Click the video below and let me introduce this basketry course to you.
Create with Confidence
Imagine being able to confidently walk into your flower garden or local forest and sustainably harvest natural materials you could use to make beautiful baskets for yourself, your friends and even for sale.
And imagine the joy of knowing you have the skills and knowledge to continue to create for years to come without the cost of expensive tools and materials.
It's absolutely possible when you understand just a few key principles about natural materials and basket weaving that will enable you to create beautiful works of woven art.
One of my students, Annalisa, recently said "The quality of videos in Matt’s online course, Twining with Natural Materials is top notch. It is so helpful to be able to pause a video while practicing a technique or to replay as many times as needed. The enduring instructional materials available through the online format are a huge bonus over live instruction. Furthermore, as someone with a hectic schedule, the asynchronous learning is perfect! Matt is a natural teacher — approachable, encouraging and he explains things in a way that beginning weavers can understand without losing the interest of more advanced weavers. Overall, the online course is a great value —if you are considering enrolling, I would definitely say “go for it”!"
Unleash Your Creativity
This isn’t like a typical basketry course that teaches patterns to follow. That's right, because I don’t teach patterns. I teach principles.
After teaching hundreds of students over the last 30 years, I’ve found patterns limit your creativity and ultimately slow you down because of the perfectionistic tendencies every creative person struggles with.
Instead, I teach practical principles combined with step-by-step instructions and easy-to-follow examples that empower and unleash your creativity so you can learn to speak the language of natural materials and confidently create work that speaks to you.
Introducing the "Twining with Soft Natural Materials" Course
Inside this on-demand video course (accessible on any device 24/7/365), I’ll be showing you exactly how to:
- Harvest materials like foliage, bark and vines from your garden or local forest
- Prepare and store the natural materials you collect
- Weave baskets using a simple, ancient technique called twining.
And the best part? You can start making baskets within just a few days of watching the course without any basketry experience or expensive supplies or tools required!
After completing this course, you will have the confidence to harvest materials from your local area and the practical knowledge to start weaving beautiful baskets you can share with your friends and family, and enjoy for years to come.
What my students are saying...
"If you want to make great baskets, you have to learn from great basket makers and Matt Tommey is one. When he offered this course, "Twining with Soft Natural Materials", I hesitated (It's more than I usually would spend on an on-line course). However, this course turned out to be much more than I expected. I learned a lot, liked Matt's style of teaching and love the fact that you can go back and watch the lessons again. Would recommend it to anyone who wants to make great baskets."
V. Allen, Student
"This course is incredibly inspiring! Matt Tommey is a great artist, a generous teacher and a happy man!" Sylvie, Student
"I’m very much in joyed this course and a challenge to try materials from my yard. Matt has done beautifully with explanations and how to use the materials. I love being able to refer back to the videos when hitting a stumbling block. I certainly would recommend this course!" E. Brunswick, Student
"I have been watching your Twining With Natural Materials videos for the past two days, and they are a revelation! I appreciate how you break the process down to really basic steps, with lots of practical information introduced. I now have some real guidance on how to begin, and how to keep a meditative and calm state of mind while doing so. Thank you so much for these videos" - Dennie, Student
Inside the Course...
Since this is an on-demand video course, you can access it at any time and learn at your convenience via our online learning platform, Teachable. It also means you can rewatch the course over and over again so you don’t miss anything! And don’t worry, you can’t get behind! You're able to learn at your own pace.
Inside the course, you’ll have multiple instructional videos (with closed captions and transcripts) including:
- Welcome and Introduction so you know exactly where to start.
- Recommended Tools to help you understand what tools you need.
- Recommended Natural Materials to show you the variety of materials you can use to weave.
- Preparing Natural Materials so you'll know exactly what to do to get your materials ready to weave
- Bases (including plaited, spiral and bunch) to give you creative options on how to start your baskets.
- Learning to Twine so you understand the foundational technique needed to weave.
- Rims (including cut & tuck, wrapped and folded bark) that enable you to finish your basket simply and easily.
Plus an Easy-to-Follow Printable Guide...
A 20+ page full-color PDF complete with harvesting and material prep information, storage tips, and material identification images.
Plus I've created hand-drawn basketry technique illustrations to make learning a lot easier, especially for beginners.
You'll be able to print this guide or use it on any device so you can keep handy in your creative space for easy reference while you're making.
And these additional instructional videos...
as my gift to you so you can quickly and easily take your learning experience to the next level!
Harvesting, Preparing & Storing Natural Materials
Don't wonder any longer about when, where and how to harvest natural materials for basketry. This comprehensive video gives you everything you need to get started. (26 minutes)
Making Black Walnut Dye
Come with me into the forest and back to the studio as I harvest black walnuts and show you two ways to create this beautiful, natural dye for your baskets. (13 minutes)
Encaustic Wax Infusion
Learn the ancient process of encaustic wax and the unique way to infuse it into your baskets that will ensure they last for generations to come. (11 minutes)
Harvesting Foliage from the Garden
Join me in my flower garden as I explain exactly how and when to harvest foliage from day lilies and iris, step-by-step. (11 minutes)
Harvesting Inner Bark
Learn to harvest inner bark as you watch me peel a tulip poplar log from start to finish, using nothing but a drawknife and razor blade. (26 minutes)
Plus a Private Maker Community...
As if a great course and tons of bonuses wasn’t enough, I’ve also created a private community inside Circle.io just for the students of this course for you to collaborate with each other, share resources and ask me questions along the way.
I've learned over the years that community is a huge accelerator in your journey as an artist. It's a place where you can get feedback, inspiration and encouragement which are all invaluable as you grow creatively.
It really doesn’t get any better than this!
Meet Your Instructor
Matt Tommey is a world-class artist and basketry teacher. Since the mid-1990's Matt's been creating and teaching woven sculpture using basketry techniques that reflect the rustic elegance of nature while exclusively using locally harvested natural materials like foliage, bark and vines.
Over the years, Matt's woven art is featured in some of the most beautiful mountain and coastal homes in the country and is created exclusively from locally harvested bark, vines and branches. Throughout his career, Matt has been featured in many print and online publications including Garden & Gun, Martha Stewart's American Made Awards and Our State. In 2011 he was recognized as an "American Artist Under 40" by the Smithsonian American Art Museum's Renwick Gallery.
I Promise, You'll be Complete Thrilled and Blown Away...
by this course and all the bonuses or I'll refund your money, no questions asked. Just contact me within the first 30 days of purchase. There's absolutely no risk.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Do I have to know how to make baskets already to take this course? Absolutely not! This course is designed with beginners in mind, although more experienced makers will also find lots of value inside.
- How long can I access these courses once I purchase? Your purchase includes lifetime access via our website. If at anytime we decide to take it off of our website we will get our students ability to download the videos.
- Can I buy natural materials from you? Unfortunately, we're not setup to sell natural materials for basketry. However, half the fun of making is harvesting yourself and this course gives you the confidence to be able to do that in your local area so you discover an unlimited supply of free, natural materials.
- How do I login to view the course? Once you purchase, you'll be directed to a page with a link to access the course. We'll also be sending you an email with that same link. Be sure to save that email! Also, if you don't see the email come into your inbox, check your spam, promotions, updates and other folders. Guaranteed, it was sent to the email address you registered with.
- What if I have a question while I'm taking the course? No problem! That's why we've created our Private Maker Community on Circle so you can collaborate with other me and makers along the way.
- I'm not really that tech saavy, is this for me? Absolutely! If you can watch a YouTube video, you can do this course. It's super simple and we guide you through every step of the process.
- What devices can I access this course through? Any device that has a web browser including your smart phone, laptop/desktop computer or tablet.
- How can I get in touch with Matt and his team if I have any issues? Just email us at [email protected].
- How long will it take to complete this course? That's totally up to you. Since the course is "on-demand", you can watch it on whatever timeframe works for you and replay as much as you like. Go slow, go
What my students are saying...
"I knew how to make a basic twined basket before purchasing Matt's course but Matt's comprehensive videos gave me step-by-step details on the process from beginning to end. I love being able to go back many times to the videos and check the techniques that I need to be successful in my work. The course has given me the confidence to venture into a range of basketry and I am proud of my first small basket made from daylily leaves!" E. Brunswick, Student
Save $97 When You Get the Bundle
Save $97 when you purchase the Bark Basketry Basics class with the Twining with Soft Natural Materials course.