Round basket workshop

Join us at Acton Scott Heritage Farm for a willow basket weaving workshop. Perfect as a bread or fruit basket, this is a great project for the beginner basket maker and ideal for those with previous willow weaving experience who wish to refine their skills.

This workshop runs from 10:00-16:30 on Saturday 13 June 2026.

Join us for a day on the Farm over looking the Shropshire Hills, where we will spend the day working with willow in a mindful and supportive learning environment.

With a maximum group size of eight, this hands on experience will include:

• Learn how to make a simple 'stake and strand' style basket
• The fundamentals of willow weaving
• Instruction on willow preparation
• Learn about basketry tool safety
• Advice on how to make functional products

By the end of the workshop, you will have crafted your own handmade round basket from sustainably sourced willow. 

• Dates: Saturday 13 June
• Schedule: 10:00 - 16:30
• Price: £125 per person

During the day, you will have the opportunity to look around Acton Scott Heritage Farm, as well as our onsite Farm Cafe. 

• Tea and coffee provided
• Bring a packed lunch or order food from the Acton Scott Farm Cafe
• Please note that hand strength is required to work with willow
• Please bring: Secateurs, pen knife (Opinel no.8 is ideal), a plant spray bottle and old bath towel to keep the willow damp
• The cost of all materials is included in your workshop
• Wear comfortable clothing suitable for a workshop using natural materials, an apron or overalls are ideal!
• The tutor will provide basketry tools, but please bring any of your own if you own them
• Workshops are held indoors in our Black barn
• The content of the day may vary slightly to suit circumstances
• If you have any questions about the workshop, please message the Team using the Contact Us form.

Teacher Bio: Carol de la Pole

Carol is a craftsperson, primarily working with home grown willow, fleece from her flock of rare breed sheep and including other found natural materials. Her creative inspiration is rooted in the rural landscape, with its seasonal elements, surrounding her studio in rural Herefordshire. 

As a practitioner of slow craft skills, beyond making desirable objects, she is also invested in the contextual research behind these living heritage skills, that connect people with their ancestral past. Her woven textiles and basketry designs, respect traditions reaching back through the centuries, yet they highlight sustainability and cultural importance in a modern context. 

Carol has trained as a basketmaker for over 28 years, alongside many renowned British and international Basketmakers. As a tutor she has worked closely with educational establishments, museums and conservation charities, leading basketry workshops for all ages and abilities.

• 1987 - BA Hons 3-D Design: Furniture - Leicester Polytechnic (De Montfort University)
• 1998 - Present day: Member of The Basketmakers Association
• 2022 - City & Guilds Level 2 Basketry Course - Westhope College, Shropshire