“ Spiral basket-weaving is an ancestral technique with which countryfolk have used for centuries here, in Provence, and made such famous and celebrated items such as famous straw mats, and the beehives sewn from bramble bushes. ”
Spiral basket-weaving craft is an ancestral technique which countryfolk have used for centuries here, in Provence. Julia Lebouc shares her artisanal know-how through the creation of a “secret box” basket made from wild straw.
Ideas and objectives::
○ Learning spiral basketry, a technique and skill that will enable all to continue the craft beyond the workshop, in making various objects; ;
○ Learning about the local plants traditionally used in basket-weaving ;
○ Creation of a “secret box” from one of the three types of straw plants available.
With Julia Lebouc
Julia grew up in a small fishing village in Provence, where she quickly realised that nature was a treasure trove full of unsuspecting creative treats. From the age of 5, her father introduced her to handy craftwork: sewing, knitting, and embroidery. In 2020 that she learned the basic techniques of weaving wicker, a material from the culture of willow, which she found out of step with its eco-responsible approach. Julia therefore turned to ‘wild’ basket-weaving, and trained by a professional basket-maker in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, which she found to be a revelation! Julia believes that wild basket-weaving has the power to transcend time, since it passes the ancestral tradition through the the centuries of gathering and weaving and providing, as well as place, since it can be adapted to the natural supply of the plants of each region.
