Gift the art of creation. During the day they will create their very own willow basket. We take people through the entire basket weaving process from how to harvest the willow to how to care for the basket.
This is the page to buy this event as a 24 month gift voucher – to select a specific date click here.
As standard you’ll receive a PDF voucher by email to print at home or forward to the lucky recipient — a simple, sustainable way to give the gift of skill and connection. Or upgrade to our gift pack for a more tactile gifting experience.
Timing: 9.30-5pm
Age: 14 and over under 18’s must be accompanied by an adult.
Location: South London Woods – near Caterham.
Join us to learn how to make a traditional willow basket. On our basket weaving course we will teach you all the steps to making your very own stake and stand wicker basket, as well as discuss willow harvesting, basket after care, and look at alternative materials that can be used in basket making.
As well as expert tuition from our instructors, and all the necessary equipment, we will provide a warm and friendly atmosphere to delve into this wonderful ancient craft.
During this course we will guide you how to make a small waste paper style basket. The skills you learn on our course will enable you to scale this up or down and change the base materials, giving you countless possibilities for the future. To whet your appetite for future projects we will have a display of willow baskets and ones made from other materials covering a range of traditional, modern contemporary, artistic and functional baskets. Some of these are made by our instructor team and others by local crafts people.
Wicker Basketry and basket weaving is an age old practice, used in a range of contexts across a huge time span. Its careful craft is being lost, so join us, to learn this ancient craft and keep the knowledge alive.
This course is run out of our South London Woodland, just 15 minutes off junction 8 of the M25 and easily accessible by train too. Read more about our woods here.
Upgrade your gifting experience with a gift pack
Printed and posted for just £6
For a thoughtful, keepsake version, add our Gift Pack, printed on recycled paper and posted to any UK address.
Each pack includes:
• A full-colour A6 card featuring stunning photographs from our woodland and courses
• A personalised printed gift voucher — please enter the recipient’s name at checkout
• An educational 14cm botanical bookmark featuring a sketch of yarrow (Achillea millefolium), a plant long valued for its healing and protective qualities
Printed on recycled paper and packaged with care, this gift pack offers something beautiful and tactile to unwrap — the perfect complement to a gift of skill, learning, and discovery.
Liz B –
Just a few words to thank you for such an interesting day. I thoroughly enjoyed making my basket and feel as though I have learnt new skills. I will certainly look at baskets more carefully from now on.
Your organisation was great, with attention to detail, to comfort of participants and planning for successful completion of the task. Your enthusiasm for the activity and knowledge was evident.
Thanks again and all the best for your future activities.
Anon. –
I had a great day learning a useful and attractive craft. Lizzy is a great teacher and made even the tough bits fun.
Karen M –
What a wonderful and patient teacher Lizzy is! Thoroughly enjoyed my day being taught a new skill and came home with a basket to be proud of ????
Mandy C. –
A lovely day weaving our very own basket. Lizzy taught us with all her skill and expertise.
Janet P. –
Just had a brilliant day making a willow basket under the knowledgeable and patient tuition of Lizzy.
Kathy O’Toole –
Had a great day yesterday making a willow basket in the woods. Thanks to Pippin & Gile for organising and instructor Lizzy for her patience!
Fiona W. –
Thank you for an excellent day! I really enjoyed the whole experience. It was so well organised and your instructions were very clear and easy to follow. I would thoroughly recommend the day.
Catherine J. –
Lizzy, Thank you. What an amazing day. As soon as we entered your enchanted bluebell-carpeted wood, the magic began for me. To turn a corner and see the cosy fires under a huge parachute you’d set up was a great moment for the soul. The day was really well organised and I am now the proud owner of a little basket (used today for home-baked scones to nestle into). Thank you again for such a great day.
Kathy O. –
Thanks again for a wonderful day. I highly recommend Lizzy as a patient and kind teacher. I now have a little basket that my grand daughter collected blossom petals in this afternoon, so it’s come in handy already!
Clifton W. –
Thanks to Lizzy’s very patient and clear instruction, I was actually able to weave a basket from scratch! Very proud of my creation especially having never done anything like it before. The group was very friendly and I thoroughly enjoyed the course. Would definitely recommend.
Ruth C –
Had a fantastic time learning the centuries old tradition of basket making!!! Lizzy’s a great teacher, we had a lovely setting in the bluebell wood and lots of fun!!!
Sally P –
The Basket Weaving course was great fun. It was an opportunity to try out a new skill in a wonderful woodland setting and to meet some new people. Lizzy is hugely knowledgeable and was extremely patient and encouraging, even when I struggled to convert her clear instructions into the correct technique! I’m proud of my first attempt at weaving a willow basket.