Former Royal Ballet Principal Dancer, Bruce Sansom, began basket-making after taking a weaving course in Northumberland.

The combination of creative construction, geometric design and aesthetic practicality instantly appealed, and he has continued to learn his craft through trial, error and a lot of practice.

As a professional dancer his role was to interpret a choreographer’s intentions. Now, as a basket-maker, whilst there are structural rules to follow, he has discovered a creative field that allows him to produce items of his own design and making.

Practicing various weaves, conceptualising a basket, using and adapting weaving techniques, through to solving how to achieve the desired end results have all helped Bruce to learn patience whilst weaving.

As he can attest, “The best work takes time, and the worst mistakes happen at speed. That said, every mistake is a point of learning, and being able to recognise why something didn’t work is almost as important as turning out a well made basket - if not as ultimately rewarding.”

The various techniques involved in weaving a basket are the product of basketmakers across the world since humans first started to gather food. Discovering how the elements of a basket, (the base, sides and the finishing top edge, or Border) all combine to create a strong structure, is part of what drew Bruce to basket-making - recognising the logicality of how the various parts work together to create the finished item.

The rhythmic, repetitive aspect of the art of weaving can be surprisingly physical, but the creative satisfaction of taking a bundle of prepared willow and turning it into something both practical and aesthetically pleasing, to look at and to hold, is extremely rewarding.

Bruce now hopes you will enjoy his work.

"If at first you don’t succeed...weave, weave again.”