Thanks, Hanna. I tried my first willow basket yesterday. I cut and wove all on the same day, but still, even the green branches snap. In fact, even the very small, green branches snap. So, I think the willow species I have is a rigid type and so I will need to soak and soften the rods. Now, I'm all out of willow branches, except for the smallest size (it was only a small 2-year-old tree), but I'm going to try your soaking technique on Goldenrod stalks. It's all for learning, so I might as well experiment and learn. Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge. It makes me happy to know that people are preserving the skills of our ancestors.
Willow should be left to dry first, then soaked for flexibility. You might have the wrong variety. To check wrap the fresh rods around your finger. They should not snap.
@@HannaVanAelst Oh, I think I must have the wrong variety. The branches snap almost as readily as goldenrod stalks. I finished the basket in soaked green grapevine, which also snapped easily. I did the handle with a vine, called Virginia Creeper. It's far more bendable than either the willow or the grapevine, yet still needs soaking, or it too will snap on light wrapping. There's nothing here that would wrap around my finger without some presoaking or perhaps boiling. No matter. I did finish the basket and know that I'm not naturally gifted with materials worthy of the craft, but I still can weave relatively well and the willow rods will be useful for staking garden plants. It's a happy ending anyways. :D
Great explanation, thank you so much for going through and showing the steps. I'm in Southern California and learning how to tend & work with the native willows here.
Hi Rachelle, lovely to hear you are enjoying the content. I am delighted that you are starting with weaving! Wishing you much fun exploring willow....💓
Your videos are so helpful ! I am hooked on willow making! From Edmonton Alberta, I love your accent, I repeat your instructions to myself as I weave and it helps me remember. Today I made a almost perfect basket base:)
Thank you for the information. My great aunt Mandy made a willow basket that hangs on the wall and it is over an hundred years old. I hope I can follow your directions and make one like hers.
Great videos.. I laughed when you said I don't know if you can hear that crack or not.. mean while you have background music playing.. lol.. good vibes!
Hi, thanks for the tutorial. Does this soaking process work with much thicker willow / 2meter long and 30mm diameter? I need to build a bigger garden dome structure. Thanks
yes but when soaking such long sticks you are soaking for a very long time. For a dome structure you don't need to bend the sticks at sharp angles as in a basket. You can probably just bend them far enough dry. Good luck!
Excellent presentation and information Hanna, thank you! When you wrap the soaked willow do you lay it flat for a day or stand it upright? Does it matter which way? Deirdre
Hi Deirdre thank you! It does not really matter that much if the willow is left flat or standing. The bundle in this video was left lying down because it was a small one. Bigger bundles are left standing to save space.
Thank you for the video. You have a very nice voice and explain things really clearly which is great. I do find it hard to concentrate on what you are saying though with the music overlaid on top. I like the music but I would find it better if it was not playing at the same time you are talking! Sometimes I can’t catch what you are saying. I look forward to watching your other videos Thank you.
Hi! Thanks for these tips. Ive just soaked some weeping Silver birch branches to make mini wreaths for xmas but once i took them out of the water they started to mould. Will the mould go away once fully dry again? Does anyone know how to prevent it from happening in the future? Tia x
Hello Hanna! Your videos are so fun and inspiring. Thank you so much for sharing. I do have two questions. First, about your placing a bundle in the brook to soak. Was that for planting the following spring or preparing it to work with a project? Secondly, what was the purpose for trimming the mother stock higher than others? I assumed it was to allow for more sprouts to develop, but would like to get your reasoning. Thanks again!!
Glad you're enjoying the video's Margo! I put the bundle in the stream to keep it alive for planting later on. We cut the trees higher to stop weeds growing over the stumps, for ease of harvesting (no bending down) and to keep deer and hare from eating the young shoots.
@@HannaVanAelst Thank you for your response!! When you replant, do you do that in the fall as well? I live within the interior of Alaska and wonder when is the best tine to replant. I had assumed in the spring, but I can't imagine you would keep the bundle in the stream for spring planting. Thanks again!!
@@margobartz8225 you would plant in spring, once the ground is frost free and before the growing season (this might only be a few weeks!) Best of luck!
It’s excellent video. Thank you for sharing your beautiful art works. . How do you keep the water in the soaking tank fresh? After a while, some green stuff starts growing in my soaking tank. Fallen leaves and all organic materials start decaying in the water. Emptying and cleaning the soaking tank is time consuming...
Hi Thanks! Yes the water in the soaking tank needs to be cleaned out regularly. Depending on the time of year, how much it is used and leaf fall etc. But I clean it out at least once a month. It gets less time consuming if you do it often, as you get a system going of how to do it efficiently. Another necessary task!
Hi, thank you for the reply. I’m glad to hear the answer that cleaning needs to happen regularly. I was wondering if I was doing anything wrong so far. I’ll need to find more efficient way to empty my soaking tank and refill it with rain water.
Hi Hanna! I am homesteading in Alaska, 200 feet from a river, and feel so blessed to have so much willow available. Since this is my first full year living here, we have been focused on building our greenhouse, wood shed, boat house, landscaping, etc. I don't have a shed I can dedicate to willow drying yet, but will not be using my greenhouse much over the winter and wondered if that would be a good place to store my bundles. Will that will be a good location to dry the willows or would they get too much light and/or humidity? Should they be stored under a solid roof to keep the sun out?
Hi Margo, your Alaskan homestead sounds amazing! Sunlight on the willow can change the colour. That is ok if colour is not your main concern. I would be concerned about moisture in the tunnel. Maybe yours is dry enough once the frost sets in but I would keep an eye on it. Best of luck!
What is it you're using to soak the willow? The water is crystal clear. Whatever it is I WANT IT!!! So jealous watching you do everything with such ease. (My method is a lil more challenging 😂😆😂)
Soaking is not the issue with older willow. It gets branchy and thick and won't bend. Ideally you would cut it back and wait for it to grow again. Then harvest the one year old shoots. Hope this helps? Good luck!
peeling willow is a long and arduous process that needs some specialised knowledge and set up. To get white rods, willow is stripped in spring when the sap is rising by pulling through a 'brake' or stripping machine. To get brown coloured rods without the skin on, willow is boiled for hours and then pulled through the stripping machine.
Hi Steve, Hi Steve, willow for basket making is only harvested in winter, when the sap is down and the leaves have dropped and thus there are no leaves left on the stems....
I loved how detailed and instructive your video is, but i got a slight headache from trying to focus on your voice and instruction and the music being louder than your voice. :-/
Hi Lissy, I generally don't use white willow as I would need to either strip my own willow or buy it in. I love working with my own willow. But Yes white willow is harder to work with as it dries out more quickly. Spray it with a spray bottle regularly, or wet it with a sponge. Keep willow not in use covered in a damp blanket or under plastic at all times. Soaking time is greatly diminished, about an hour or so depending on length.
Please please please....content/tutorial makers [for us hearing impaired individuals] stop adding either any background music or loud background music if you are speaking SO MUCH is lost not to mention, it's extremely frustrating to try and hear you & learn from you clearly Thank you
This video is very satisfying. I really like watching the willow soak for some reason.
Thanks, Hanna. I tried my first willow basket yesterday. I cut and wove all on the same day, but still, even the green branches snap. In fact, even the very small, green branches snap. So, I think the willow species I have is a rigid type and so I will need to soak and soften the rods. Now, I'm all out of willow branches, except for the smallest size (it was only a small 2-year-old tree), but I'm going to try your soaking technique on Goldenrod stalks. It's all for learning, so I might as well experiment and learn. Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge. It makes me happy to know that people are preserving the skills of our ancestors.
Willow should be left to dry first, then soaked for flexibility. You might have the wrong variety. To check wrap the fresh rods around your finger. They should not snap.
@@HannaVanAelst Oh, I think I must have the wrong variety. The branches snap almost as readily as goldenrod stalks. I finished the basket in soaked green grapevine, which also snapped easily. I did the handle with a vine, called Virginia Creeper. It's far more bendable than either the willow or the grapevine, yet still needs soaking, or it too will snap on light wrapping. There's nothing here that would wrap around my finger without some presoaking or perhaps boiling. No matter. I did finish the basket and know that I'm not naturally gifted with materials worthy of the craft, but I still can weave relatively well and the willow rods will be useful for staking garden plants. It's a happy ending anyways. :D
Excellent refresher video. Thank you!
Great explanation, thank you so much for going through and showing the steps. I'm in Southern California and learning how to tend & work with the native willows here.
Hi Rachelle, lovely to hear you are enjoying the content. I am delighted that you are starting with weaving! Wishing you much fun exploring willow....💓
This is the best explanation I've heard. Thank you for posting!
Thank you so much, I have been looking for exactly this all over, very helpful! The bees are going to love their new home made of willow and hay :)
My pleasure, glad it helped you out. Would love to see a picture of the new hive when finished! Happy weaving Eva-Maria!
Your videos are so helpful ! I am hooked on willow making! From Edmonton Alberta, I love your accent, I repeat your instructions to myself as I weave and it helps me remember. Today I made a almost perfect basket base:)
Ha ha! I used to do the same with mu teacher, his words would pop into my head when I was weaving. Well done on the base!
Thank you for the information. My great aunt Mandy made a willow basket that hangs on the wall and it is over an hundred years old. I hope I can follow your directions and make one like hers.
Oh wow amazing!
Great videos.. I laughed when you said I don't know if you can hear that crack or not.. mean while you have background music playing.. lol.. good vibes!
Haha yea still learning about making video's over here!
@@HannaVanAelst I recommend turning the music down or off completely when you're telling the viewers something, otherwise it's just distracting!
Thank you, answers some of my questions! Now to get soaking!
Delighted I could help you along...!
Love your videos Hannah. So so helpful and fill me with peace and the joy of creation. Xx
Hi Julia,
That is so lovely to hear! you gave me a lump in my throat...
Super helpful, thank you so much 😁
Thank you Hanna , for your great tutorial , I am looking forward to giving that a pactice go with some fresh willow ,while its fresh in my head
Hey Hanna, great video. Very clear instructions. I really enjoyed watching :-)
Thanks so much! 😊
Very useful. Thanks 🙏
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you for your video ❤️❤️
Hi, thanks for the tutorial. Does this soaking process work with much thicker willow / 2meter long and 30mm diameter? I need to build a bigger garden dome structure. Thanks
yes but when soaking such long sticks you are soaking for a very long time. For a dome structure you don't need to bend the sticks at sharp angles as in a basket. You can probably just bend them far enough dry. Good luck!
great video thanks Hanna :-)
Excellent presentation and information Hanna, thank you! When you wrap the soaked willow do you lay it flat for a day or stand it upright? Does it matter which way? Deirdre
Hi Deirdre thank you! It does not really matter that much if the willow is left flat or standing. The bundle in this video was left lying down because it was a small one. Bigger bundles are left standing to save space.
Hanna Van Aelst Thanks Hanna
Thank you for the video. You have a very nice voice and explain things really clearly which is great. I do find it hard to concentrate on what you are saying though with the music overlaid on top. I like the music but I would find it better if it was not playing at the same time you are talking! Sometimes I can’t catch what you are saying. I look forward to watching your other videos Thank you.
Hi Sheila, Thanks for your feedback! I realise I need to work on my audio in the video's, as more people have the same issue! Much love
Hi! Thanks for these tips. Ive just soaked some weeping Silver birch branches to make mini wreaths for xmas but once i took them out of the water they started to mould. Will the mould go away once fully dry again? Does anyone know how to prevent it from happening in the future? Tia x
Great video. How do you curl the willow? I would like to use them for my wedding centerpieces. Thank you
I don't
شكرا جزيلا لك
what if you don't have a stream or trough? can you curl the willow and lay it in a large trug to soak?
Hello Hanna! Your videos are so fun and inspiring. Thank you so much for sharing. I do have two questions. First, about your placing a bundle in the brook to soak. Was that for planting the following spring or preparing it to work with a project? Secondly, what was the purpose for trimming the mother stock higher than others? I assumed it was to allow for more sprouts to develop, but would like to get your reasoning. Thanks again!!
Glad you're enjoying the video's Margo!
I put the bundle in the stream to keep it alive for planting later on.
We cut the trees higher to stop weeds growing over the stumps, for ease of harvesting (no bending down) and to keep deer and hare from eating the young shoots.
@@HannaVanAelst Thank you for your response!! When you replant, do you do that in the fall as well? I live within the interior of Alaska and wonder when is the best tine to replant. I had assumed in the spring, but I can't imagine you would keep the bundle in the stream for spring planting. Thanks again!!
@@margobartz8225 you would plant in spring, once the ground is frost free and before the growing season (this might only be a few weeks!) Best of luck!
@@HannaVanAelst Many thanks again!!!
It’s excellent video.
Thank you for sharing your beautiful art works.
.
How do you keep the water in the soaking tank fresh?
After a while, some green stuff starts growing in my soaking tank. Fallen leaves and all organic materials start decaying in the water.
Emptying and cleaning the soaking tank is time consuming...
Hi Thanks! Yes the water in the soaking tank needs to be cleaned out regularly. Depending on the time of year, how much it is used and leaf fall etc. But I clean it out at least once a month. It gets less time consuming if you do it often, as you get a system going of how to do it efficiently. Another necessary task!
Hi, thank you for the reply.
I’m glad to hear the answer that cleaning needs to happen regularly.
I was wondering if I was doing anything wrong so far.
I’ll need to find more efficient way to empty my soaking tank and refill it with rain water.
That is an awesome soaking trough. Was that luck or intentional when purchasing the property?
My husband build it for me, lucky me!
Are there any other materials? besides willow for making baskets
Hi Hanna! I am homesteading in Alaska, 200 feet from a river, and feel so blessed to have so much willow available. Since this is my first full year living here, we have been focused on building our greenhouse, wood shed, boat house, landscaping, etc. I don't have a shed I can dedicate to willow drying yet, but will not be using my greenhouse much over the winter and wondered if that would be a good place to store my bundles. Will that will be a good location to dry the willows or would they get too much light and/or humidity? Should they be stored under a solid roof to keep the sun out?
Hi Margo, your Alaskan homestead sounds amazing! Sunlight on the willow can change the colour. That is ok if colour is not your main concern. I would be concerned about moisture in the tunnel. Maybe yours is dry enough once the frost sets in but I would keep an eye on it. Best of luck!
@@HannaVanAelst Wonderful! Thanks so much for your advice. I look forward to learning more.
Thank you Hannah
You are so welcome!
Hi Hannah, Is the water in the tank circulated or is it stagnant? It loose clear.
The water is stagnant, but changed regularly before it gets bad and smelly.
Thank you so much!
What is it you're using to soak the willow? The water is crystal clear. Whatever it is I WANT IT!!! So jealous watching you do everything with such ease. (My method is a lil more challenging 😂😆😂)
Can you do this with dead willow branches?
love the videos but why the music when you are talking? its much better without the background muzak!
Thank you for demonstrating each step. I would like it better if there were no loud background music.
Can I ask if you built the tank yourselves or was it already on your property?
the tank was purpose build, from concrete.
I want to use my privet hedge for basket making. Do I apply the same theory to privet cuttings like you do willow?
Hi Billie, I have no experience with privet. My advice is to just try it out, you have nothing to lose, good luck!
I think all your videos are using brown (bark on) willow not buff (boiled, stripped) so how long would you allow to soak?
Our new house has a bunch of overgrown Willow. I have no idea how old it is. Would soaking it still work if it's older than last season?
Soaking is not the issue with older willow. It gets branchy and thick and won't bend. Ideally you would cut it back and wait for it to grow again. Then harvest the one year old shoots. Hope this helps? Good luck!
Wonderful , informative video , but background music was too loud
Sorry for that
Hi
How long does it take for fresh willow to dry out?
Hi Irene, it depends but in our climate here it could take 4 months
I like the look of the bark peeled off. How do you process that? Peel when you get it, cure then soak?
peeling willow is a long and arduous process that needs some specialised knowledge and set up. To get white rods, willow is stripped in spring when the sap is rising by pulling through a 'brake' or stripping machine. To get brown coloured rods without the skin on, willow is boiled for hours and then pulled through the stripping machine.
Can I use Curly Willow>??? that's all I have.
You can use whatever you want, but some willow will weave more easily then others....
Music is a bit loud...love your tutorials.
How do you strip the leaves?
Hi Steve,
Hi Steve, willow for basket making is only harvested in winter, when the sap is down and the leaves have dropped and thus there are no leaves left on the stems....
I loved how detailed and instructive your video is, but i got a slight headache from trying to focus on your voice and instruction and the music being louder than your voice. :-/
I am sorry. This is one of my first video's! Still learning. I am working on doing a new one on soaking etc....
The best moments of your video is when there is no music. I can’t see it until the end because of that. Sorry
i kind of find the music nice, though when its an informative video I have to agree and say it can be hard to hear sometimes
Сделайте пожалуйста тестовой перевод, очень хочется послушать Вас.
😍😍👋🏻
Where do you get your accent from ? ( What country are you native to ) ?
Belgium.
What’s your process for soaking white willow? I find it so brittle and hard to work with
Hi Lissy, I generally don't use white willow as I would need to either strip my own willow or buy it in. I love working with my own willow. But Yes white willow is harder to work with as it dries out more quickly. Spray it with a spray bottle regularly, or wet it with a sponge. Keep willow not in use covered in a damp blanket or under plastic at all times. Soaking time is greatly diminished, about an hour or so depending on length.
Music is a tad too intrusive and unnecessary. Otherwise, great vid 👍🏻👍🏻
The music is too loud and very annoying.
So sorry about that. I am working on making another, better video on soaking willow.... coming very soon...
Your videos are very helpful but your voice can be very difficult to pick up with that background music. Please consider leaving it off.
Please please please....content/tutorial makers [for us hearing impaired individuals] stop adding either any background music or loud background music if you are speaking
SO MUCH is lost not to mention, it's extremely frustrating to try and hear you & learn from you clearly
Thank you
Hello the music is not necessary and I said it is annoying me,,,
It is hard to hear/understand you because of unnecessary music.
Ayo............................,
Lose the music please. Thank you