Having a jar of willow bark alkaline extract sitting on the shelf comes in handy when you need some quick color. This is silk ribbon and silk cord immersion-dyed in liquid from the jar of willow bark extract I’ve been working on since last fall. I just keep topping off the liquid in that jar, … Continue reading More On Willow Natural Dye
Years ago, I read a rhyme used to help stake-and-strand weavers learn their craft. On a solo drive to a basketry conference in Michigan, I expanded that rhyme into an ode, recitations of which were so hammy that I’m glad there were no cell phone cameras back then. I found that poem again while cleaning … Continue reading Ode To Willow Weavers
There were still leaves clinging to my willow when wet, heavy snow knocked them off. That was more than a month ago, and those leaves have been on the ground under snow ever since. Over the weekend, we had a bit of a thaw and saw some bare ground. Some of it was littered with … Continue reading Winter Willow Leaves For Natural Dye
Through what seemed to be an endless winter here in northern Wisconsin, there was a five gallon bucket sitting outside my studio. It’s been slowly brewing dye, and it turned out to be a strong brew. In late October, I packed the bucket with willow leaves and filled it with water. It froze, pushing the … Continue reading Strong Brew – Willow Leaf Dye
We burned our willow charcoal last weekend, and today I started sorting and packaging it. This morning, I got distracted and did a little doodling. This afternoon, I stayed on task and got some of the charcoal packaged up to sell at the farmers market on Saturday. Right now, my studio is such a mess … Continue reading Homegrown Willow Charcoal
One more seasonal task done: I’ve sorted the peeled willow sticks left after harvesting bark for dyeing. Bill will use some in rustic furniture. The rest I cut up to become artist charcoal for drawing. Those sticks dry quickly with the bark off. I got them cut up earlier this week. My bright idea of … Continue reading What’s Drying Wednesday – Willow For Charcoal
Willow bark harvest has been on top of my to-do list since I got back from teaching in Kansas. Today should be my last day of harvest. The bark still slips easily on larger pieces, but it’s starting to tighten up on the smaller stuff. To every thing, there is a season. Most of the … Continue reading Willow Bark Harvest
It’s not Wednesday any longer, but here’s what was drying yesterday when I stopped to visit a friend. I had a short but lovely visit with Jo Campbell-Amsler yesterday as I passed through Iowa on my way to Kansas for the Midwest Weavers Conference. Jo has been harvesting willow bark for baskets, and is drying … Continue reading What’s Drying Wednesday — Willow Bark
In the early 1990s, I went to Sievers for a class in rib-style willow basketmaking that changed my life. Driving home, I was astounded to see acres of wild willow growing where I had never noticed it before. A few years later, I planted my first bed. This versatile, sustainable crop now produces material for … Continue reading Willow For Color
You know how it is when you’ve “always” done things a certain way. For 10 years or so, I’ve cut my willow in the spring. It was timing that worked for various storage reasons. But I’m going to be leading a trip to Ireland next April. So I needed to get my harvest done this … Continue reading Willow Harvest — Autumn Edition