Welcome to Weaving by the Sea 2024!
We are delighted to announce the details of our Weaving by the Sea 2024 events.
For the first time we offer both a Weaving by the Sea Spring School and a Weaving by the Sea Autumn School. These together comprise a varied programme of 15 workshops at our favourite venue, the Hotel Cesar in Vilanova i La Geltru near to Barcelona, Spain.
For the first time we offer both a Weaving by the Sea Spring School and a Weaving by the Sea Autumn School. These together comprise a varied programme of 15 workshops at our favourite venue, the Hotel Cesar in Vilanova i La Geltru near to Barcelona, Spain.
Please find course descriptions below.
Please find booking, pricing and accomodation details on the neighbouring page here: Booking Details 2024
Booking opens on Sunday 28th January 2024 at 2pm CET, no pre-booking will be accepted.
Weaving by the Sea 2024 - Spring School
1st
Courses: 2 days - Saturday & Sunday 6-7 April 2024
Mai Hvid
Joergensen - Introduction to Bark Basketmaking
Mònica Guilera - Round Collecting Baskets - an introduction to
the Catalan tradition
Tim Johnson - Finding Fibres - Cordage Making for Basketmaking
Day off and
special evening event - Monday 8 April 2024
2nd
Courses: 3 days - Tuesday - Thursday 9-11 April 2024
Tim Johnson - Inspired by Kishies and Caishies
Mònica Guilera - Nansa Beach Baskets & Handbags
Mai Hvid
Joergensen - Willow Baskets in Rope Weaving Techniques
Weaving by the
Sea 2024 - Autumn School
1st
Courses: 3 days -Tuesday - Thursday 24-26 September 2024
Mònica Guilera - Round Baskets in Nansa Technique
Tim Johnson - Neolithic Braiding
Mai Hvid
Joergensen - Squarework Bags & Baskets
2nd
Courses: 3 days - Saturday - Monday 28-30 September 2024
François Desplanches - Frame Baskets in the English Tradition
Mònica Guilera - Willow Backpacks
Tim Johnson - Free Warp Tapestry - Inspired by fibre artist Tadek Beutlich
3rd Courses: 3
days - Wednesday - Friday 2-4 October 2024
Mai Hvid Joergensen - Frame baskets with Rush & Bark
François Desplanches - Squarework Baskets
Tim Johnson - Lattice Twining
Venue: Hotel Cesar, Vilanova i La Geltru near Barcelona, Spain.
Followed by Salt International Basketmakers Fair near Girona,
Saturday & Sunday, 5th & 6th October 2024
Followed by Salt International Basketmakers Fair near Girona,
Saturday & Sunday, 5th & 6th October 2024
Weaving by the Sea 2024 - Spring School
Workshop Details 1st
Courses:
2 days - Saturday & Sunday 6-7 April 2024
Saturday & Sunday 6-7 April 2024
Willow bark is a beautiful soft and flexible basketmaking
material, with many species and varieties commonly cultivated it comes in a
wide variety of textures and colours.
This two day workshop will give you an introduction to
willow bark basketry discussing the harvesting and material preparation followed
by plaiting techniques to create square and round bark baskets with a variety
of folded and stitched borders.
This course suits beginners and those with some basketmaking experience.
Round Collecting Baskets - an introduction to the Catalan tradition
Languages of the course will be English, Danish and Norwegian.
with Mònica Guilera
Saturday & Sunday 6-7 April 2024
The
Catalan basketmaking tradition includes several baskets useful for harvesting
and gathering natural produce from the forest, field and garden.
During this
two day course you will focus on making egg and strawberry baskets that feature a round
Catalan base, traditional wailing, a three bundle rope border and rope handles. This is the perfect course for willow
basketmakers looking for a good introduction to rope borders and their
variations.
These baskets will be woven with different
varieties of brown willow, there is also
the possibility to weave with locally harvested Mediterranean Cane (Arundo
donax) for those interested.
This course suits beginners and those with some basketmaking experience.
Languages of the course will be English, Catalan, Spanish and French.
Finding Fibres - Cordage Making for Basketmaking with Tim Johnson
Saturday & Sunday 6-7 April 2024
Humans have been spinning and plying string, threads and
yarns for many thousands of years, the latest evidence from the south of France
dates to at least 50 thousand years ago! This ancient technology is a core
skill for basketmakers and fibre artists and can be applied to a wide variety
of soft materials such as rush, grasses, bast fibres and recycled fabrics.
During this two day course you will learn about a variety of
plants, their identification, harvesting and processing. We will then go on to
use a variety of string making techniques to make cordage with a variety of
structures according to the number of elements and their twist direction.
This course is suitable for both beginners and those with some experience.
Languages of the course will be English.
Languages of the course will be English.
Day off and
special evening event - Monday 8 April 2024
Weaving by the Sea 2024 - Spring School
Workshop Details 2nd
Courses:
3 days - Tuesday - Thursday 9-11 April 2024
Inspired by Kishies and Caishies with Tim Johnson
Tuesday - Thursday 9-11 April 2024
The Shetland
and Orkney basketmaking traditions are unusual within the British
Isles having evolved without the use of willow. Shetland’s Kishie
backpacks are traditionally made with Oat straw while Orkney’s Caisies were
made with straw and a wider variety of locally available plant materials. Using
these materials to fulfil various domestic and agricultural needs has evolved
into a diverse and complex basketry tradition.
In this workshop inspired by Kishies and Caisies
we will make smaller twined baskets combining hand made cordage with a variety
of soft materials for the stake bundles. During the course you will gain
experience with several plant materials and make individual choices selecting
different plants for different parts of your baskets.
This course is suitable for both beginners and those with some experience.
Languages of the course will be English.
Languages of the course will be English.
Nansa Beach Baskets & Handbags with Mònica Guilera
Tuesday - Thursday 9-11 April 2024
The
Mediterranean is home to a beautiful and distinctive technique of
weaving used by fishermen to make a variety of fishing baskets and
traps. In Catalonia ‘Nansa’ fish traps were made in a variety of shapes
and sizes depending on the kind of fish they wanted to catch, the traps
were usually made in the winter with a very tough kind of rush (Juncus
acutus) as well as split cane (Arundo donax) and olive stems.
In
this workshop you will learn to make beautiful, lightweight and strong
beach baskets ideal for a swim or picnic on the beach. The basket
combines the traditional Catalan base with the 'Nansa' fishtrap
technique siding, bundle border and leather handles. Working with willow, this
workshop will provide you with a good grounding in this technique and a useful basket to treasure for years to come.
This course is suitable for both beginners and those with some experience.
Languages of the course will be English, Catalan, Spanish and French.
Languages of the course will be English, Catalan, Spanish and French.
Willow Baskets in Rope Weaving Techniques with Mai Hvid
Joergensen
Tuesday - Thursday 9-11 April 2024
Working
with bundles of willow you will explore a variety of weaving
structures to create rhythm and texture in your baskets. Inspired by the
the baskets of renowned English basketmaker Alistair Heseltine,
Japanese weaving techniques and the volume and strength created by working with
rope like bundles you will make your own contrasting collection. In the
workshop you will learn a variety of techniques in these smaller baskets
that will be easily packed in your suitcase for the journey home! This course suits beginners and those with some basketmaking experience.
Languages of the course will be English, Danish and Norwegian.
Weaving by the
Sea 2024 - Autumn School
Workshop Details 1st
Courses:
3 days -Tues - Thurs 24-26 September 2024
Round Baskets in Nansa Technique with Mònica Guilera
Tues - Thurs 24-26 September 2024
The Mediterranean is home to a beautiful and distinctive technique of
weaving used by fishermen to make a variety of fishing baskets and traps. In
Catalonia ‘Nansa’ fish traps were made in a variety of shapes and sizes
depending on the kind of fish they wanted to catch, the traps were usually made
in the winter with a very tough kind of rush (Juncus acutus) as well as split
cane (Arundo donax) and olive stems.
In this workshop you will learn to make a round nansa basket with a handle.
Combining willow with different coloured threads you will start with a
traditional nansa ‘grid’ base attached to a willow hoop, then move on to the
sidings, bundle border and handle.
Languages of the course will be English, Catalan, Spanish and French.
Neolithic Braiding with Tim Johnson
Tues - Thurs 24-26 September 2024
Neolithic Braiding, also commonly known as Burkina technique
and Punto de Cofin, takes it’s name from
baskets and woven fragments excavated from 8000 year old archaeological deposits
in the south of Spain. Traditionally widely distributed from South Africa up to
and around the Mediterranean and up to the far north of Scotland, this
technique has many variations and applications.
Long and short braided handles and straps may be added according to the desired function of your baskets.
This course is suitable for both beginners and those with some experience.
Languages of the course will be English.
Languages of the course will be English.
Squarework Bags & Baskets with Mai Hvid
Joergensen
Tues - Thurs 24-26 September 2024
Develop
your squarework techniques with a variety of useful willow handbags and baskets
for home and office, shopping or bicycle. Based on a traditional Catalan base
you will design your own basket varying the proportions as you choose.
This course suits beginners and those with some basketmaking experience.
Languages of the course will be English, Danish and Norwegian.
Weaving by the
Sea 2024 - Autumn School
Workshop Details 2nd
Courses:
3 days - Sat - Mon 28-30 September 2024
Sat - Mon 28-30 September 2024
In this workshop you
will make two oval frame baskets in the English tradition, one small and one
large with various combinations of handle style and additional wooden feet as
you choose.
Starting with splitwood or thick round willow hoops (François will prepare these in advance
so that they have time to dry into a rigid form), you will then carve and shave the first
pair of split wood ribs of Hazel or Chestnut using a drawknife and shave
horse, the following ribs and weavers will be of willow.
Basket details:
- Dimensions: various lengths between 30 and 50 cm in order to be able to test different solutions.
- Number of ribs: 6 or 8
- Three cross handle options: split wood, two thick rods or a classic handle bow wrapped with willow rods.
- Wooden feet shaped on the shave horse can be added to make the basket look like a Sussex trug, they are tied with willow rods.
This course suits beginners and those with some basketmaking experience.
Sat - Mon 28-30 September 2024
Ideal for
picnics, shopping at the grocery store or a day on the beach, these
attractive and light weight backpacks feature a traditional Catalan base
combined with sidings and a bundle border borrowed
from traditional fishing baskets. You will design your own colour
combinations of leather straps and border stitching and add a twisted willow handle if desired to create your own
individual and stylish statement.
This course is suitable for both beginners and those with some experience.
Languages of the course will be English, Catalan, Spanish and French.
Languages of the course will be English, Catalan, Spanish and French.
Free Warp Tapestry - Inspired by Polish fibre artist Tadek Beutlich
with Tim Johnson Sat - Mon 28-30 September 2024
Create
your own fibre artworks inspired by the innovative 'free warp tapestry'
techniques of Polish fibre artist Tadek Beutlich. Inspired by the
findings of Tim's 2022 research residency working directly from Tadek's
unpublished manuscript 'The Techniques of Free Warp Tapestry' you will
combine colourful yarns with plant fibre such as esparto grass, rush and
cyperus to create your own experimental fibre art works.
In this
course you will be encouraged to experiment in an open ended way with
colour, form, scale and structure. Outcomes may then become sculpture,
wearable art, wall pieces or baskets - we will find out on the journey!
This course is suitable for both beginners and those with some experience.
Languages of the course will be English.
Languages of the course will be English.
Weaving by the
Sea 2024 - Autumn School
Workshop Details 3rd
Courses:
3 days - Wed - Fri 2-4 October 2024
Frame baskets with Rush & Bark with Mai Hvid Joergensen
Wed - Fri 2-4 October 2024
In this workshop you will learn how to explore the creative possibilities
that frame baskets offer creating a variety of basket forms from flat platters
to bowl forms and larger handbags. You will learn how to weave in contrasting
ways with the weaving elements using both traditional and contemporary ‘random’
weaving techniques and combine willow, rush and bark to create a wide variety
of textures and colours according to your own design. Leather straps in a
variety of colours will be available to complete your design if required for
wearable baskets.
Frame baskets are made in a
different way to all other baskets, working with a hoop and a series of ribs the
frame or skeleton of the basket is made first and then completed with the
addition of the weaving elements. This unique system offers many possibilities
for exploring shape and proportions according to the length, number and
curvature of the ribs.
This course suits beginners and those with some basketmaking experience.
Languages of the course will be English, Danish and Norwegian.
Wed - Fri 2-4 October 2024
Improve your rectangular
baskets working in the French tradition with scallomed stakes and single corner
posts. Working with brown willow your baskets can be worked straight or a
flared giving the basket quite different profiles as you choose.
François will guide you through working with a screwblock for the base, up-staking
and handle strategy and using a cross mould (or not!) to control the shape and
different solutions for bordering around the corners.
- Dimensions: Base length around 40-45 x 25-30 cm, height without handle 15 to 20 cm
- Corners: single corner post (and blunt corners if some students can make two baskets)
- Siding: English randing
or slewing
At the end of the course François’s special squarework kits will be available
for sale including all the particular jigs and measures required to make a
perfectly symmetrical basket.
This course suits those
with some basketmaking experience.
Languages of the course
will be English and French.
Lattice Twining with Tim Johnson
Wed - Fri 2-4 October 2024
Inspired
by bags and baskets of the North American
Eastern Woodland Indians and ancient Peruvian textiles you will learn
this special lattice twined structure. Combining twining and plaiting
the structure offers many possibilities for exploring colour and
creating dynamic patterns.
Combining
dyed chair seating cane with a variety of cotton, linen, hemp and sisal
strings in different colours and thicknesses you will design your own
bags to suit your taste and style.
Your bags and baskets may be worn as
small handbags or hung on the wall as functional or decorative
containers.
This course is suitable for both beginners and those with some experience.
Languages of the course will be English.
About us:
Monica Guilera
is a Catalan basketmaker with many years making and teaching experience, she makes her
living making baskets, teaching and demonstrating and has taken part in
many exhibitions both in Spain and internationally.
During 2024 alongside commissions and making for markets, Monica will
attend basket fairs in Catalonia and Germany and teach a variety of
workshops in Catalonia, France and Germany.
Her work continues to
evolve, while rooted in Spanish and Mediterranean tradition she brings
colour and contemporary style to her baskets.
Monica's Instagram page: Monica Guilera
Mai Hvid Jørgensen is a Danish Basketmaker with many years experience as a maker and teacher, she combines excellent traditional making skills with a flair for good design. Her contemporary functional works add warmth and detail to many Scandinavian homes.
Mai
grows and uses a wide variety of willows which gives her a deeper
understanding of its uses and potential for creative making. Her current
work explores the possibilities of diverse international weaving
techniques to create texture, form and functionality.
Mai’s Instagram page here: Mai Hvid Jørgensen
Tim Johnson - never happier than when he's out discovering a new basketry plant or extracting fibres for his latest work, Tim is an artist and basketmaker with many years of making, research and teaching experience.Tim combines a creative approach with great respect for traditional crafts and his fascination and extensive knowledge of the natural world.
During
2024 Tim will be pursing his research into contemporary and traditional
soft material basketry and teaching in the UK, Catalonia, France and Germany.
Tim’s Instagram page here: Tim Johnson
We are delighted that our good friend and excellent basketmaker François Desplanches joins the team again for Weaving by the Sea 2024.
François
specialise in willow basketmaking rooted in his research and making
practice. With an exceptional eye for detail, an engineer's mind and a
good sense of humour you'll be in for a treat if you join his
workshops.
François's Instagram page is here: desplanches.vannerie
See you at Weaving by the Sea 2024!
