website

Free delivery for orders over £100. Delivery costs £5.99 for orders under £100. Please note delivery times vary per product. Delivery time estimates are shown with the product details. UK delivery only.

More options

Handmade willow Forager basket with white lines pictured with eggs. Basket handmade by Rachel Bower, photo by Manna Reid.
Handmade willow Forager basket with white lines pictured with eggs. Basket handmade by Rachel Bower, photo by Manna Reid.
Sold out
Forager Basket
Regular price
£84.00
Regular price
Sale price
£84.00
Unit price
per 
Willow asymmetric basket with willow handle pictured with onions. Basket handmade by Rachel Bower, photo by Manna Reid.
Willow asymmetric basket with willow handle pictured with onions. Basket handmade by Rachel Bower, photo by Manna Reid.
Sold out
Small Willow Asymmetric Basket with Willow Handle
Regular price
£90.00
Regular price
Sale price
£90.00
Unit price
per 
Willow asymmetric basket with white lines pictured with knitting and ball of wool. Basket handmade by Rachel Bower, photo by Manna Reid.
Willow asymmetric basket with white lines pictured with knitting and ball of wool. Basket handmade by Rachel Bower, photo by Manna Reid.
Sold out
Willow Asymmetric Basket with Hazel Handle
Regular price
£160.00
Regular price
Sale price
£160.00
Unit price
per 

Rachel Bower

Mini Forager Basket


Regular price £55.00
Unit price
per 
Tax included.

The Mini Forager basket, handwoven by Rachel Bower, has a herringbone weave pattern known as chain wale.

It is handwoven in Dicky Meadows willow, which has a soft green, natural tone. This willow variety is traditionally grown for fine basket making. Rachel chooses Dicky Meadows for its’ strong, yet fine and slender characteristics.

This small lightweight basket has a simple, tapered shape and a pegged willow handle. It measures approximately 16 cm diameter at the base and 17 cm tall.

Due to natural variations in the materials and the handcrafted processes, the colours and details of each basket may differ slightly. Every handmade piece is celebrated for its’ uniqueness.

Willow

16 x 17 cm

Made in the UK

Ideal for foraging and vegetable storage, but not recommended for use with perishable or prepared, ready to eat foods.

Protect from moisture. If the basket gets wet, dry it quickly and thoroughly. Clean gently with a soft brush. Avoid direct sunlight over long periods as this may cause the natural willow to change colour.

Ready to ship in 2-3 days

Free delivery for orders over £100. Delivery costs £5.99 for orders under £100. Please note delivery times vary per product. Delivery time estimates are shown with the product details. UK delivery only.

More options

Handmade willow Forager basket with white lines pictured with eggs. Basket handmade by Rachel Bower, photo by Manna Reid.
Handmade willow Forager basket with white lines pictured with eggs. Basket handmade by Rachel Bower, photo by Manna Reid.
Sold out
Forager Basket
Regular price
£84.00
Regular price
Sale price
£84.00
Unit price
per 
Willow asymmetric basket with willow handle pictured with onions. Basket handmade by Rachel Bower, photo by Manna Reid.
Willow asymmetric basket with willow handle pictured with onions. Basket handmade by Rachel Bower, photo by Manna Reid.
Sold out
Small Willow Asymmetric Basket with Willow Handle
Regular price
£90.00
Regular price
Sale price
£90.00
Unit price
per 
Willow asymmetric basket with white lines pictured with knitting and ball of wool. Basket handmade by Rachel Bower, photo by Manna Reid.
Willow asymmetric basket with white lines pictured with knitting and ball of wool. Basket handmade by Rachel Bower, photo by Manna Reid.
Sold out
Willow Asymmetric Basket with Hazel Handle
Regular price
£160.00
Regular price
Sale price
£160.00
Unit price
per 

WHO IT'S MADE BY

Rachel Bower

With little else involved except traditionally grown willow and the skill of the maker, there’s a compelling simplicity to Rachel Bower’s baskets. These are practical creations that can withstand the rigours of everyday use, but they’re also unmistakeable works of art, decorative pieces and heirlooms in waiting.

Over the last twenty years, Rachel Bower has dedicated herself to perfecting the age-old craft of basketry. By meticulously studying techniques and learning from the experience of masters, she’s acquired the skills needed to realise the full potential of the materials she uses. In Rachel’s hands, flexible rods of Somerset willow are bent, woven and coaxed to make baskets that seamlessly intermingle the traditional and contemporary.

Because function is important, Rachel wants strength and durability from all of the pieces she creates. That’s why a variety of willow called Dicky Meadows is her choice for the main bodies of most of her baskets. It’s slender and tapered, so lends itself to the close weave needed to achieve a sturdy finished product.

The skill of Rachel’s weaving results in baskets you’ll want to hold and touch. Intricately criss-crossed branches of wood create flat-bottomed shapes that taper towards the top. Asymmetric styles harness a feeling of swirling movement, while modest little forager baskets feel like something a fairy-tale character may well carry into the forest. Handles are pleasingly curved or made from straight and chunky lengths of coppiced willow – perfect for hanging from your elbow or swinging in your hand.

To add detail, Rachel uses Brittany green and white willow that offsets the soft brown-green tones of Dicky Meadows. The interplay of natural shades brings to mind the dappling of light through woodland. Bands or blocks of subtly contrasting colour add character and decorative appeal to baskets that are already things of beauty.