A buying guide for willow weaving beginners

27 March 2025

This is a guide to buying willow for anyone beginning their journey as a willow weaver. At first, it can all be a bit overwhelming. Those new to the craft of basketry willow weaving often find the barrier to ‘going solo’ is not knowing what to buy or where to buy it. Having the correct information to hand from willow weaving experts – plus references to willow weaving techniques and project ideas – can be hugely confidence boosting for beginners.

And that’s where we come in!

At Musgrove Willows, we want to encourage people to begin weaving without feeling daunted. With this in mind, we’ve created a suggested 20kg pack of what to order for your beginners’ willow weaving project. It is the same cost in postage whether you buy 20kg or 1kg of willow – so we’ve put together this 20kg suggested pack to help you get the most out of your first willow project.

This pack has been carefully selected to enable you to start your willow weaving journey with confidence. By following our guide, you’ll know from the outset that you’ve bought the right willow to start your willow weaving journey and develop your skills.

Types of willow beginners should buy

Bark off willows

Bark off willows are a really good entry point into the world of basketmaking. They offer a ‘grippier’ willow with a quicker soaking time – although they will dry faster when you are working with them.

As they have no bark on them, bark off willows are best suited to indoor baskets or items which do not need protection from the elements. They can be used for stakes or weavers.

There are three main types and colours to choose from:

White willow (beginners should choose Black Maul, not Austrian Grey)
Buff willow
Buff Noir willow

Bark on willows

Bark on willows are suitable for all types of baskets, but especially outdoor baskets (or sculptures) – the bark protects the willow against the elements. These are a ‘slippier’ willow with a longer soak time and a longer ‘working’ time. They can be used for stakes or weavers.

Also known as brown willow, there are a number of types of bark on willow to choose from, but you are best starting with Black Maul.

Lengths and quantities of willow beginners should buy

Willow lengths

You will need a variety of lengths of willow. You will need 3 and/or 4ft willow lengths to use as weavers. You will also need 5ft willow lengths to use as stakes.

Willow quantities

As willow is a seasonal product, you may need to pick the willow you will work with according to what is currently available (i.e. some might not be in season). You can substitute and order anything similar from the table below.

Our suggested 20kg purchase:

Weight (kg)	Length (ft)	Willow type
3.5	4	White
3.5	4	Buff or Buff Noir
5	4	Brown willow (Black Maul)
2	5	Buff
4	5	White or Buff Noir
2	5	Brown willow (Black Maul)

Simply select as seasonally appropriate and order an amount of willow to total 20kg. Willow comes in minimum weights, variable upon the type. Not all willow varieties are available in 1kg. When you purchase willow from us, the postage cost is the same whether you buy 1kg of willow or 20kg.

White willow is more expensive than any other willow variety, as there are more natural processes and skills involved in its manufacture.

What can I make with this willow?

The willow in our 20kg suggested bundle above will enable you to make several baskets. A great place to start is with our How to weave a round willow basket video series.

Willow required:

Base sticks: 6 x thick rods taken from 5ft willow (colour 1)
Base weavers: Approx 20 x thin/med 4ft rods (colour 1)
Uprights: 24 x thick 5ft rods (colour 1)
Upsetting/waling: 18 x med 4ft rods (colour 1)
French Rand: 24 x med 4ft rods (colour 2)
Top wale: 18 x med 4ft rods (colour 1)

Total for one basket:

colour 1 5ft x 30 rods
colour 1 4ft x 56 rods
colour 2 4ft x 24 rods

Tools required:

secateurs
bodkin
rapping iron (or hammer and stick)
tallow (vegetarian or vegan) or similar
soaking bag or tank

Notes:

These notes apply if the basket is made using one colour willow.

BROWN (BLACK MAUL WILLOW

A 1kg bundle of 4 ft brown willow contains approximately 155 rods.
A 1kg bundle of 5 ft brown willow contains approximately 85 rods.

A bundle of 5ft and a bundle of 4ft brown willow should complete two baskets. You may need to cut some of the 5ft willow down to 4ft.

BUFF OR WHITE WILLOW

A 1kg bundle of 4 ft buff or white willow contains approximately 270 rods.
A 1kg bundle of 5 ft buff or white willow contains approximately 145 rods.

A bundle of 5ft and a bundle of 4ft buff or white willow should complete three baskets. You may need to cut some of the 5ft willow down to 4ft.Alternatively you could just use one bundle of 5ft buff or white and cut down to give you 4fts. A 1kg bundle is the smallest weight willow is sold in.

You can also find lots of other helpful videos on our YouTube channel, including several simpler, shorter projects which will build your weaving skills. This will also develop your understanding of the ‘feel’ of the willow and how to prepare it for use (soaking, mellowing etc).

More information and in-person learning

For more information, explore our Help and Advice section and latest blog posts. Some useful articles for beginners are linked below:

If you’re interested in working with willow but not quite sure where to start, our willow weaving courses are perfect for you. You’ll spend the day at our Somerset farm learning how to see a weaving project through to completion, guided step-by-step by our professional tutors (plus a tasty lunch at midday).

Get in touch with the Musgrove team if you have any questions about our courses or products – we’d love to hear from you.