Willow Basketry: Weave a Gathering Basket
Saturday, May 9th, 9 am – 5 pm in Davis (location details shared after registration)
Sliding scale of $70-$100 (pay what you can). Ages 12+ welcome.
Basketry is a time-honored craft rooted in place, patience, and practice. In this hands-on workshop led by Samantha Iacobello, participants will learn the basics of “Stick and Strand” style basketry and create a 10” Berry Basket with a handle. Your finished basket will be perfect for garden harvests, trips to the farmers market, or gathering forest school treasures. Participants will have the opportunity to work with willow varieties sourced by Samantha from local watersheds, including ‘Creek Willow,’ ‘Sandbar Willow,’ and ‘Purple Osier Willow’ along with cultivars and landrace varieties grown in her gardens.
All tools and materials will be provided. This workshop requires hand strength, the ability to do repetitive hand movements, and comfort sitting on the ground for extended periods of time.
Participants are encouraged to bring a cushion or low lawn chair for seating, as well as a favorite utility or pocket knife if you have one. Please bring your own lunch, snacks, and drinking water – we will be enjoying a lunch break together halfway through the day.
Samantha Iacobello
Samantha has been wild-foraging basketry plants for weaving projects for the last six years and has been teaching for four years at her off-grid home in Calaveras County. She is an archaeobotanist, ecologist, conservationist, and a professional landscaper and arborist – all of which have contributed to her current passion for weaving baskets.
For this class, Samantha has harvested Salix lasiolepis (‘Creek Willow’), S. exigua (‘Sandbar Willow’), and S. purpurea (‘Purple Osier Willow’) from the local watersheds she has been coppicing for four years, along with cultivars and landrace varieties she is growing in her gardens.
Adult & Family programs are always on the horizon!
Past offerings have included:
Forest Bathing Walks
Shelter Building
Intro to Knots
Fire Foundations & Fire Starting Methods
Blade Mastery
Intro to Flint Knapping
Intro to Fire Building
Fire by Friction
Plant Walk