Firstly - Ssshhh!! I know my backpack isn't made of willow but having harvested the rushes myself at Isle Abbotts on the Somerset Levels in June 2019, I couldn't resist showing you my first foray into weaving with rush.
Taking inspiration from the recently published excellent book "Rush Basketry: Weaving with Eight Makers", I wanted to gain an understanding of this natural fibre and find out what weaves I could create.
Having grown up watching my mum rush seating chairs; my playing with rush, the feel, the smell, seemed very familiar, perhaps it's in my DNA....
Firstly - Ssshhh!! I know my backpack isn't made of willow but having harvested the rushes myself at Isle Abbotts on the Somerset Levels in June 2019, I couldn't resist showing you my first foray into weaving with rush. Taking inspiration from the recently published excellent book "Rush Basketry: Weaving with Eight Makers", I wanted to gain an understanding of this natural fibre and find out what weaves I could create. Having grown up watching my mum rush seating chairs; my playing with rush, the feel, the smell, seemed very familiar, perhaps it's in my DNA....
Rush Backpack, side detail.
Creating the backpack on a cardboard mould, this photo shows my bordering down.