with Louise Langsner

Louise Langsner has made baskets from natural materials, including white oak, ash, hickory bark, and rush, for 30 years. In the winters of 2005 and 2006 she traveled to Oregon to study willow basketry with Margaret Mathewson. Louise is happy to be able to pass along the skills needed to create strong, distinctive baskets from this beautiful, natural material.
This class will introduce basic techniques of willow work used to make a classic, sturdy basket. Students will learn to make round or oval bases and a variety of weaves that give the basket strength as well as decorative patterns. The weaving is locked in place with a good-looking integrated border and finished with a wrapped, bow handle. One or more baskets may be completed over the weekend, as time permits.
One of the advantages of willow basketry is that it uses materials that can be grown in a backyard garden and harvested year after year. The class will discuss propagation, harvesting, and preparation of willow for basketry. You will use unpeeled willow grown on the Langsner farm.
The tuition for this new weekend course is $375. This includes materials, a private room, and home-cooked meals. Participants will be required to bring a few basic tools.

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E-mail:
Drew Langsner
Phone:
828-656-2280 (M-F, 9-6 Eastern time)