Wheatcroftwillow

Rachel developed a love for the outdoors from a young age.

Her early career in nature conservation deepened her connection with the landscape, drawing her to the use of wild materials to create simple baskets.

Over time, she became increasingly focused on willow and eventually transitioned into a full-time basketmaker.

Rachel now grows her own willow and is fully immersed in the seasonal rhythms of growing and harvesting.

Her baskets are functional and sturdy—ranging from underfoot log baskets and chunky frame baskets to backpacks and creels.

In 2020, Rachel began experimenting once more with wild materials found near her home, such as bark, rush, and hazel.

During this period, split hazel baskets particularly captured her interest, a material found in abundance in the wooded Churnet Valley.

Her current work includes baskets crafted from split wood of native trees like oak and ash.

These techniques are listed a on the red list of endangered crafts in the UK, due to their complexity and the physical demands of the processes involved.

Rachel’s work is deeply seasonal.

She coppices hazel and willow from the woods around her home in the Churnet Valley during the winter months and collects bark and rush throughout the summer.

Each basket she creates holds a sense of place and time.

She often recalls the exact location or date where specific materials were gathered.

Every piece of material is hand-selected, cut, carried back to her workshop, prepared with care, and then woven into a finished piece.