Basket Making Workshop Llandewi Brefi

Last week I ran a two day basket making workshop in Llandewi Brefi Memorial Hall for Communities First. What fun. I am a hard task master. Not. We covered round work using mostly unsoaked green willows and some dogwoods. Lovely and colourful. My aim was to demonstrate different ways of staking up to get straight sides and rounded and two different borders. Only one person had some basket making experience from their schooldays. Now any weaver will tell you a basket is fairlyhard won and getting to the point of working with confidence takes a little concentration and good observation, practice and of course a good demonstrator helps. After about an hour we where on our way...well some of them stayed in the hall....and by the end of the day I think I had successfully mesmerised them all enough to ensure they would return the following morning for the next session. Eight from the twelve returned in the morning and we set to work straight away and before long they where expressing delight in their skill and creations and I too was relieved to see beautifull little trays and baskets develop with lots of colour and personality. Phew! Such a beautiful part of the world to visit too and a very nice group of women to spend time with.