Basketry: weaving in willow
Time: 10:30 - 16:30
Location: Keeley Street
- Course Code: VC220
- Dates: 17/11/24 - 08/12/24
- Time: 10:30 - 16:30
- Taught: Sun, Daytime
- Duration: 4 sessions (over 4 weeks)
- Location: Keeley Street
- Tutor: Christiane Gunzi
Course Code: VC220
Duration: 4 sessions (over 4 weeks)
Please note: We offer a wide variety of financial support to make courses affordable. Just visit our online Help Centre for more information on a range of topics including fees, online learning and FAQs.
What is the course about?
This courses will guide you through a step by step process to make a round willow basket. You will be provided with a thorough reference to traditional willow skills. You will learn about how willow is grown and prepared, and what tools are used in traditional functional basketmaking.
What will we cover?
We will cover the selection and preparation of willow, making a simple round base, several weaving techniques including pairing, waling and randing. You will learn to make a simple rod border.
What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...
- Select willow suitable for different stages of the basket
- Weave willow using several different techniques
- Complete a round basket
Advanced students should be able to:
- Widen their basketry knowledge
- Explore how weaves can be manipulated to give different effects
- Make a double rod twisted handle.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
This course is for beginners and those who have made some willow baskets but would like to reinforce their basic skills.
You should be able to follow simple written and verbal instructions to support demonstrations, hand-outs and for health and safety information, and will be invited to take part in group discussion. You should be able to use numbers and be able to do simple measurements and calculations.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
This is a practical course. You will be taught by demonstration, individual and group tuition. There will be examples and pictures to help you. Handouts can be accessed via our Google Classroom eLearning platform. Details on how to login will be sent prior to the start of the course.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
Access to materials and resources are provided as part of this course. You may wish to bring a notebook to document your progress and/or take photos of your own work-in-progress.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
City Lit offers a range of courses in Basketry and Contemporary Crafts for beginners to advanced learners and professional practitioners. We also run an in-depth two year basketry course. The next intake is September 2024 Details on how to apply will be released soon.
Please browse the website to view the rest of our upcoming courses.
General information and advice on courses at City Lit is available from the Student Centre and Library on Monday to Friday from 10:00 – 12:00 then 14:00 – 18:00.
Based in East Sussex, Christiane Gunzi makes traditional and contemporary basketry using natural materials. Her weaving work has been exhibited in London and the Southeast. After a long career as an editor in book publishing, Christiane then trained at the City Lit College and has a City & Guilds level 3 in Creative Techniques in Textiles (Basketry). Since 2013 she has been creating both traditional and sculptural basketry using mainly willow, rush, birch, and driftwood. Christiane loves passing on her passion for the craft of basketry and natural materials, and has been running basket-weaving workshops for beginners and improvers for the past six years. In Summer 2023 she became Willow Tutor on the two-year Basketry Course at the City Lit, teaching in the same classroom where she was a student a decade ago. As well as teaching adults and making baskets, she often does private commissions and basket repairs.
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.
