If you are a regular reader of this blog you may remember that one of the best bits of my current job is that I get to help organise charity and green activities. I first came across fantastic charity BBOWT when I went on a volunteer day with them, helping to build a hibernacular for the greater crested newt that lives on one of their reserves. On that day I also met Emily who as well as being excellent & a great baker later joined our band playing the cello. As it was Christmas we decided it might be nice to make something natural but Christmassy with some of our staff at work, so willow was bought and the experts (Charlotte & Beth) from BBOWT called in.
The willow, we got it while it was still green so it didn’t have to be soaked and was still flexible (although I was talking to a basket lady the other day and she told me dogwood is also excellent for weaving, and you might have some of that in your back garden). Amazingly 4 pieces was the base for all the wreaths on this page (what really made them special was how everyone brought in slightly different plant materials and had their own decorating style).
‘The expert’ in action! Our first job was to watch the basic masterclass on how to construct the wreath (whilst wrestling with our own). We started with one loop, bending it rounds onto itself and building the others on top (I was convinced at this point mine wouldn’t stay, but it did). I didn’t take any video of the girls explaining how to weave the willow but this chap explains the main principles pretty well.
Once the basic structure is finished & stable you can start adding embelishments. I wanted mine to be traditional but with a bit of a foodie theme (which was just as well, as despite being 4 years old the holly bush in our back garden is tiny!). I used branches of fir as the base and tied on sprigs of rosemary, lime and lemon leaves on top of that as well as adding some small bits of holly (I had plans for pine cones as well but they kept falling off).
I gave the finished wreath to mum for Christmas and here it is with her Dorking chicken of destiny (4 toes so you know its a Dorking, although it received a ‘seasonal promotion’ to partridge, with the wreath acting as pear tree). I would throughtly recommend having a go at willow weaving, after this years festivities are over we can strip off the greens and use the willow base again next year!
