Groups Feed

Welcome to our group Out of the Woods Group! A space for us to connect and share with each other. Start by posting your thoughts, sharing media, or creating a poll.

This weekend is World Mental Health Day and I want to talk to you about my personal story. I’ll admit that I’ve been in two minds about being so open and honest but I figure that if no one talks about these things we can make no progress to understanding each other. Whatever you make of the following, thank you for your time in reading it.

I, like countless other people, am someone who has suffered with poor mental health. Thankfully, as I write this I am as happy as I ever remember being. But, what a struggle it has been at times. I am grateful that we are beginning to see changes in societal attitudes that make it easier to openly discuss mental ill health and to approach it as we would physical illnesses that we might deal with at times. There is good health and ill health, physica…

“Oh! You’re a man…..”

“I thought the tutor would be a woman.”

“I assumed you were the caretaker.”

All of these are things that have been said to me at the beginning of workshops that I’ve run over the last couple of years. None of the speakers intended to be rude and I didn’t take offence. But it did start me thinking. Why is it that basket weaving workshops seem to attract more women than men? And why should it be surprising that men weave? I should say that this is not intended to be in any way disrespectful to the many fabulous female willow weavers. I learned to weave from Leilah Vyner at Dragon Willow who creates fantastic work including the famous Woodland Wonderland at Harewood House. I keep meeting people all over the place who absolutely love it. You can read more about how I got into weavin…

A basket maker's toolkit is surprisingly simple and inexpensive to acquire. It contains no complicated tools that require particular skill to operate; just a little care as a lot of them are sharp and easily draw blood. I’ve accidentally poked myself a number of times and it hurts! Here, I’ll let you have a virtual rummage through my tool basket and take a look at some of the tools that I can’t do without. I’ll run through these with you in the order that I use them in making a basket.

First of all we have snips. Used, as you would imagine, for cutting willow rods. I just love these snips that spring open again after every cut. The first snips I used weren’t sprung and I had to manually open them again for each cut. You’d be amazed at the difference a tiny piece of coiled metal can make!…

Receiving photos from customers who have either bought from me or have made their own item on one of my workshops brings me real joy. Here is a selection of photos I've received from you - please keep them coming! I hope they all become (if they aren't already) cherished items that bring you pleasure every time you use them

Those of you who have been on one of my workshops know that I like to talk about the pricing of handmade craft items. I have, on occasion, strayed into rant territory (I'm sorry).

It is an unfortunate fact in a global economy that consumers become accustomed to low cost imported goods and it is something I am guilty of myself. I blame the Amazons, Ikeas and Primarks of the world for providing us with endless, impossible-to-resist bargains. After all, no-one likes to pay 'over the odds' for something they can get cheaper, right? But how often when we're spending our hard earned cash do we think about those that were involved in the production of whatever it is we're buying? Where in the world are they living and under what kind of government? What are their working conditions like? And what are they being paid? Who else is taking…

Here I am approaching middle age (ahem!) and I've found myself playing with sticks for a living. Not exactly what I imagined I'd be doing at all. But then, life is full of surprises. And opportunities. And I have to say, that whilst the money isn't anywhere near what I was earning in full time employment, I have never been more content in my working life.

When I take a step back and think about it, I really shouldn't be surprised that making things has become a key part of my life. And for that I can thank my upbringing. My Nan was a huge knitter and when she came to visit, she always brought a pile of jumpers that she'd made for me and my siblings. My Mum too is never far from a pair of knitting needles and an ongoing project (or several).

It was during one of…