Willow Squarework Video

I stumbled across this via someone who subscribed to my own YouTube channel. My college French is pretty rusty, so I forwarded through some of the weaving of the base (lots of good visuals again starting around 8:50). If your French is better, please please use the comments section below to share!

Latvian Willow Basketmaking Video

This 12-minute video shows Latvian basketmakers Peteris and Lolita Tutans harvesting, preparing and weaving willow baskets. It includes footage of boiling fresh willow in a wood-fired cooker then peeling the bark for buff willow. You may want to pause the video during the weaving segments to get a closer look at the jigs they use. No need to speak Latvian, since there's no dialog (but a lovely musical score by Janis Miltins).

This came to my attention via Facebook friend Lori Hopkins, by way of Vladimir Dvorak.

Have you discovered videos that show the world of willow? Please share links in the comments!

Historic Willow Coracle Film

Thank you to Poppy Hatinger for sharing this video based on footage from 1935. It shows two Irish craftsmen build a coracle from willow and an ox hide, then use the craft to set fishing nets in the River Boyne.

The Treebog: A Willow Composting Toilet

In cleaning out some files, I ran across an article on treebogs by Hilary Burns that I tore out of a Basketmakers' Association newsletter. I'm guessing this was published sometime in the mid-1990's -- definitely before You Tube. Thought you might enjoy seeing this video, an article on DIY treebogs, and a PDF on small-scale sewage treatment and composting toilets. Treebogs even rate a Wikipedia entry.

If you've built a treebog, we'd love to hear about it. If you're planning to build one but are not a willow grower, let us know that, too. And if you're a willow grower who would be willing to share cuttings for such a project, please leave a comment to that effect and a way to contact you. The comment button is right below this post.

Bonnie Gale Living Willow Sculpture

Willow Sculpture Garden from Cultivating Life on Vimeo.

Jo Stealey has an article about Bonnie Gale in the Summer 2010 issue of Fiberarts. See more images and the Cultivating Life segment here.