The traditional basketry technique of ‘scuttle work’ is one that almost completely died out. It is a technique of weaving white or buff willow around wide splints of split wood, packing down the weaving tight could result in an incredibly dense weave that some say, could hold water on occasion. It is an incredibly time-consuming type of weaving which is why it has slightly lost in place in basketry today.

Large winnowing fans were made using this technique, they were woven tight enough that no grain would fall through the weaving. Winnowing fans were a tool for separating grain from the chaff.

Using pounded ash splints and white willow from Somerset, I wove this basket, using a classic scuttlework finishing technique with a rod of willow around the edge, over which one folds the strips of ash, resulting in a very solid finish to your weave.

This basket is a very large piece, suitable as a centre piece on a dining room table.