LIVING FIBRES: Exploring Foraging & Crafting With Natural Materials

Welcome to LIVING FIBRES - Gleaning natural fibres & basket making at Makespace Oxford! Join us for this series of workshops that start on Saturday the 10th May at 10am-12pm. Located at 1 Aristotle Lane, our event will explore the art of gleaning organic fibres and turning them into coiled baskets. Get hands-on experience and learn how to create beautiful vessels using eco-friendly materials. Don't miss this opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals and contribute to a more sustainable future. See you there!

It is possible to attend all the workshops as a single course, through which you will be able to make your own coiled basket, or alternatively, each of the five workshops can be attended as a stand-alone session.

PART I: FORAGING CORDAGE

The first two workshops will see participants head out into the landscape surrounding

Aristotle Lane to forage different plants that can be turned into cordage.

WORKSHOP 1

Nettle / Saturday 10th May, 10am-12noon

In this introduction to making cordage using nettles, participants will learn to select,

gather, process and dry nettles, before creating their own cordage.

WORKSHOP 2

Bramble / Saturday 24th May, 10am-12noon

In this introduction to making cordage using brambles, participants will learn to

process brambles to make cordage.

PART II: GLEANING BASKETS

The following three workshops will be focussed on working with our foraged fibres as

well as gleaned crop residues to create coiled baskets. For those attending single

workshops, it will be an opportunity to learn the basics of coiled basketry and to get

going making your own basket. Those attending the course as a whole will be able to

work towards the completion of their own small basket.

WORKSHOP 3

Carrot / Saturday 7th June, 10am-12noon

An introduction to making coiled baskets using carrots tops and foraged cordage.

WORKSHOP 4

Rhubarb / Saturday 21st June, 10am-12noon

An introduction to making coiled baskets using rhubarb and foraged cordage. Return

participants will be able to learn about shaping their baskets, incorporating new

materials, working with different binders, and creating different stitches.

WORKSHOP 5

Garlic /Saturday 28th June, 10am-12noon

An introduction to making coiled baskets using garlic and foraged cordage. Return

participants will continue to develop their own work and will be able to learn about

finishing their baskets.

About the facilitator:

Fred Branson’s work combines experience in community arts, visual anthropology &

agroecology. He is particularly interested in producing work that engages with both

the materials and politics of different landscapes. His most recent work responds to

the plants he encounters as part of his work on a small-scale vegetable farm in North

Oxfordshire. This has led to experiments with cordage, coiled basketry, and most

recently – thanks to funding from Arts Council England – the construction of camera

obscura.