Traditional and Contemporary Basketry

Thank you for teaching Arthur how to make his bird feeder. He had a lovely afternoon as did I, looking forward to booking another course soon. I loved having a play with the leftover willow the next day and made a few things for the garden. I can see weaving becoming a hobby!

Thank you so much for the wonderful course and I really enjoyed it and I think everyone else did too. My favourite part was learning about the tools and willow and learning how to make it and doing it - so all of it really. I really hope we can book another soon.

Fantastic day of basketry! Marianne is so patient and calm, just the perfect teacher for such a challenging craft. It was great hearing about some of the history of basket weaving from around the world & about all the different styles & uses of the different baskets. The way she’s explained the techniques made it easy to pick up & being able to create a basket to take home made for a very satisfying day! Wonderful! I will be back! Xx

Thank you so much for such a beautiful and inspiring day. I loved every moment and found it all totally absorbing, interesting and very therapeutic indeed. I think you have created the perfect experience for anyone to enjoy. I think you’ve got it spot on! I will definitely be interested at some future date to learn more new skills, perhaps making a basket similar to Sue’s.

Love my forage basket. I've had a great morning foraging and cooking. See you in a month for the tray 😁🙌

We just finished renovating our living room and have just put it all back together. Your lovely basket fits in really well.

We have been in this house nearly 11 years and have still not finished! When we are sorted out again after these latest works, come and see what we have done and have a coffee...

I've just finished the fourth one day course of basket making and enjoyed it SO much. Marianne is the most brilliant, patient, calm teacher and chose to do the class in an airy bright room at Kench Hill, Tenterden. It was a really good session for me and I like the basket I made very much. This workshop really helped me see the possibilities, but I need to practice like everyone else. I’m sending this photo.

What a wonderful day spent at Kench Hill basket weaving under the tuition of Marianne. She is so passionate about her craft and this definitely comes over during her demonstrations and teaching. I will definitely join more classes, especially over two days to learn other skills in this most relaxing craft. Will have to do some thumb and finger exercises though !! Thank you so much for an inspiring day.

Thank you so much for a really fabulous day... It has given me a new appreciation of all baskets and their makers 🙂

Thank you so much for the fabulous basketry day Jen and I had with you yesterday. Not only was it great fun but we all managed to produce our very own baskets. I'm thrilled with mine. You were extremely patient with all of us but especially with me for the physical limitations I have. We are really looking forward to the bird feeder weaving lesson with the grandchildren.

Thank you for your email and the photos. They were a reminder of the fabulous day we had with you. The hours just went by so quickly. The setting was perfect and everyone was so lovely. We were all delighted with our baskets. It was a lovely day filled with information. You were helpful and friendly. It was good that you organised the day into different activities to ensure we finish our baskets. I hope to return to another course of yours in the not too long future.

Recommendation on Facebook: Had such a brilliant time making obelisks. A really beautiful location, great company and Marianne was a brilliant teacher! I can't wait to sign up for the basketry course in the future.

Making Willow Plant Supports (Obelisk) - Day Course |- 27/05/2021 A lovely day in woodland surrounding, I learnt lots and came away at the end of the day with very useful garden planter. A great days activity. The flexibility of the tuition catered for all levels and abilities, was comprehensive and well paced with practical intervention as required. A very enjoyable day I would recommend to anyone.

I had a fabulous day today learning how to weave a garden obelisk. Marianne is a fantastic teacher, very patient and helpful. I can’t wait to make more and I’ll definitely be booking myself on another of Marianne’s courses to develop my new found skill!

Very happy with the tray and egg basket that Marianne very kindly made for our cottage. We met her at Brede farmers market and will definitely be having some more crafty basketry from her

Really super day which was thoroughly enjoyed, thank you. Am looking forward to booking the next one with you !

What a brilliant day making a basket from willow surrounded by woodland. Thank you.

I want to thank you for a fabulous day yesterday. Our day was so enjoyable and the sun joined us for much of the time. What a beautiful venue and it was so lovely to see Seren and her daughter along with their beautiful chickens. Thank you for everything. Hope to see you soon.

Such a lovely morning making a door wreath woven from willow. Marianne is a patient and kind teacher and it was most enjoyable.

I had a really wonderful day on the one day basket weaving course with Marianne a couple of weeks ago! Marianne was such a relaxed and encouraging teacher and I loved the fact that she let us all be creative with our baskets, trying different weaves or shapes that we had seen in her own beautiful examples, rather than just making us all follow the same pattern. Marianne was super at helping you out when you got stuck, never making you feel like you were asking too many times and had such a chilled attitude that really put enjoying the process and creating a therapeutic environment as her top priority. I so enjoyed trying something so different and so natural and found the process of weaving so mindful - I haven't be able to sit down and focus on one thing with a clear mind in a very long time so that was a huge positive outcome for me. I am super pleased with the basket I made, Marianne supported me to try out a double weave with two different colours of willow which I absolutely love - it is currently on loan to my Dad for his kindling wood but when I get my allotment I am planning for next year I will be using it to transport gardening tools and bring pack veg and flower yields! Thank you for such a great experience Marianne and being so kind, I hope I can do another course with you at some point in the not too distant future!

I so enjoyed Marianne's Basketry one day course last weekend. I had never done anything like this before and it has really made me see baskets in a whole new light as so much goes into the making, from the preparation of the willow, the varying colours and different types of weave. I admit I found it challenging at times and the process was different to how I had imagined but Marianne was so kind, calm and helpful that I amazed myself and managed to produce a terrific basket by the end of the day. The weaving action is very therapeutic and mindful and the sense of achievement is so rewarding. Thank you Marianne for giving us the opportunity to learn something new and generally for a super day.

A very interesting course which I thoroughly enjoyed. Marianne gave just the right amount of instruction, help and advice. The small numbers made it very inclusive. Thank you, Marianne

This was my first go at basket weaving and I really could not have found a better teacher in Marianne. She was so helpful in every way. Everything was considered from setting up to the finished article. We were promised we would make a basket and we did!!! Excellent course!!

I've long wanted to learn how a basket was made having always had them in my home and last Saturday I finally got to learn how. Marianne is a truly magical teacher. Patient, kind and full of knowledge. Was utterly amazed at what I and my friends achieved! We were all so well looked after and had a lot of fun in the process. A fab day for a group of friends who want to do something interesting and different. Thoroughly recommend.