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Willow Weaving - ‘We’ Made An Obelisk

24 comments


Has anyone had a go? I had the brainwave today to make an Obelisk from willow as I have plenty in the woodland. Looked on YouTube and thought it looked easy enough.

I collected nice straight willow shoots.

So windy and then it started to rain so I put an old cover down in the kitchen so I could work indoors.

First of all, the Youtube video said to push the uprights into a bucket of soil for support.

The video suggested using a three rod wale weave! Blimey.
Off to watch another video on how to do this. Hmmm not as easy as it looks. Conveniently at this stage OH walked in :-). He’s the creative one.
We soon realised the willow wasn’t very supple, in hindsight I suppose Spring cuttings would be better.

When finished we lifted out of the bucket and job done.

‘We’ll’ have another go in Spring as it’s far from perfect but good practise :-)

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Comments

 

that is brilliant Dawn. Remember not to put it in the soil yet or it may well root!

8 Dec, 2019

 

Thanks Seaburn, good idea :-) haha we don't want that, it's in the greenhouse, I'll leave it there for winter.

8 Dec, 2019

 

Fantastic,Dawn! Looks really effective too! Skills I would love to have! I think you have both done a grand job. ;-))

8 Dec, 2019

 

Thanks Kate, it was tricky, a two man job lol

8 Dec, 2019

 

Wow! Well done both of you. You’ll be an expert in no time at all. Thats brilliant!

8 Dec, 2019

 

I think it's lovely Dawn, and you were brave to have a go at it :) I hope to see it and its springtime partner in your garden next year :)

8 Dec, 2019

 

Looks fantastic with artistic flare. In basket weaving, they always soak or steam the wicker prior. Would that also work for this?

9 Dec, 2019

 

Well done Dawn and your OH! I think that was adventurous of you, and it must have been so satisfying to make something with your own hands 🙂 it looks positively professional too 🙂.

9 Dec, 2019

 

Dawn, that looks great, well done to you both.

9 Dec, 2019

 

It does look really good. It will be very useful too but looks lovely just as it is. I like all forms of woven willow so I shall look forward to seeing what you make in the spring.

9 Dec, 2019

 

Thanks everyone.
Bathgate, yes you're right, I've since read soaking the willow overnight is what is needed so next time I will lay them in the brook overnight.

9 Dec, 2019

 

Well done Dawn ,our son has made a lot of willow things , long arches, wigwams all sorts of things I shall be keen to see your results next spring ...

10 Dec, 2019

 

Whoo Amy, do you have any tips?

10 Dec, 2019

 

Brilliant Amy! A tip from some work I did with the local wildlife trust was to strip the bark off the inch or so. If its left on its ten to one that the willow will root, which looks pretty but might not be what you're after.

10 Dec, 2019

 

That's great advice Stera, I will do that

10 Dec, 2019

 

Congratulations, Dawn! That obelisk looks really good! I'm looking forward to seeing what you do with it next year!

11 Dec, 2019

 

I'll ask for his advice when he comes down at Christmas time Dawn .... we've been away to Poland Krakow for almost a week for the Christmas fairs it was so pretty I must get the photos sorted out to put on here ...

12 Dec, 2019

 

Thanks Balcony :-)
That would be great Amy thank you.
I'll lookout for your blog.

12 Dec, 2019

 

That’s great Dawn, it’s not that easy though is it, I tried this a few years back and found it very difficult, last winter I made a homemade wreath out of cornus, red and yellow, and some of the coloured willows, it weren’t brilliant but looked colourful, I think yours looks really good, have you tried one of those living willow chairs?

13 Dec, 2019

 

Not easy at all Julien. I could try a Cornus wreath :-)
No I've never heard of the willow chairs.

14 Dec, 2019

 

Very ambitious Dawn , and a good result (OH's come in useful sometimes ) !
Takes me back to infant and junior school ; one of the teachers ( a bit of a tartar ) made us do basket weaving , and the dried willow had to soak in buckets of water before we could use it . Come to think of it , she had us making models out of papier-mashe too . This teacher had also taught my mother !
Ancient skills .

15 Dec, 2019

 

Driad, now you say I vaguely remember weaving a small basket, must have been at school too. I think soaking the willow is the way to go, thanks

15 Dec, 2019

 

I seem to remember vaguely doing the same when I was at school! :D Haven't tried my hand at it again in over 60 years!

16 Dec, 2019

 

Haha Balcony, I think we made fruit bowls.

18 Dec, 2019

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