Appalachian egg basket
A unique chance to weave with American oak basketmaker Micah Wiles
14-17 August, 9.30-5, £575
7 places available
I’m really happy to welcome Micah Wiles to teach in the UK. Micah makes white oak baskets in Kentucky and in a TransAtlantic oaky mash-up he’s coming to teach us the Appalachian egg basket, using Cumbrian oak. We have been cooking up plans to swap oak and basket styles since he visited my workshop in 2022. This is a workshop not to be missed!
Micah has been researching and learning from the great oak basketmakers of Eastern America and working hard to preserve and pass on the skills. Recently he was awarded a grant to learn new skills in Japan.
You can read more on the Cedar Creek Farm website here on Micah’s instagram, and watch his Woodlanders episode here.
What you’ll learn
This basket takes a while to weave so to fit the workshop into a reasonable time the oak will already have been felled, boiled and riven into strips before you arrive.
Day 1 will be preparing the material to weave our basket. This basket is a much finer weave than our native oak baskets and Micah uses some nifty dies and tools to prepare the fine material.
The following 3 days will be weaving the basket.
If you’d rather skip the first day and come for the weaving you are most welcome to. The price remains the same as Micah and I will prepare your material for you.
You should have the knife skills to confidently dress oak. If you have previously done a class with me then you should have the basic skills needed. We will have to work with a bit of speed to complete the basket. Get in touch if you want to check if this class is suitable for you.
Places available
There are 7 available spaces on the course. We need to fill 5 places to make the workshop viable so if you are keen then please book as soon as you can, or let me know that you plan to.
Accessibility
Some level of fitness is required to keep moving and concentrating all day.
Covid precautions - Masking isn’t compulsory but I will have spare masks available for people to use and will be running a HEPA filter in the room. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to email and I’ll be happy to help (be aware I’m away until mid July and I’ll only be checking my emails sporadically).
Skill level: Intermediate
Where is it?
The course will be held at the Rusland Reading Rooms
The postcode is LA12 8JZ.
Directions will be sent out nearer the date
Public transport:
The valley doesn’t have any public transport but you can stay within walking distance and I’m happy to pick you up from Ulverston Train Station or Hawkshead bus stop on the day before the course and the morning afterwards. Email me to chat about this.
What is included?
All materials and tool use
Plenty of hot and cold drinks, cakes and snacks.
A completed oak basket.
Where to stay
There is a lot of accommodation in the Lake District so you won’t struggle to find somewhere.
Click here for a list of Airbnbs close to the venue
Grizedale camping has camping spaces for tents and vans, yurts and pods to hire, and a bunkbarn. . The Eagles Head pub in Satterthwaite is a short walk away.
Terms and Conditions
Participant cancellation:
If you need to cancel your place on the course please give me as much notice as possible. Because Micah is travelling from America we need to make sure there are enough places filled to make his journey worthwhile, so a full refund will only be possible if we can fill your place.
You will not be automatically eligible for a refund, unless the space can be filled.
I know that emergencies happen. Get in touch and I’ll try to help in any way I can.
Course cancellation:
If there are not enough bookings for a course to be viable by 21 days before the course date, then I will contact all course members immediately by phone or email and all payments will be refunded in full.
If I have to cancel a course at short notice due to any unavoidable circumstances, then I will contact all course members immediately by phone or email and all payments will be refunded in full.
You might want to take out insurance to cover any lost travel or accommodation costs.
