How long do you soak willow for?

Before you can weave with dried willow it must be soaked in fresh water. Brown Willow takes the longest and is generally soaked for a day per foot of the length of the rod and then wrapped in a damp sheet to mellow for a couple of days (eg 5ft long rods are soaked for 5 days and mellowed for 2 days).

Moreover, can you over soak Willow?

If you are in a hurry you could try soaking in hot water to shorten the soaking time. You could soak the willow in a soaking bag, in the bath or in an outdoor pond or pool. You will have to weigh down the willow to keep it submerged.

Soaking times for buff willow.

Length	Soaking Time
7ft	2-2½ hrs
8ft	3 hrs
9ft	3½ hrs

Likewise, how do you protect a willow sculpture? Any type of willow that you weave / bind or otherwise assemble together in its pliable (recently cut) state can be left to dry under cover, and when fully dry it can then be protected with a 50/50 ratio mix of boiled linseed oil and turpentine either sprayed or brushed on.

Also know, how long soak willow branches?

The rule of thumb is you need to soak your willow a day per foot. A3 ft bundle will be in the water, fully submerged, for 3 days, a 5 ft bundle for 5 days etc. Any barrel, bath, stream, pond will do as long as the willow is fully submerged in the water. The soaking times will vary by varieties and time of year.

How do you prepare willow for weaving?

Cut the rod at the base of each rod, without cutting into the hard willow stool. Gather the willow rods and bundle them with the cut end together. Allow willow rods to dry before weaving them into a basket. You will need 3 to 5 willow stools, with20 to 30 rods each, to weave one medium basket.

35 Related Question Answers Found

How long does Willow take to dry?

Willow firewood has a high moisture content. In fact, the wood contains so much moisture it will rot before it dries out if you don't split it. You should allow willow to season at least one year before using it.

Which Willow is best for weaving?

There are three willow tree species commonly grown as basket willow trees:

Salix triandra, also known as almond willow or almond-leaved willow.
Salix viminalis, often known as common willow.
Salix purpurea, a popular willow known by a number of alternate names, including purple osier willow and blue arctic willow.

What are two of the most common methods of basket weaving?

There are four different types of basketry methods: coiling, plaiting, twining, and wicker. Some of the terms that are specific to basket weaving include loops, twining, ribs, and spokes.

What willow is used in basketry?

The most important willow (Salix) varieties used in UK basketry are Salix triandra, Salix viminalis and Salix purpurea.

How long do willow sculptures last?

about 3 - 5 years

When should I take willow cuttings?

You can propagate willows by cutting branches any time of the year. Spring may be the best season because of the ample rain and the new tree will have the entire summer to become established before winter. Take a cutting that is about 10-inches long and the diameter of a pencil. Next place the cutting in water.

How do you store cut willow?

Willow cuttings can be taken any time during the dormant season. After cutting into planting lengths, bundle with the growth direction aligned. Store the cuttings in moist sand or sawdust in a cool spot indoors or outside in the shade of a building, covered with straw. It is essential not to let them dry out.

How much does Willow make a basket?

Use a hand pruner to cut 8 pieces of willow of equal lengths. The size of your base willow pieces will determine the circumference of your basket's bottom. For a small basket, cut each length to 30 centimeter (11.8 in). For a medium basket, cut each length to 60 centimeter (23.6 in).

What is buff Willow?

Buff willow is natural barked willow that has been processed by boiling in water for approximately 8 to 9 hours. The boiling process softens the bark to ease its removal and also changes the colour of the willow rod underneath to a warm buff or toffee colour.

Can you use weeping willow for weaving?

Can you use weeping willow that is found in many gardens? No. Many of the varieties are used across the world for weaving but the most common used for basketry and sculptures are Salix purpurea, Salix viminalis and Salix triandra.

What materials are used to make a basket?

Baskets are made from natural materials, like twigs from trees like willow, vines, and grasses. Other materials include canes, long flat strips made from fibrous plant cores, and reeds, or broad-leafed grasses.

What is steamed willow?

What is Steamed Willow? Brown Willow (dried) that has been placed in the boiler for a few hours to colour the bark of the willow a chocolate/black. The willow is then removed from the boiler and dried outside. Steamed willow has to be resoaked to make the rods pliable.

How long does it take to weave a basket?

Often, the collection of the raw materials for weaving takes as long as it actually takes to weave a basket. A small basket may take a day to weave whilst some of the larger baskets may take several weeks and very large baskets may take a few months.

What plants can you weave with?

Some commonly used plants for weavers are most leaves from bulb plants e.g. iris, watsonia, daffodils, Aunt Eliza. , red hot pokers, arum lily, NZ flax, Cordyline, hops. Climbers such as passionfruit, Honeysuckle & jasmine, Kangaroo paw, banana stems, bulrush.

How do you weave baskets?

Fold over the outer spokes (the ones that are on the outer side of the last cane) over and into the basket. Tuck these away under the third cane row down. To make this easier, trim to size and use a butter knife to lift the third row and slot the spoke underneath.

How do you soften tree branches?

Is it brittle or supple? Brittle branches or twigs should first be soaked in warm water to make them more pliable. Supple branches (such as flowering stems) can be manipulated as is. If you want the manipulated branch to keep it's shape it should not be too green.

How do you bend curly willow branches?

Simply soak the branches in warm water for a few hours until even the thickest portion of the stem becomes pliable. Then you can remove the willow branches from the water and gently bend them between your fingers to make your desired shape. Allow the willow branches to dry thoroughly.