Making baskets: How to select the right willow for your project

Willow comes in all different lengths and thickness, as it is a natural material. How to know what size to use? In this video I show you how to select the right willow for your project.
This is a simple 4-step process.
I am a full-time basket maker and artist living in Tipperary, Ireland with my family. Off-grid in the forest on a mountain.
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[@zatrialam9266]

we also say thank you mrs Hanna for sharing your knowledge and experience to making basket

[@dulsuasortfein6976]

Thanks Hanna, for taking the time to make this video. It’s always a surprise for me to view and learn step by step what it takes to put a piece together in a very informative way. It is obvious that you love what it is that you do and this is the message you are sending out there! Once again Thankyou, well done and keep it up. Just in case .....Have a Happy Christmas& New year. Regs Brendan

[@HannaVanAelst]

Hi Brendan, Thanks for your lovely remarks. And many happy returns to you!

[@emjoe8892]

I love your videos! I'm in the US. What kind of willow do you recommend to make a living play house for children and a living fence?

[@MrsHighlander]

Thank you so much! x

[@HannaVanAelst]

You're very welcome Andrea!

[@emilywinter379]

Hi Hanna thanks for sharing your knowledge on this. If you were to use the thick part of a rod for a base stick could you then use the thinner end for weaving?

[@HannaVanAelst]

Yes, absolutely!

[@altlife2908]

Do you only make baskets from willow or have you tried other things. I saw a tutorial online for making bramble basket. I tried it, but ended up ruining a good pair of old leather gloves from scraping the thorns off, i heard you can design a tin can in a fashion to ship the thorns off. We have many brambles where i live, also abundant in vines up in the mountains of Portugal, and lack willow, can you do a tutorial of how you would weave with bramble or vines, in fact any other medium would be wonderful....lots of love great channel... i just subbed...

[@HannaVanAelst]

I have mainly worked with willow but I will explore other techniques too over time. My advice is you do the same, best way to learn is to try!

[@altlife2908]

@@HannaVanAelst Thank you for your wise words... Could Weeping willow be used?

[@BillieFingers]

I've just got into basket weaving and I have a source of a green coloured willow from a neighbour. Im trying to work out if it's been cut and drying out long enough. Is there a surefire way of knowing if something 'feels' like it's dried out long enough? I thought of using a moisture metre like you do when seasoning wood?

[@HannaVanAelst]

Great question Billie. Dry willow feels very different to fresh willow. It will have a wrinkled skin and 'rustle' when you touch it, like very dry kindling sticks. Also when you bend it, the rod will cleanly snap.