Hertfordshire Basketry
Tricia Lilley
In 2004 I completed a 4 year City and Guilds Diploma in constructed
textiles. I am interested both in the traditional craft of basket
making and in contemporary basketry. I work mostly to commission.
I enjoy making a range of functional and decorative items using
traditional materials such as rush, iris leaf, willow and dyed cotton
and a variety of techniques including plaiting, check weave, coiling,
looping and complex linking.
Soft baskets are constructed from rush, iris leaf or burr reed grown in
Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire. The leaves are made into lengths of
three five plait or seven plait which are then stitched together to
form the baskets. Others are made using a traditional checkweave
pattern and these baskets are made over a wooden block or mould to
create their form. I also combine materials such as white willow,
indigo dyed cotton and paper cord, or sari ribbon and polypropolene
cord to make coiled baskets.
Over the past four years I have developed a series of rush and iris
leaf baskets using the work of a local Hertfordshire basket maker from
the last century (Samuel Day 1869 – 1962) as a source of inspiration
for my work. The use of iris leaves to make baskets was once very
common but is currently an underused resource.
I also like to work on a larger scale to create garden supports and
living willow structures including diamond fencing, tunnels and arbours.
Tel: 01920 821700
Email: prlilley@waitrose.com
