A willow basket maker in Onekaka, Golden Bay, who grows the basket willow on the property and makes each basket by hand. The maker has been weaving for more than 30 years, and each basket is a one-off, with no two alike.
The baskets come in many shapes, sizes and colour combinations. Some are made from the same stock shown on the website, and others can be made to order for a specific need. Courses are also offered. A two-day workshop teaches basic willow weaving, and the website says it suits beginners as well as people who want to build on skills they already have. Participants make one or two simple baskets and learn techniques that carry over to other materials.
The willow is cut in winter, when friends and neighbours gather for a harvest day of work and food. The rods are then sorted and processed in one of three ways: boiled to stain them buff, steamed to make red or black willow, or stood in water until leaves appear to make white willow. The maker describes the willow plantation as a carbon sink, and says the finished baskets are made from plants that have taken up carbon all year.
The shop is at 1117 Takaka-Collingwood Highway, Onekaka, in Golden Bay. Our pick in Onekaka for a basket that is made by hand from willow grown on the same property.