Coracle Project

A group of Upper Michigan basketmakers have a willow coracle project under way. According to Poppy Hatinger, the group brainstormed with Jo Campbell-Amsler during the Association of Michigan Basketmakers conference, and decided to make three of the craft.

The first was woven from fresh willow this fall before the ground froze. The frame will spend the winter under weight (and probably covered with snow). In the spring, they will remove the plastic cable ties used to preserve shaping as the willow dries, and lash the joints with basswood bark cordage made by one of the project participants, Karen Tembreull. Then they will cover the frame with canvas, and paint the canvas with waterproofing.

A second coracle will be made this winter using a wooden jig. The third will be woven using dried and resoaked willow for comparison with the first one woven from fresh willow.

As the project progresses, we hope they'll share updates. And this correspondent definitely wants to be on hand when they launch the fleet!