Dried willow

The greatest willow growing area in Great Britain is in the Somerset Levels in Taunton. Every year during the winter and early spring, before the willow starts breaking into leaf, they are cut to ground level and the long, straight rods are harvested and left to dry for basketmaking.

The three most important willow varieties grown for basketmaking are Salix Triandra, Salix Purpurea and Salix Viminalis, the most popular being Salix Triandra Black Maul.

Rods used in basketry are commonly named Brown Willow, Buff Willow and White Willow.

• Brown Willow (which can actually be any colour rod with it's bark on) are dried rods with the bark intact
• Buff Willow are rods that have been boiled in tanks for 8 to 10 hours and then stripped of their bark - the tannin in the bark turns the rods a copper colour.
• White Willow are rods that have been stripped of their bark just as the sap rises and fresh leaves start to appear, they are then left to dry out in the sunshine.

Soaking willow

Before you can weave with dried willow it must be soaked in fresh water.

Brown Willow takes the longest and is generally soaked for a day per foot of the length of the rod and then wrapped in a damp sheet to mellow for a couple of days (eg 5ft long rods are soaked for 5 days and mellowed for 2 days). After soaking the willow will last for about a week as long as it's kept wrapped up after use.

The Buff and White Willow is soaked 30 minutes per foot and mellowed in a damp sheet for a couple of hours. This willow will need to be kept wrapped up at all times as it dries out quickly. If it starts to become dry when using, spray with a little water. After soaking it needs to be used up within a day or two as it tends to go mouldy.

Once this has been done all sorts of baskets or sculptures can be made and it's flexibility and versatility make it and excellent craft resource

Dried willow craft bundles

With it's flexibility and versatility dried willow is an excellent craft resource. We sell sorted bundles containing 300 rods which are prefect for small projects and include instructions for a selection of projects.

Prices include delivery unless stated otherwise. There is a reduced price for collection please contact us for more information.

Please contact us if you wish your brown willow to be pre-soaked ready for use straight away, a soaking fee of £5 will apply.

For more information on purchasing willow bundles or other willow products email us, info@outtolearnwillow.co.uk or call 01656 881007 / 07764 961095.

DRIED WILLOW CRAFT BUNDLE - STRIPPED WILLOW - £30
Quick soaking buff willow craft pack - 300, 5ft rods suitable for projects such as dreamcatchers, christmas decorations, indoor crowns and star wands.
Will need to be fully immersed in a tank of water for three hours, then wrapped in a damp cloth to mellow before use. 
Instructions for a selection of projects included.
PLEASE RING FOR DETAILS

DRIED WILLOW CRAFT BUNDLE - BROWN WILLOW - £30
Long soaking brown willow craft pack - 300, 5ft rods suitable for outdoor projects such as butterflies, flowers, bird feeders and other weaving projects.
Will need to be fully immersed in a tank of water for five days, then wrapped in a cloth for a further two days to mellow before use. Instructions for a selection of projects included
PLEASE RING FOR DETAILS.