Growing Baskets

A collection of baskets for the Foyer Gallery in Inverness Museum and Art Gallery. These baskets were woven during December 2023 and January 2024.

Breer

Willow Dandelion Daffodil Flag Iris

A Doric word for seed, or sprouting seed. The first basket I ever wove in this style is the one I now use to keep all my vegetable and flower seeds. There is also the seed of an idea within this basket. I have been playing with adding cordage to handles to add texture, interest and strength. The cordage here was added as the handles seemed too thin. Dandelion, daffodil and flag iris cordage have been woven into this basket, along with Flanders Red and Noire De Villaine willow I have grown myself. I love the colours in this one. It has inspired me to add cordage whilst weaving again in the future. I love the fairytale look of this wee basket and am keen to experiment further.

Fàs

Willow

A Gaelic word meaning growth or growing. I’m currently growing my experience as a basketmaker, and in Gaelic. Our children are in Gaelic Medium Education and I am enjoying learning this beautiful language through them. Fàs is the name of an important place for our family and in our community where our children have grown up. This basket makes a beautiful plant pot so the theme of growing seemed to fit perfectly for this one.

Betsy

Willow

A flared oval shopper named after Betsy Whyte, author of ‘Yellow on the Broom’ where she tells her stories of growing up in the traveller community in Angus in the 1920’s and 30’s. I’ve been re-reading this book with my daughter whilst weaving these baskets. Her father was a basket-weaver and she talks about his work. I love the idea of naming baskets after inspiring women. You can hear Betsy telling stories on the Tobar an Dualchais website.

Bisan

Willow Driftwood Daffodil

Maybe my favourite basket in the collection. I made these baskets while watching videos from Gaza daily on my phone. I want to show my admiration of this young woman and her inspiring work to document her experiences. There is strength in this basket and at the same time fragility.

The Circle

Willow

The first basket where I achieved a good border. I thought about naming this basket ‘Annie’ after Annie Lennox, a fellow Aberdonian. This basket is named after the NGO she founded.

Beachcombing

Willow Driftwood

An asymmetric bordered basket I learned from Hanna Van Aelsts online roundwork course. I can’t recommend Hanna’s courses highly enough. This basket features my own croft grown Flanders Red willow rods. I can’t remember where this particular piece of driftwood was found, I think my daughter may have found it.