Rush herb pot workshop (afternoon)

What you will make

Learn how to make this delightful little open-work rush pot. It  makes a thoughtful handmade addition to a gift of supermarket herbs or,  if you are speedy, you can make a lid for it and use it as a covered pot for storage.  Bring in a container that you would like reproduce in rush  (or you can choose from one we supply).  Once you have learnt this technique, you can repeat it at home, using long thin leaves such as daffodil, iris or crocosmia from the garden.

What you will learn

• Make a check-weave base

• Lock the base with rows of pairing weave

• Upsett the stakes and tie the base to the mold

• Work the  sides with open-work weave

• Finish with a band of weaving and a simple border

Meet the tutor: John Page

John has been teaching rushwork for many years, after taking a City & Guilds course in creative basketry at the City Lit college in London.  His main focus is instilling sound basic skills to make practical baskets in rush or willow. He sometimes ventures into more creative basketry using non-traditional materials.