Learn to work close to earth : basket weaving, willow structures and nomadic furniture...

CONTACT GEOFF FORREST

BY E-MAIL : enquiries@sustainabledesigncrafts.co.uk

BY PHONE : Talk to Geoff or Jane on

+44 (0) 1292 550935
OR 0845 458 2638 (UK only)

website : www.sustainabledesigncrafts.co.uk

Geoff lives with his partner Jane by the shores of Loch Doon in the Galloway Forest where they grow willow and other useful and edible plants.

Geoff describes himself as a ‘twiddler of sticks’ working with a range of materials from willow through to heftier hardwoods.

Baskets to spurtles, chairs to geodesic domes, all connected by the common theme of wood.

Jane also makes hand made cards from pressed flowers and plant material.

Geoff provides courses in
beginners and improvers :

basket making,
living willow structures,
rustic furniture,
green woodworking,
making geodesic domes
introductory Permaculture

Our courses are also fairly eclectic and we are always happy to mix and match if someone wants to try a variety of crafts.

Courses

Beginners and improvers basket making

Beginners one day course:

Round or random weave basket in buff and brown willow
How to select and prepare material
Pairing, waling, randing and trac or rod borders
End the day with a completed basket

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Improvers one day course:

Round, oval basket or random weave basket
Handles
Waling and French randing variations
Borders; plaited or rod variations

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Improvers two day course:

As above with larger projects
Bowl baskets
Log baskets
Shoppers

Courses at Loch Doon:

we can organise courses for groups or individuals as well as our usual programme of events.

Courses can be made up of a combination of activities and are not limited to what we might have advertised. Contact us with your ideas.

Cost: £50 per day including tuition, materials, lunch and refreshments.

Courses At Your Place:

this has become really popular, get together a group of friends and we will come to you.

Cost: start at £30 per person (6 minimum) local area rising according to distance

Living willow structures and sculptures

One day course

Site selection
Ground cover
Selecting material and planting
Design and layout of structure
Lattice weave
Arch construction for domes, tunnels and arbours
Completion of dome, arbour, tunnel or arbour

Two day course -
As one day including sculpture

Tension weaves
Design
Sculpting

Permaculture course

What is permaculture?

“The philosophy behind Permaculture is one of working with, rather than against nature, of looking at systems in all their functions, rather than just asking one
yield of them, and of allowing systems to demonstrate their own evolutions.”
David Holmgren

At present we run a two day Introductory Permaculture Course

The course covers the following topics including practical exercises and designs.

DAY 1

What is Permaculture?
Ethics
Attitudinal Principle
Design process
Energy: Zone, Sector, Aspect

DAY 2

Resources: Biological, Re-cycling Functions
and Elements
Co-operation
Design Principle
Design exercise

Green Wood Furniture

An Introduction to Green Woodworking

Stool making three day course:

Selecting and cleaving green wood
Using a draw knife and shaving horse to shape legs
Selecting seasoned hard wood for seating
Assembly and finishes

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Chair making five day course:

Selecting and cleaving green wood
Using a draw knife and shaving horse to shape legs,
spindles, stretchers and comb
Selecting seasoned hard wood for seating
Adzing, shaping and finishing the seat
Assembly and finishes

We are currently working on a range of furniture for yurts, domes, tipis and other low impact dwellings. At present we are making lazy chairs, probably the most relaxing chair you have ever sat in.

All our stools and furniture are handmade from locally sourced wood.

Meditation stools and nomadic furniture

The ‘Earth’ meditation stool is made from elm and follows the contours of the natural grain.
‘Air’ has an elm seat and hand shaped cleaved ash legs.
‘Water’ is our rarer stool very dependent on the drift wood washed up on our coast.

Click here to see our nomadic furniture on sale.