two day workshop you will be able to make with me this heritage basket.  Also known as a Gathering, Hen or Skye basket, I have developed the size and shape of this frame basket so that we can successfully achieve this advanced basket within 2 days.  Only for those with existing basketmaking experience. Email me to register interest for this workshop.

Cost: £175

Flower Basket

Description

Having experienced a number of requests for a lovely cut flower basket, I have designed and created this new basket that you can now make with me at a one day workshop.  Suitable for adventurous beginners.  Also great for those with existing basket weaving experience as you’ll be able to learn tips and tricks on how to hone your square work bases. Willow sourced locally from the Somerset Levels. Postponed until Spring ’25

Email me to register interest for this workshop.

Dates & Availability

Thu 17 Oct 2024 0 Places Available
Cost: £105

Organic Basket

Description

Explore making a simple version of this contemporary and ever increasingly fashionable willow basket.  Playing with colourful willow and developing from a Catalan base, your characterful basket will grow and flow organically into a small – medium size basket. Suitable for adventurous beginners and those with existing willow weaving experience.  Email me to register interest for this workshop.

Cost: £105

Bird Sculpture

Description

Spend a day creating a willow bird of prey, coastal, woodland or moorland bird of your choice. Due to such a demand for me to teach willow animals again this popular workshop is back! Email me to register interest for this workshop.

Cost: £105

Deer Sculpture

Description

Create your very own characterful 4ft deer in day.  Whilst making your 3D sculpture you will learn various willow weaving and sculpting techniques.  Email me to register interest for this workshop.

Cost: £105

FURTHER WORKSHOP DETAILS:

Venue – Chevithorne Village Hall.  Idyllic Mid Devon setting with full facilities. Parking outside the hall. 15 minutes from Junction 27 of the M5, and 5 minutes from either Tiverton junction off of the A361.  (Venue is just 30 minutes westwards from my previous Somerset teaching base.)

Accessibility – If you have accessibility needs please contact me before booking your workshop.

Dietary Requirements – If you have any dietary requirements please do let me when you book your place/s.

Tools & Clothing – All tools are provided, though you are more than welcome to bring your favourite pair of secateurs and you may wish to bring along light duty gardening gloves.  Please wear clothing that you don’t mind getting a little mucky!

Willow – Due to availability and willow preparation, the types and colours of the willow that you will be weaving with at the workshop may differ to those shown on publicity photos.

FURTHER BOOKING DETAILS:

Demand – Due to the level of demand for Willow Day Workshops places are only allocated on a ‘first come, first serve’ basis on receipt of both your completed Booking Enquiry Form / Phone Call and your full payment.  I work through bookings on a strict date and time basis, (I have to do this for my own conscience!)  To secure your place/s, when you receive my email reply please do get back to me with payment asap.

Group Bookings & Date Choices – For the best chance of securing your Willow Day Workshop place/s I strongly advise you to offer me a 1st and 2nd choice of date and if attending with friends / family please make one group booking.

Terms & Conditions – It is your responsibility to read the workshop t&c’s at the time of booking, these include the cancellation and change of date policy.  Click on this link for terms and conditions or access them on my website Footer page.

Availability – Please note that  I try my upmost to update availability for each Willow Day Workshop on my webpage as regularly as possible.  However, due to the amount of bookings that I receive after a publicity mail out there can occasionally be a delay between places being allocated and my manual updating.

STAYING IN DEVON:

Being in a beautiful area of Devon, with access to the moors, beaches and the close by cathedral city of Exeter, why not make your workshop into a mini holiday and stay with friends or family nearby? I’ve a great list of recommended local accommodation and lovely eateries for you to enjoy.  Please request!

FURTHER GIFT VOUCHER INFORMATION:

I publicise my workshops 3-4 times per year and although I send out a priority publicity email to gift voucher recipients, it is the responsibility of the recipient to check for workshop availability and book their place.  Once a workshop date has been arranged by a gift voucher recipient all normal terms and conditions, including my cancellation and change of date policy apply.

WAITING LIST FOR CANCELLATION PLACES:

Very occasionally, due to the way the world is at the moment, I do get cancellation places.  These are usually at very short notice.  If a cancellation occurs I email the workshop waiting list, update availability on my courses webpage and advertise the place on my news webpage.  If you wish to attend a Willow Day Workshop that is already fully booked it is well worth either filling out the booking form or emailing me so that you can go on the waiting list.  Please do let me know if you are interested in all workshop cancellation places or for a specific workshop date.

OTHER WORKSHOPS:

I’m delighted to announce that I will also be teaching for the following organisations in ’24

RHS Rosemoor Autumn Gardener’s Trug Friday 11th & Saturday 12th October.  For details and to book please head to RHS website

Somerset Rural Life Museum Beginners Round Basket –  Sunday 6th October.  For details and to book head to SMRL website

BESPOKE COURSES:

As well as having the extensive experience of teaching and organising my own Willow Day Workshops for over a decade, I run bespoke basketmaking workshops and courses for a wide variety of clients.  These include the RHS and the Somerset Rural Life Museum.  Previous clients include River  Cottage, Linley of London, the Soho House Group, CoLab Exeter and The Garden House.

 

WORKSHOP TESTIMONIALS:

Just a few of the many wonderful testimonials that I gratefully receive!

“ I have just completed a 2 day round basket course with Sarah which was truly amazing. I had thought it would be a group of us attending, but it transpired only 2 could make it. Sarah is so passionate about willow basket weaving that it became the most inspiring and fun time with almost individual tuition. I thoroughly recommend her as a tutor and if you get the chance to go on one of her courses, go for it. She will inspire confidence and a love of baskets.  Thank you Sarah for a great time.”  Naomi July ’24  (Taught at my home workshop).
“As always, I had a lovely day. It is always such a treat to weave with you. You are a very generous and wholehearted teacher and everything I have said before remains.
It feels that your passion and skills in making and weaving really enable you to support people on their own creative journey. Leaving, certainly me, with a sense of joy, achievement and a beautiful basket. I think they may always be wobbly but this one felt a bit less wobbly than the ones before. It is your gift as a teacher, genuinely lovely human being, to be able to facilitate a group of mainly strangers into making a basket and feeling connected in such a short space of time.” Jo April ’24 Berry Basket Workshop.

“Hi Sarah, Just to say I had the most wonderful day yesterday. I’m so thrilled with my basket – thank you.” Janie April ’24 Berry Basket Workshop.

“Dear Sarah, A few twinges & creaks are a small price to pay for yesterday’s achievements. Thank you for your hospitality, tuition and guidance, as well as your seemingly endless and cheerful patience, encouragement and support for us all.  A great day, tiring but so rewarding. Kind regards.” John January ’24 Deer Sculpture.

“Hi Sarah, Just wanted to say thank you so so much from me and my Mum for such a wonderful workshop.  Every detail was thought through, and your joy and passion for weaving was infectious and inspiring. We thought your teaching style was so impressive too and worked so well in the group.
It really was such a brilliant day. Thank you so much. Have a lovely well earned break and we hope to be back for another workshop in 2024.” Lily December ’23 Beginners Round Basket.

“Dear Sarah, Thank you!  Another cracking day weaving willow with you, on Saturday. Making a basket feels like a truly magical experience, weaving connections with nature, our human heritage, and our sense of self. All that is required is space, time, willow, and a supportive teacher/guide. Biscuits and a delicious lunch help too! Thank you to you for providing all this in basket loads!!  Again, I left feeling more in touch with myself and the natural world and with a sense of gratitude for you, both as a teacher but also as a guardian for a piece of our shared human heritage. Thank you.” Jo October ’22. Beginners Round Basket.

“Just wanted to say how much I enjoyed yesterday’s workshop and your tuition, it was fun and the day certainly passed in a blur. Basket was admired on arrival home, high praise from another with aerospace engineering background!!!” Julie, November ’21. Beginners Round Basket.

“Hi Sarah Thanks for a thoroughly enjoyable 2 days. I really missed not being there today! The course was brilliant; interesting, practical and rewarding and you made it a lot of fun with your amazing enthusiasm. I enjoyed the banter between and with the ladies too!!” Mike. May ’21. 2 Day Traditional English Round Basket.

“Hi Sarah, Thank you for a great basket course yesterday, really enjoyed the day and absolutely love my square Zarzo basket!! Your passion, enthusiasm and skill are so inspiring, you are a true pioneer for the industry….Thanks again. Very best wishes, Rosie”. October ’20. Zarzo Basket.