Tree barks provide one of nature’s most beautiful materials for basket making. This course will begin with discussion covering the respectful harvesting of tree barks followed by hands-on preparation of cedar and willow bark. Using the bark you have prepared, participants will design and weave their own unique basket combining such techniques as plaiting, twill […]

In this variation of a Rib basket we will be using a willow hoop for our rim and incorporating 2 side handles. The combination of dyed reed and seagrass for the weaving adds colour and texture. We will discuss use of natural materials and how to make your own cordage. This is an all time […]

Explore the sculptural design possibilities of the Wicker Basketry technique when starting with a wood base. Bases will be provided along with dyed round reed and a selection of natural materials to incorporate into this sculptural basket. In the process of weaving this basket, participants will learn control of shaping as well as a variety […]

Over the course of 2 days we will be making several projects which employ twining, looping and knotting. These basketry techniques are well suited to jewellery and basketry forms. Using a selection of barks and waxed linen thread we will look at some of the many design possibilities within these techniques and participants will design […]

Plaiting with Watercolour Paper, Pine Needle Coiling and Random Woven Basket In this 4-week course we will make 3 different baskets starting with the Pine Needle Coiled basket with a walnut slice start. The next basket will be a Plaited Basket with Watercolour Paper which has a shoulder shaping and decorative curls. The final basket […]

This workshop is being held at my studio space on Salt Spring Island. The Honeysuckle Rib basket is always a favourite with everyone who makes one and is ideal for beginners. This basket is also called an egg basket and has many design variations and allows for incorporating a wide variety of materials. We will […]

Tree barks provide one of nature’s most beautiful materials for basket making. This course will begin with a hands-on discussion covering the harvesting and preparation of local tree barks.  With a selection of willow barks and red cedar bark participants will explore techniques such as plaiting, twill and twining. Principles of designing a basket and […]

This 5-Day course is being offered through forestART: Art in Nature at Ness Creek 2018, Saskatchewan  Course Description: Basket weaving is an ancient skill found in all cultures. Within the world of basketry there exists a wide variety of construction techniques which employ a vast array of plant materials. This course will offer a broad […]

I am very excited to be offering a Series of Mini Basketry Workshops held one Sunday Morning a Month from January to April on Salt Spring Island. These workshops offer a fun introduction to several different basketry techniques. Great for beginners but also a fun atmosphere to come and hang and weave together. Sun. January […]

This Course is being offered at the Metchosin International Summer School of the Arts. Register on their website. Soft natural plant fibres such as rush, sedge, cattail and flower leaves offer the basket maker a beautiful material for weaving fine twined vessels. Participants will have the opportunity to weave with these materials exploring various methods […]

Basket weaving is an ancient skill found in all cultures in a wide variety of forms. In this course we will be exploring weaving techniques associated with Round Materials such as round reed and willow. A variety of weaving techniques will be covered including open weave twining, waling variations, rib construction and random weave. These […]

Basket weaving is an ancient skill found in all cultures in a wide variety of forms. In this course we will be exploring weaving techniques associated with Flat Materials such as tree barks, wood/reed splints, cane and paper. A variety of techniques will be covered including plaiting, twills, diagonal plaiting and single sheet free form […]

This is a variation of an oval Rib basket which has 2 built-in side handles often called a potato basket. We will be using willow for the hoop and a combination of dyed reed and seagrass for the weaving. This is a lovely storage and display basket perfect for the kitchen or holding craft supplies […]

Basket weaving is an ancient skill found in all cultures in a wide variety of forms. In this course we will be exploring weaving techniques and variations associated with Soft Materials such as rush, sedges, iris/daylily leaves, yarn and threads. A variety of techniques will be covered including twining, coiling, cordage, knotless netting and knotting. […]

Weave this lovely carrying basket for everyday use or keep as a decorative storage basket. This basket is woven with a twill weave using natural and dyed reed and has a sturdy swing handle. A great project for beginner weavers. This workshop is being offered at the Horticultural Centre of the Pacific in Victoria, BC […]

Explore the sculptural design possibilities of the Wicker Basketry technique when starting with a wood base. Bases will be provided along with dyed round reed and a selection of natural materials to incorporate into this sculptural basket. In the process of weaving this basket, participants will learn control of shaping as well as a variety […]

This is a 4-day course being offered through Maiwa School of Textiles in Vancouver, BC. To Register follow the link to their website: Maiwa School of Textiles Basket weaving is an ancient skill found in all cultures in a wide variety of forms. In this course students will explore weaving techniques associated with flat materials, […]

Come weave a beautiful individualized small pouch with plant materials harvested from the Pacific Northwest. I use my pouch to hold my cell phone so make sure you bring yours with you. We will begin with a discussion on how to respectfully harvest materials followed by a hands-on demonstration of how to prepare the materials […]

Willow bark is a lovely material for basket weaving and this project is a perfect way to show it off. We will be weaving this unique shaped pouch/purse which is also beautiful to hang on the wall. We will incorporate other locally harvested materials such as sedges and Cedar bark and explore techniques such as plaiting and twining […]

This is a 4-day course being offered through Maiwa School of Textiles in Vancouver, BC. To Register follow the link to their website: Maiwa School of Textiles Basket weaving is an ancient skill found in all cultures in a wide variety of forms. In this course students will explore weaving techniques associated with round materials, such […]

Joan will be taking us on a visual journey, touching down on some of the highlights of her 30 years of exploring Basket Weaving. Along the way she will share her story of how she got swept up in the world of baskets; spotlight some of her influential teachers; take us on a few of […]

This is a traditional Rib Style Basket often called a Potato Basket constructed with a willow hoop and woven with a selection of materials including dyed reed and seagrass. This style of basket originates in Europe and is ideal for harvesting and storage. This is a great basket for beginners. Online via Zoom. Material Kits […]

Random weave is one of Joan’s favorite styles of baskets. The structure is beautiful, reminding one of birds’ nests. It is strong, durable and lends itself to sculptural forms in both small and large scale. We will discuss several ways of approaching this technique. A materials kit will be provided consisting of dyed round reed […]

We will explore weaving baskets with soft materials such as rush, sedge and flower leaves such as iris and daylily leaves. These materials are lovely to weave with and offer the opportunity to explore various twining patterns. Shaping soft twined baskets can be done with or without molds and both options will be presented. The […]

Tree barks provide one of nature’s most beautiful materials for basket making. This course will begin with a discussion covering how to harvest and prepare local tree barks.  A materials kit with be provided which will include willow bark and red cedar bark along with waxed thread for twining. Participants will weave their basket using […]

I will be joining the celebrated Floral Artist and Author Christin Gaell, at Stowel Lake Farm on Salt Spring Island for a magical creative weekend bringing together workshops in floral arranging and basketry. This is a rare opportunity to explore the innovative 100-acre ecological community at Stowell Lake Farm, swim in the lake, start the […]

This is a traditional Rib Style Basket often called a Potato Basket constructed with a willow hoop and woven with a selection of materials including dyed reed and seagrass. This style of basket originates in Europe and is ideal for harvesting and storage. This is a great basket for beginners. This workshop is conducted Online […]

Random weave is one of Joan’s favorite styles of baskets. The structure is beautiful, reminding one of birds’ nests. It is strong, durable and lends itself to sculptural forms in both small and large scale. We will discuss several ways of approaching this technique. Discussion will cover how to harvest and forage for other plant […]

Willow bark is a lovely material for basket weaving and this project is a perfect way to show it off. We will be weaving this unique shaped pouch/purse which is also beautiful to hang on the wall. We will incorporate other locally harvested materials such as sedges and cedar bark and explore techniques such as […]

This is a very sturdy rectangular splint woven basket with wood handle. It has an attractive plain and twill weave pattern and is a basket ready to be put to use. Great for shopping, garden produce, garden tools, storage etc. This basket is woven with natural flat reed. Discussion covering staining and dyeing options will […]

Using lake rushes (tule) create your own vase or wine bottle carrying basket. We will discuss the harvesting and preparation of rush which is a traditional European basket material. We will be using a mold to weave over, and participants will have the choice of including different open and closed weave patterns such as variations […]

Willow bark is a lovely material for basket weaving and this project is a perfect way to show it off.  We will be weaving this variation of a point pouch designed to hang on the wall to hold utensils or a flower arrangement. Along with the plaited designs using willow bark we will also use […]

Random weave is one of Joan’s favourite styles of baskets. The structure is beautiful, reminding one of birds’ nests. It is strong, durable and lends itself to sculptural forms in both small and large scale. We will discuss several ways of approaching this technique. Discussion will cover how to harvest and forage for other plant […]

Coiling is one of the most portable basketry techniques and is friendly on the hands. We’ll be using tapestry yarn for our stitching material offering a colourful palette to explore different stitching patterns and shaping options - all of which provide endless design possibilities. This basket ticks a lot of boxes and should come with […]

This ancient stitching technique has been used to make pouches and bags in many parts of the world. In this workshop, participants will start by learning design variations of knotless netting using waxed threads worked over a smooth stone – thus Dressing a Stone. The second project will be creating a Small Pouch with the […]

This basket is made with locally harvested materials including cattail leaves, water iris leaves and sedges. This round storage basket has a radiating spoke start and is twined over a mold to maintain the shape and size. Discussion will cover harvest and preparation of the materials. Suitable for beginners and Intermediate. This is an In-Person […]

The “Cat’s Head” basket has a distinctive elegant shape. It starts with a square base and moves to a round form which sits on four-pointed base corners. This is a traditional Shaker style basket with many variations on its shape and size and makes a beautiful storage basket. This version has a continuous twill pattern […]

Using local rushes, we will be weaving this adorable purse or handbag - perfect for any outing. This basket is woven over a mold which will be provided. We will explore how to weave an oval base and then explore variations of twining on the sides of the basket. Rush is silky soft yet strong....perfect […]

In this class we will be weaving a small bud vase in the spirit of Japanese Ikebana Flower Baskets. The local natural materials used include red cedar bark, sedge, willow bark and beargrass. We will begin with a demonstration and discussion on how to harvest and prepare the materials. We will explore variations of twining […]

This basket is woven with cedar bark spokes and willow bark in a continuous twill pattern. We will shape the basket in the style of a Cat's Head basket associated with Shaker baskets. These baskets start with a square base and are woven in a unique way to achieve a rounded shape. The rim of […]