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Willowish

@gill_willowish

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Learning to weave willow, reeds etc since Oct 2024

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I was in Mallorca last week, near Pollensa, and the villa was dotted with natural grass objects (& many plastic plants!?) which was lovely & I had high hopes for the Sunday market but most stalls seemed to have African baskets. There was an interesting shop near the Pont Roma but that wasn't open. Lots of leather around - the town of Inca in the middle of the island is a leather centre so I priced it up, hoping for a bargain based on the 65p 1 litre cartons of good Tinto red wine but, no, wasn't worth it to me - I only wanted a half side at most, for making basket straps (I enjoy doing those). Lots of good UK leather specialists/suppliers - more on that later. Inca also has a centre for traditional crafts @laescuelaartesana by @gill_willowish

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a month ago

I can't willow weave ATM - life bulldozes my good intentions & commandeers my time & attention elsewhere - so it's important for those of us with dodgy ligaments, hEDS, arthritis etc, to keep the hands & arms moving in these inbetween times as it makes it easier when we DO return to using willow.

On planes etc I started to crochet - space constrained, a bit of agoraphobia & anxiety about so many people in such a tight area - or I get out the lucet (made this cord); start making before we hit the runway. Calms my nerves. I started taking a project with me to all sorts of places. It's ALWAYS women who comment on it - "Keeping yourself busy?" or a kindlier "What are you making?" Sometimes they tell me about their projects, or show me them. Like it's a guilty secret. Like they need permission to be themselves. Social conditioning has a LOT to answer for. We all need to fight that.

Off on a trip, I've dug out yarn & a pattern for socks from ALDI that I picked up last year (don't you find that you're forever collecting materials & worrying that you're never going to use them? I find myself ATM keeping interesting glassware, yarn holders & corks 🤪).

Anyway, yarn is my comfort zone so I've got my first sock pack ready to knit & this is a crocheted bottle holder that I started on a plane over a week ago. Made it up as I went along; googled how to do a pull string today to finish it off. The bottle is a lovely glass ribbed one that I picked up from Ocado for £2 (they're now £4). I was going to use a carabiner to attach it to my handbag but I'm not sure on that yet.

Willow stresses me out most of the time - probably because I'm still learning but maybe it's because it's just not my happy place 🤷🏻‍♀️ Yarn is ready to go, so much more mobile, & gentler on the hands, although the prolonged repetition is worse for my forearm tendons so I have to take breaks, & I've been doing it since I was little so muscle memory is more ingrained.

Keep collecting materials & tools - you'll be grateful one day.

Update: didn't use a carabiner; learnt how to use an attachment knot - knots are 🧙🏻💫 by @gill_willowish

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a month ago

Pre-made base in black maul, used buff, French weave, got to the border & the uprights started snapping off.

Two days later, snipped off the uprights at the top of the wale, soaked the basket upside down, added fresh rods straight from the trough, worked as fast as I could. Couldn't face doing a wrapped handle so dried out the basket & added a leather one.

It's for my MIL, was supposed to have beads woven in but I couldn't work it out. I'm taking a break for a few weeks now. Case of willowing yips 🤷🏻‍♀️

Update: 1st Sept - MIL was absolutely enthralled with it by @gill_willowish

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2 months ago

Gussied up the basket with a leather strap, matches the willow by some small miracle 🤗 and fairy lights 💫✨ as it's intended for bedroom shelving so can act as a nightlight too by @gill_willowish

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2 months ago

The past 7 days, willow hasn't been working for me. Just couldn't do it. This was supposed to be a cute little shopper with handle. Thought I could manage without place holders/liners. Nope. Think I've got me a bad case of the yips.

This basket is for my youngest son to gift to the light of his life, filled with little gifts, to ask her to be his gf 🥰 (update 21/8: she said yes 💖).

I tried inter weaving pink cord I'd crocheted & luceted (?! Is that a word) but that really didn't work so I cut it out. Will add a leather handle.

Previously made base, so, a quick make. Black buff, doubled up on the waling so 2 full sets of it top & bottom, French randing in the middle, border is behind 1, in front of 2 - lots of spraying & dipping back into the trough in a milder climate today. by @gill_willowish

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2 months ago

Yesterday's pot holder, macrame'd up, with fairy lights OBVS ✨✨✨ by @gill_willowish

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2 months ago

Hanging plant pot cover in mostly green buff with black maul for the family Dr-to-be @poppyameliahm

Moulded around a lightweight plant pot that will hold a plant in a pot with holes, thinking of a macrame holder.

The black maul has had 24hrs to mellow; easy to throw what green I had into the trough today. by @gill_willowish

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2 months ago

This one's for the family cowgirl who also loves all things pink @oneofmanyjodies - hope you like it!

Black maul & pink buff from @musgrovewillows

Used straight from the trough & I can see why you don't - it doesn't sit still - but it was sooo hot. Actually sprayed the buff for once - it was a good way of using the buff, as accents - & I only took it out of the trough when I was ready to use it.

Look at the curve on that base! 🤗 Used my knees, as when playing cello, v useful, & pushed the edges down away from me as that comes more naturally.

French rand, double strand in pink, English rand, border behind 2 & in front of 3. So hot, 91F, took me 5hrs, soaked something for the handle - it was not willow (I thought it was 😬) - just enough bend in it to do the job, wrapped it quickly so I could go eclipse watching. The photos were taken in the strange light as the eclipse waned.

Bit of a whopper of a shopper. And many places to put your keys! It clacks as it swings, a fun piece 🥰

Update: 2 orders!!! 😆

The handle that is not willow is causing a bulge on both sides - I used liners as big as it so will use smaller in future. by @gill_willowish

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2 months ago

I've always gone for upright tool baskets & the one here has been my workhorse for the last 10mths BUT I've been happily scrabbling through teachers' flat & open tool baskets (never knew that could make me soo happy - it's like eating other peoples' chips, a moth to the flame, so alluring!) and I'd made this flat oval basket for my husband but I found it hidden in his shed, getting battered when you opened the doors, so have reclaimed it.

When you're working, you just need to be able to grab what you want.

Many corks for all stabby tools. Many measures & types cos you can't have too many. I did have tools organised across several baskets & kept the ones I used most in the upright basket but can't be doing with that.

The upright is one of my favourite baskets so I'm using it for ongoing other jobs - need to find a jeweller to shorten that bracelet. by @gill_willowish

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2 months ago

Base of Monday's basket. Most people seem to push the base away from them whilst working but I pull it up towards me & use my body - thinking of getting a leather pinny as it causes bruising at times. by @gill_willowish

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2 months ago

Basket base today - lovely dome on it.

Still struggling to find the time to do anything so this was the first effort in 6wks.

And I didn't even mention the border - behind 2, in front of 3.

Also pegged the handle initially as I thought I had nothing to wrap it with.

And the handle itself is from a sport that's grown in my garden from a mini weeping willow, still got catkins on it. by @gill_willowish

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2 months ago

Shopping basket!!!

Planned it out on paper, carefully selected willow by size, labelled each component, soaked in a bag (trough being used for keeping potted willow plants well watered), tried it today & it was ready 2 days early, made exec decision to use immediately after standing to get rid of wet - again, due to the heat - zero mellowing.

All went well except my shaping was a bit off &, in all the careful planning, I forgot to add willow for wrapping the handle. It was the first wrapped handle I've done & it was from bits leftover so not spot on. Threw on beads cos it was for me. Going to let dry before finishing snipping. Really pleased with it 🤗

Mix of black maul, flanders red, old french.

Update 1st Sept: took it supermarket shopping today; it's a very useful basket, am using it all the time. by @gill_willowish

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2 months ago