Is Anyone Weaving Willow?

We have a lot of willow on our farm and the weaving of willow intrigues me. One of the main ones is sandbar willow I think, the bark is tan. There are also willows with a green bark and those with red, I need to do more research on what is growing here. Would be interested in hearing about willow weaving by those with experience.

https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/shrub/sandbar-willow#lboxg-8


Thank you,

Doug

How lovely that you have different colours to start with!

I've had a little go at weaving with willow. I went on a beginners workshop locally and every now and again have a play with the willow I havegrowing round here. I have purple willow which grows pretty well - up to 7 ft or so in a season if I cut the bush back. I found bending it without breaking tricky and hard on my hands, but I'd love to be good at it. Like any craft I guess it is a mixture of practise and knowing what to practise!

Nancy Reading wrote:How lovely that you have different colours to start with!

I've had a little go at weaving with willow. I went on a beginners workshop locally and every now and again have a play with the willow I havegrowing round here. I have purple willow which grows pretty well - up to 7 ft or so in a season if I cut the bush back. I found bending it without breaking tricky and hard on my hands, but I'd love to be good at it. Like any craft I guess it is a mixture of practise and knowing what to practise!

Cool, for some reason the color of the bark does not seem significant to me as my first go at it I stripped the bark. For me the colors are more an indicator of the size, sandbar is small, green willow medium and the red willow growing with cattail is quite tall. The size of the willow would in my mind make it a choice for different tasks. The larger willow could be used as a room divider for instance. I love the look of wood and the more the better for me. Not sure that it all needs to be weaved, some could be pinned with willow dowels or tied together with the bark.