All items by Handmade Baskets by Elizabeth Turner

I make handmade willow baskets in a variety of different styles. Each basket is individual, making them special and unique.

I am Elizabeth and I make willow baskets at my home in West Sussex. I love to create different size and shaped baskets using willow with the bark on exploiting the variety of natural colours and tones.

My journey into basket making began with my mum who, having attended several workshops discovered a real sense of fulfilment working with this natural material. Watching her weave willow rods into beautiful and practical forms and seeing the enjoyment it brought her, sparked my own interest and inspired me to explore the craft for myself.

Working with willow is a patient art. A week before starting, I begin counting out the rods of different sizes for my next set of baskets. Each rod needs soaking, about a foot per day, followed by a mellowing period overnight. With bark-on willow, you only have one shot at soaking, meaning everything must be carefully planned in advance.

With a background in art, teaching, and interior design, creativity has always been a core thread in my life. Basket making allows me to draw upon this creativity, connect with nature, slow down, and produce something both beautiful and lasting.

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