About the Course
Learn to make your own willow pack basket! In addition to being beautiful, a pack basket is superior to the mass produced nylon packs of today in nearly every way. The primary reason being that your belongings won’t get crushed in your pack. Your belongings also can’t poke you in the back with a basket pack either. And finally, its a hand made work of art that you can use every day.
In this 3 day course you will learn the ancient art of weaving with willow. You will learn 3 weaving techniques originating in ancient Europe that can be applied to any size basket. You will learn about finding and harvesting your own willow and you’ll even learn a bit of leather work when we make our straps.
Day 1: Talk all about how to find willow, when/how to harvest. Pros and cons of wild willow vs farm raised willow. Rules of working with willow. Make the bottom half of our packs.
Day 2: Weave all day. Finish the packs including the rim. If you finish early you’ll learn how to help others finish.
Day 3: Add a foot to your basket and make your straps. People tend to finish at different times but by the end of the day we should all be done. Group photo! Enjoy camping amongst the Sacred Cedars and time around the campfire with Karie Lee.
Meet your instructor: Jake Hartner has a bachelor’s Degree in Recreation management from BYUI where he developed his love for the outdoors and the peace it brings. This grew into a career when he started working for the Anasazi foundation in 2009. Since then he has worked as a professional desert guide teaching Ancestral living skills in a therapeutic setting to teens and Adults off and on for the last 10 years. Jake is an accomplished potter and basket maker.
You can see Jake on season 1 episode 6 of Discovery Chanel’s “Bushcraft Build-Off.” Jake currently lives in Kanab, Utah with his wife and 3 children where he teaches classes in ancestral skills and works as a Canyoneering guide.
208-659-9000
231 N 3rd Ave suite 105, Sandpoint, ID, USA