——May 16-17——The Willow Laundry Basket with Jarrod Dahl

Related Courses/Events: Basketry Courses

Registration closes May 1 so the instructor can prepare materials.

Dates: Sat-Sun, May 16-17, 2026 9am-5pm

Optional: Friday, May 15 Baskets in Lichtenfels: International Basket Festival Craft Night Series slideshow and basket collection exhibition with Jarrod Dahl

Description: Willow laundry baskets are durable, useful and good looking. In this two-day class you will learn the basics of stake and strand willow basketry. We’ll start by learning about growing, harvesting, and preparing brown (bark on) willow for weaving.Then we will learn techniques for weaving a base, ‘pricking up’ the uprights, weaving simple 3 or 4 rod wales, and basic patterns like randing. We will finish up the basket with a nice border and roped willow handles. This workshop has the beginner in mind, but all skill levels are welcome. The aim of this class is to give students enough knowledge and experience to make baskets on their own. This course requires hand strength and stamina.

Tools:

• Bring pruning shears (these are good ones Okatsune secateurs)

• Craft knife (optional) (Morakniv 106 or 120 recommended)

• Rapping iron (optional)

• Bodkin (optional)

• There will be a few rapping irons, knives, and bodkins to share

Workshop Fee: $200.

Materials fee: $50 cash, payable directly to the instructor during class.

JARROD DAHL is a full-time craftsperson, teacher, and writer. Jarrod has extensive knowledge of harvesting and processing natural materials, forging and using hand tools, and making a wide variety of craft from basketry to canoes. He began making black ash baskets in 1997 and has since made many kinds of baskets including birch bark, knutkorg, split willow, and root. He studied with basket weavers Steen Madsen, Hege Aasdal, Bjorn Majors, Vladimir Yarish and Scogin Zimmerman-Mayo. He takes a philosophical, historical and pragmatic approach to making, teaching, and advocating for handcraft. Jarrod writes a blog on craft and runs Woodspirit Handcraft with his wife in Northern Wisconsin. www.woodspirithandcraft.com instagram: @jarrod__dahl @woodspirithandcraft