Heartland Harmony
Heartland Harmony
We offer a selection of intimate group courses in beginner and intermediate willow basketry during the winter months near Viroqua, WI. Students from around the country come to these courses for high quality instruction with a strong attention to detail and rigorous focus on technique that poise learners for continued, possibly even professional level, willow basketry work.
Participants can expect to leave courses with a quality piece of functional artwork that will last for years to come, as well as the skills to continue making high caliber basketry work at any level. Our small group sizes and longer course formats allow students to receive a higher amount of individual instruction suited to their abilities and learning level. This in turn leaves room for students with more incoming skill to receive more challenging instruction, and those with less incoming skill to receive more spacious support around the basics.
2027 classes will be taking place in the village of La Farge, WI in the old community building. La Farge is around 20 minutes from the town of Viroqua, which has several grocery stores, a medical center, and many options for lodging and accommodations.
If you're interested in course work during the summer months, I teach private lessons from my farm studio June - August. You can find more information about private courses here. Otherwise, join the mailing list to to hear when new group course dates are released!
Hear what previous attendees have to say about classes here!
2027 Courses
*New*
The 2027 Beginner Willow Basketry Apprenticeship
Applications Close November 30
The West Fork Willow Apprenticeship is a new yearlong immersion in willow basketry with traditional basketmaker and teacher Anni Zylstra. This modern version of an apprenticeship is for aspiring basketmakers who want a more rigorous, in-depth, and holistic introduction to the art of willow basketmaking, all within a format of longer term learning in a bonded cohort of up to 4 students. Apprentices will spend deep time with each other and the willow, learning the art of growing, foraging, and preparing materials for weaving, as well as working through various basketry forms over the course of the calendar year both in-person and at home. Willow basketry takes a great deal of time, patience, investment, and practice to properly learn, and this modern take on apprenticeship provides a rare opportunity to receive a solid beginner baseline of skills.
You can learn more and get the full details here!
Willow Fannypacks
*Intermediate*
-1 place remaining-
January 30-31
Tuition: $375
One of the joys of basketmaking is weaving pieces that fulfill specific, everyday needs and functions. In our household, berry picking is a serious affair, and the need for free hands to navigate thorny thickets and double-handed harvest led to designing one of my all-time favorite baskets: the willow fannypack.
Based on staple traditional stake and strand techniques, the willow fannypack is a small form basket that has come to serve functions far beyond berry picking. Some uses observed in the wild include walk-and-knit basket, market money-holder, flower girl basket, chihuahua carrier.
In this two-day intermediate course, students will learn French oval bases, insert-leather handles, decorative packing, sharpen basic skills such as bordering and material selection, and practice small-work – a famously difficult task with willow.
Previous experience with stake and strand willow, including twined bases and rod borders, is expected for this class. If you haven't studied with Anni before, please be prepared with photos of your most recent stake and strand willow work to share for a skills screening over email after filling out the registration form. $75 material fee included in class tuition.
The Oval Hamper
*Intermediate*
-1 place remaining-
March 26-28
Tuition: $450
A timeless household classic, the oval hamper brings the very best of function and design to the day-to-day. Based on their grandmother’s favorite old laundry hamper, Anni began weaving these as a versatile everyday basket that could fit tidily around the home while still being a beautiful statement piece.
The word ‘heritage’ shares both French and English lineage, just like the techniques students will learn in this 3-day intermediate course. A large French oval base will lay the foundation for Anni’s favorite fancy English rand, all topped off with built-in waled handles and a generous rod-border. Students will spend three days immersed in technique work on all of the above, and depart with an heirloom-quality piece to enjoy for years to come.
Previous experience with stake and strand willow work is expected for this course. If you haven't studied with Anni before, please be prepared with photos of your most recent stake and strand willow work to share for a skills screening over email after filling out the registration form. $100 material fee is included in tuition.
Accommodations
Anni's mom runs a 4-bedroom guesthouse in the town of Viroqua, a 10 minute drive from our venue. She offers a special, more affordable rate to my students of $150/night + $25/extra person. If 4 students split the guesthouse and commute each day to class, it's around $60/night per student for the weekend for a private room with full kitchen access and two baths.
You can indicate in the registration form whether you're interested in coordinating accommodations here, and we will reach out after you are booked in for your course!
Accessibility
While we want our classes to be accessible and welcoming to all, this work requires a degree of able-bodiedness that is sadly exclusive to some. Working with willow requires a surprising degree of physical strength, and while our classroom itself is wheelchair accessible, students hoping to learn about the material preparation will need to be able to navigate steep, uneven, unpaved ground. Those who are able to attend should plan to take good care of their bodies and bring whatever supports - physical, herbal, medical, etc. - you need to keep yourself healthy and feeling good while partaking in prolonged strenuous activity. Also, if willow doesn't suit your physical needs as a basketry medium, try experimenting with reed, rattan, pine needles, and other more gentle basketmaking materials as an alternative.
Group Culture
Anni is queer/trans-affirming instructor who intentionally strives to make a space that is welcoming to all who wish to learn these crafts. We invite all students to agree to be kind and respectful to one another, to the indigenous land we gather upon, to the plants we work with, and generally cultivate an attitude of reverence as we enjoy a weekend of weaving and learning.
A note on Cost
Class tuition is based on the course length and amount of materials needed for each. Tuition includes all materials, use of tools, and educational materials to support continued learning. Accommodations are booked separately to course tuition. Payment plans are available for students who need, and as always, I encourage prospective learners to seek out funding through grants, work, school, or nonprofit organizations as applicable. A reminder to farmers, herbalists, craftsfolk, etc, a basketmaking course can be a tax deductible business expense.
Cancellation Policy
Cancellations up to 21 days prior to the start date of a class are eligible for a refund, contingent on the spot being filled from the waitlist. Refunds are not available within 21 days of a class start date. If a class must be cancelled due to a weather emergency or teacher illness, all students will receive full refunds for their course, or the option to roll their registration onto a new class date. Get more information and read our full Cancellation Policy, here before registration.
Words from Past Students
"I've taken a variety of basket courses over the years, and had no idea until working with Anni how many subtle details had been missing in the process. The teaching is somehow rigorous but nonchalant, serious and deeply unserious, and within that, I found myself making the best basket work I'd ever done."
"This class is incredible. Wherever you are on your willow journey you will walk away with so many new skills / teachings all wrapped up into a new beautiful basket. It is so wonderful to be immersed in a craft with others for the duration of a weekend!"
"10/10 experience overall. I’d do it again in a heartbeat. It was a sweet group of people in a gorgeous space, and Anni is an excellent, thoughtful teacher. The learning and work were rigorous enough to be engaging and satisfying without being too much, and the atmosphere was always so pleasant and welcoming."
"This experience was unforgettable! Anni is such a skilled teacher and makes it fun but they also beautifully demonstrate the art of basket weaving! I encourage anyone who is interested in learning this craft to seek out a workshop with Anni!"
"I went into the class without an understanding of the extents of the skills and knowledge required. It was so much more involved and I really appreciated the depth of teaching. I appreciated the amount of individualized attention and community aspect of supporting each other as we learned."
"I can't recommend a willow basket class with Anni enough - their dedication to both the quality and accessibility of their craft, their delightful teaching style, the cozy and curious learning environment they cultivate."
"A+. I liked the teaching style, and really appreciated having to do all parts of the process and not get handed a kit. Anni gives you enough space to explore and practice technique, but has a good eye for when you may need a little help or another demo. They keep the space fun while still being respectful. I definitely plan to take more of their classes."
"Learning to weave a basket gave me a new outlook on life. It was powerful stuff, and I'm so grateful! Since I got home, my husband has been putting the basket over his head every 15 minutes. I think he is addicted to the smell. He says he wants willow extract, a willow codpiece, and a willow coffin 'to lie in while he's still alive'. Should I be concerned?"