Stowe Basketry Festival
Our Classes
Class Descriptions
Class #1 AM – Carrot Wreath
You will learn to fringe and twirl realistic wool carrot tops before twirling wool noodles to create the carrots. They will be attached to the 10” grapevine wreath. A tin bunny can be added (available for purchase).
Class #1 PM – Sunflowers
Using the Oxford punch needle you create the center of the flower with ¼” wool strips – then learn to cut and pull petals from a colorful selection of wool strips. To finish the back of the sunflower you’ll use a template to cut sepals, sew, and stuff the back for a realistic style sunflower display.
Class #2 – Zennie
Zennie starts with an overlaid double cross base worked off of a jig so that the weaver spends time weaving and not chasing spokes.
Class #3 – Caned Stool – 1 SPOT LEFT
A great addition to your home plus this is your chance to learn how to do the seven-step caning, on a footstool that is made for caning.
Class #4 – Rolling Waves
Rolling Waves is a willow basket with a round base and sloping sides and features two opposite higher sides with a rope border.
Class #5 – Carolina Oval Carrier – CLASS FULL
Students will construct this traditional oval basket with a mixture of flat spokes and round and flat weavers.
Class #6 – Stanislav Asymmetrical Basket – CLASS FULL
Willow weavers of all experience levels will have fun making this interesting contemporary basket.
Class #7 – Black Ash Needlebook
With covers woven in a 2/2 twill pattern of precisely prepared black ash splint, this project was inspired by a poplarware needlebook made by the Shakers.
Class #9 – Amish Star
Love twills? I do. This small basket packs a lot of punch and will keep you on your toes while weaving it.
Class #13 – Woven Glass Vase
Learn to weave over a glass vase to create a vase that can be used for fresh, dried, or silk flowers.
Class #14 – Summer Days Melon
The Summer Days Melon basket is woven with unpeeled willow. Students will choose two instructor-prepared and dried hoops.
Class #15 – Diagonal Twill Plaiting – CLASS FULL
This class offers many interesting techniques that you can apply to your other baskets as well as unlocking the mystery of weaving diagonal plaited baskets. Using dyed and natural flat oval reed, students will weave the twill base of this square to round basket using a “loom”.
Class #16 – Handles
There are many ways to decorate a handle and practicing on 12” diameter x 3/4” wide hoops is an excellent way to learn new wraps and to store them for future reference.
Class #17 – Ash Bark Berry Picker
The Mokok is a Native American basket style used in the Northeast Woodlands.
Class #18 – Quadrafoil Medallion
Weave this stunning piece of art with a finely prepared black ash splint.
Class #20 – Chair Cane Tote
Learn the challenging chair cane pattern done in 3-D! The basket begins by laying out the base flat on the table in a vertical and horizontal weave with the natural spokes.
Class #21 – Utensil Caddy – CLASS FULL
In this class, students will use cane staves and weavers and a cherry base, rim, and divide.
Class #22 – Winter Bouquet
Learn to make pine boughs, pinecones, candy canes, magnolia leaves and a poinsettia from beautiful colors of wool to arrange in a wonderful tin bucket for this winter’s season.
Class #23 – Orianna
Orianna starts with a crossed cloverleaf base that showcases the adaptability of round reed.
Class #25 – Ruth Fancy Handle Basket
This sturdy basket is the perfect place to put anything; magazines, yarn, or any other important things.
Class #26 – Austrian Delight – CLASS FULL
The Austrian Delight is a most delightful willow basket! It is an advanced level willow basket and students should have made at least four previous willow baskets.
Class #27 – Diamond Tote
The basket is woven of natural and dyed flat reed and has a soft cloth or leather handle.
Class #28 AM – Ash Bark Mini Purse
This scored and folded one-piece bark basket is a worldwide Indigenous container still in use today.
Class #28 PM – Ash Bark Trinket Box
The Mokok is a native American basket style used in the Northeast Woodlands.
Class #29 – Teleidoscope
This unique project begins with a teleidoscope (like a kaleidoscope but with no moving parts).
Class #30 – Berry Purse – 4 SPOTS LEFT
This truly beautiful basket serves many purposes, from a cool and unique purse to a berry-picking basket or a carry-all.
Class #31 – Tapestry with Plant Fiber
Plant fiber tapestries are woven over willow rods that are inserted into a 12 x 12-inch pine frame.
Class #33 – Counter-Point – CLASS FULL
This striking pattern packs a big wow. Using a double-slotted oak wooden base, we will first weave a simple inner basket of 3/8 FF reed.
Class #34 – Treats
This functioning treat jar is woven over an airtight glass container using a maple base, solid rim, and cover.
Class #35 – Venetia Too
Venetia Too is a basket that uses traditional weaving techniques in different ways for a unique look.
Class #39 – Herringbone Stripe Market Basket – CLASS FULL
The splint-style market basket teaches interesting techniques using mostly one-size material.
Class #40 – Japanese Leaf Scoop – 3 SPOTS LEFT
The Japanese Leaf Scoop is used in Japan for serving pastries and condiments, or as a flower container.
Class #41 – Ash Bark Purse
This scored and folded one-piece bark basket is a worldwide Indigenous container still in use today.
Class #42 – Willow Keepsake Basket – CLASS FULL
In this class, experienced willow weavers will tackle the challenge of squarework in this small lidded basket!
Class #43 – Pack Basket – Sightseer and Baby
Weave two Adirondack Pack Baskets patterned from Traditional Packs made in and iconic to the Adirondack Mountains of NY.
Class #44 – Soft Rush Basket
This basket starts with a 4 x 4 grid of soft rush spokes (Juncus effusus) and the weavers are a thinner soft rush and will be twined over the spokes.
Class #46 – Riding the Waves
This cat-head basket features the Japanese wave weave done in natural and dyed 3 mm flat oval reed.
Class #48 – Leia – 2 SPOTS LEFT
Leia makes use of a 3D-printed jig that helps the weaver maintain proper spacing when creating a Star Base.
Class #51 – Spanish Dreams
A lovely basket with Spanish willow techniques. A small round base is woven, followed by staking up in multiples of four rods.
Class #52 – Triangular Sweetgrass
A new and interesting way to start a coiled basket: a multi-directional base.
Class #53 – Bird’s Nest Basket
This basket is created using round reed as spokes and twining soft rush over the spokes.
Class #55 – Treasure
Starting with a 5” x 8” wooden base, students will insert flat reed spokes according to a template given by the instructor.
Class #57 – Nantucket Canister
Multi-use acrylic canister with cherry base, rim, and staves. Learn how to add a pattern as you weave.
A Note About Tools!
Tools needed for each class are noted at the end of each class description. Please make your best effort to make sure that you have what is needed. Tools are available for sharing but it can often slow down class progress.
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