John Cowan Baskets

18/05/2023

Market Baskets – small shopping baskets or baskets to hold the tools of your hobby.

🌿🌿 I've made these using Dicky Meadows, Old French & Black Maul willow 🙂.

15/09/2021

*An Event For Basketmakers, By Basketmakers!* Well done to Eddie Glew for giving some of us in the basketmaking community a kick up the backside to get together a Monday to Friday festival of basketmaking in the UK. This week will include a lovely bunch of makers ( .dibble.basketmaker ) teaching oval, D-shape, square and fitched work – necessary skills indeed for basketmakers to accept the commissions of tomorrow! I don't regularly teach during the course of things so I'm delighted to have this event on my horizons where I will have the opportunity to share my knowledge and enthusiasm for a traditional basket form. Come and meet me. Talk to me about your baskets. Let me share with you how to weave this old fishing industry style, the Herring Washing Maund. For top results in my class, it will be best that you are not a beginner and have some experience of making an underfoot base. We'll also have a free day for exploration during the week, with all the tutors and a bunch of materials on hand, where we will have the freedom and time to share ideas and questions. This day might be nourishing for all of us I'm sure.

If this sounds like it'll be a boon to your basketmaking happiness then follow the link https://blithfieldwillowcrafts.co.uk/basketry-tear-up for more details and sign up to "Basketry Tear Up", August 22 - 26th August, 2022.
..to be held in the glorious Staffordshire countryside, England. Cheap camping pitches available onsite.

13/11/2020

I'm busy just now making baskets for my website inventory. I list the items I've been making during the week for general sale on Friday afternoons. If you are interested in ordering any of the styles that are out of stock, please use the 'notify me' option and you will be emailed when they're available to purchase. I'm not taking any preorders so I've more time to focus on making baskets. Thank you very much for your continued interest in my work.

I hope you like what looks to be the last of the Autumn colours here in Lanark 🍁🍂

14/04/2020

I've made a complete demonstration video of making a basket. It's in 2 parts and follow the link below to find them. This demo will be my contribution to help folks who are staying at home at present and interested in making baskets. Making a video is a first for me! I mix up my words at times (I keep saying 'handle bow' when I mean 'handle wrap') but I think my hands are showing the job reasonably correctly. The camera stopped recording at one point so that's why I show starting the base twice. Anyway, I hope it will provide an hour of diverting activity and be of interest to some folks who like basketmaking.
https://vimeo.com/showcase/7002599

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31/01/2020

Here's a brief breakout from my usual style to try the techniques used in this continental manne.

11/01/2020

Some January basketweaving -

01/10/2019

It's Log Basket time of year again and it's yet another year's experience in making them for me.

14/08/2019

It is with sadness I write that Colin Manthorpe, basketmaker, teacher & friend, died this morning at about 10:50am. Colin had been in hospital for about a week and died peacefully. Colin started basketmaking the day after Boxing Day in 1952, had much sadness to bear throughout his life but loved his basketmaking and shared his skills generously with younger basketmakers. Colin, more than anyone, taught me my trade and regularly taught me over the last 5 years. I last saw him in July this year when he was looking very frail but still as keen as ever to teach me more of the traditional baskets he learned during his apprenticeship at Yarmouth Stores, Great Yarmouth, and throughout his long career. I'm sure more news will follow from the Basketmakers Association but for now his family wanted me to share the news with our basketmaking community. Colin Manthorpe 1937 - 2019 RIP.

04/07/2019

The two baskets representing me at the basketry exhibition, 19th July - 14th October. The white one is the 16" Herring Washing maund from the basketmakers 1956 list union book with sizes. I've been making quite a few other fish baskets recently, not for Ruthin, for other projects and I can share these with you when I get around to taking some pics. I copy below the blurb I wrote (in the third person) for the exhibition catalogue which tells you a little about these two baskets-
Herring Washing Maund
For the last five years John has been researching and learning to make several of the UK Fishing industry traditional baskets. This Washing Maund with its cran-style fitched base is a particular favourite of his and was used in the hey-day of UK herring fishing. This style was used in coastal fishing communities up & down the UK during the kippering process to wash split herrings. Made in 2019 in peeled white willow & hazel.
Curved Shopping Basket
This basket style is inspired by baskets John has seen and purchased on his trips to Poland. John’s partner is Polish and during visits to the country John is pleased to continue to find many towns with shops devoted to selling basketwork. This basket is John’s English randed and unpeeled
natural willow ‘take’ on the many curved and shapely shopping baskets found in traditional Polish basketmaking. Made on 2019 in unpeeled natural willow.

03/03/2019

Some of the baskets I've been making recently -

29/11/2018

It's Late night shopping in Biggar, South Lanarkshire, tomorrow night, I'll be at the Gillespie Centre on the High Street, 5:30pm til late with a selection of my baskets. There will be a variety of local quality crafts trading alongside me, all selected to take part in the event by a fellow crafter. This will be the last event for me for 2018.

If this is too much of a trek for you, all the baskets listed in my online shop are in stock just now and available for Christmas delivery.

26/10/2018

A few of my recent baskets amongst sunny Autumn colours

17/09/2018

04/09/2018

I'll be at the Perth Yarn Festival, Dewars Centre, Perth This Saturday and Sunday with a range of my baskets on sale. Alongside me will be 70 other vendors comprising of independent dyers, farmers, small-holders, knitters, spinners, felters and weavers. If you're in town check it out. www.perthfestival of yarn.uk

31/08/2018

My new website is now live. You can now order online without having to email me beforehand. There are good stocks of all styles available. Should any go out of stock, I will be working on these and they will be listed again shortly.
http://www.johncowanbaskets.co.uk

I hope you like the new layout and photos

Basket maker making wicker baskets, such as log baskets and custom made made-to-size storage baskets - all made in UK using British willows.

10/06/2018

Customer photo of bike basket in place on her bike. Thank you for sending it to me!

22/05/2018

Linen basket - I normally make these with black maul or whissender willows for the uprights and weave something else on the sides for a 2-tone finish. This one was requested in all one colour - sometimes plain is best, especially on curvy baskets.