Instructor: Johnny Suderman

These techniques are best done on finished, willow baskets. It doesn’t have to be one you have made, but something that you would like to put handles and/or foot borders on.
No previous weaving experience is required.

ROPING:
Just like spinning wool or linen fibres makes them stronger, willow too can be spun! When the willow rods are twisted it takes the strain off of any one individual fibre, making it much stronger and much more pliable.  

Roping willow is a great skill to practice and have in your arsenal. 

There are a number of instances where roping can make the best of a tough situation; whether you’re making a handle, wrapping a thick stick around a tight radius, or if your willow is undersoaked or damaged. It’s a way of working with the willow and saying, “Hey, I see you and how big and strong you are, I can tell you’ve been through a lot already and I’m going to need you to be really flexible too. We’ve got this!” 

FOOT BORDERS:
A foot border is a raised rim at the bottom of your basket that lifts the basket base up so that it is only resting on the outer perimeter. The foot acts as a removable/repairable wear surface and utilizes the pieces of willow that are left over after trimming your border.

Often the leftover bits from a border are discarded or left to dry, so this is a very functional way to utilize the materials at hand, and also get a second shot at doing a border – which we all know needs to be practiced a lot! Therein lies the genius in foot borders.

This will give your basket some added life, and added character too. It’s a must-have for big baskets that will see a lot of use on rough surfaces.

Johnny “first discovered foot borders from a book called Willow Basketry of the Amana Colonies by Joanna Shantz. It spoke to a certain practical wisdom that is reflected in mennonite community, and having mennonite roots myself, that spoke to me and I took their practice into my own. I had never been taught foot borders by any of my teachers up until that point, but now I do them on most of my baskets as a standard feature. It’s a nice way to spend one last hour with your work before it gets legs and goes off into the world. They grow up so fast.”

In this class you will be using cultivated basketry willows grown in Ontario. However, the techniques can also be used with wild willow, dogwood, and other found woody materials that have the same long, flexible characteristic. The techniques that will be taught are applicable to many styles of baskets.

If you have the following basketry tools feel free to bring them, otherwise tools are available to borrow during the class. 
– Awl (1/2″ thick for a main awl or 1/4″ for smaller work)
– Sharp pruners
– Rapping iron
– Sharp knife (Ie. an opinel or mora)
– Measuring tape

Disclaimer: Weaving with willow can be physically challenging and require moderate hand strength. Please consider how a day of repetitive twisting of your wrists, and pointed pressure with your fingers will leave you feeling. If you have difficulty working with your hands for long periods of time this class may not be right for you.

This course is suitable for adults.