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ARTS AND CRAFTS

The work of Markku Kosonen. - Photo: Ritva Hurskainen

Use of renewable and safe natural materials is gaining ground in arts and crafts as well as in other industries. There are several species of willow which differ from each other in growth form and colour. Willows that are suitable for arts and crafts are tough with no branches, they are easy to peel and have a small percentage of bark, and they are also beautiful in colour. In addition to that the shoots must be thin, long and slowly decreasing in diameter.

Willow has traditionally been used in wickering articles for daily use. The bigger articles made to last have been wickered from full-length shoots whereas the finer articles have been wickered from peeled and planed shoots cleaved in smaller parts. Wickering is a rather demanding and slow process, and as a technique it is best suitable for making ornaments and works of art. New methods that enable willow to be used as a raw material for utility articles are being developed.