Heartland Harmony
Heartland Harmony
Winter Basketry Courses
Basketry Courses
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2025 basketry classes are here!
Following is the current list of both local and and non-local courses on the books for 2025. If you're looking for information about one-to-one lessons or private classes, find that here.
All of our weekend immersive classes take place at the beautiful Nature Nooks Retreat near Viroqua, WI. Students spend the weekend in an intimate small-group setting harvesting willow, drinking tea, making new friends, and cultivating their skills in the traditional art of willow basketry.
There are a variety of options for on and off-site accommodations for visiting students. You can take your pick of classes, learn about accommodations options, and sign up at the form below!
Hear what previous attendees have to say about classes here!
The Courses
Beginner Baskets
- Sold Out -
December 6-8
Tuition: $350
This 2.5-day course is our staple beginner immersion for new weavers. In this class, students will learn to identify, coppice, sort, and process wild willows on site, as well as learn about growing cultivated varieties for basketry. Using these fresh cut as well as cured materials, students learn to make a traditional stake and strand round-base basket using hundreds-of-years-old techniques from northern Europe. Participants will learn techniques such as material selection, twining round bases, waling, randing, staking up, bordering, and footing their baskets. Each student will leave with a beautiful medium-sized basket and reference materials to support a continued practice at home.
Fannypacks
- Sold Out -
January 11-12
Tuition: $275
In this class, you will learn or brush up on the basics of oval bases and complete a fannypack that can be worn around the waist. This class will heavily focus on control and shaping as we explore making small work, which is typically more challenging than making larger pieces for most weavers. Students will practice waling, randing, bordering, and footing. Previous experience is preferred for this course, but skilled beginners can be accommodated. This class can help prepare students for a willow pack basket course, or set the foundations to make a pack basket on their own at home.
Schedule: Saturday and Sunday, 9 AM - 5 PM
Accommodations available for Saturday night
Willow Hampers
- Join Waitlist -
January 24-26
Tuition: $375
In this class, you will complete a round-base laundry hamper using wild willows we harvest on site as well as pre-prepared materials grown on the farm. Students will learn the basics of round-base stake and strand basketry, including material selection, twining, randing, waling, packing, built-in handles, rod-bordering, and footing. This class is suitable for both beginners and intermediate students looking to solidify skills in the above techniques.
Schedule: Friday • 1 - 5 PM • 6 PM Potluck
Saturday and Sunday, 9 AM - 5 PM
Accommodations available for Firday & Saturday night
Oval Market Basket
- Join Waitlist -
February 8-9
Tuition: $300
Prior experience with willow basketry is preferred for this class, which explores more intermediate level techniques. In the class, you will learn or brush up on the basics of oval bases and complete a sturdy traditional handled shopping/harvest basket. These baskets are incredibly versatile for daily use, and are some of my favorites to have around the house in large quantities!
Schedule: Saturday and Sunday, 9 AM - 5 PM
Accommodations available for Saturday night
Retreat at Verdant Hollow Farm
February 21-23
Beginner Baskets
Tuition: Varied
Join Anni and friends for a delightful midwinter weekend of weaving baskets, eating delicious farm-to-table meals, relaxing in the greenhouse sauna, and petting goats at the beautiful Verdant Hollow Farm in Buchanan, Michigan. The course will be in beginner round-base basketry, with pre-prepared materials. You can find all the details and get on the waitlist here!
Accommodations
All weekend courses are taking place at Nature Nooks Retreat, a beautiful rural retreat and conservation project nestled in the rolling hills of the Kickapoo River valley between Viroqua and La Farge WI. Our classroom is a beautiful space that includes a full kitchen where students can cook and prepare meals throughout the weekend.
There are a range of on-site accommodations available depending on budget and needs, ranging from a private cabin to a bunk-house style bed in our classroom space for the scrappy traveler. It's a good idea to stay on site if driving in unpredictable winter weather is a concern.
1. The cabin at Nature Nooks has one private bedroom, 2 open loft beds, and a sofa bed and is $200/night + $25/extra person after the first two guests. If 3 students split the cabin, it would be $75/night per student for a mix of private and communal sleeping options.
2. The classroom bunkhouse option is $25/night and consists of either a futon or air bed that can be broken down during the day and set up at night for sleeping, with all linens provided. This communal low-budget sleeping option involves sleeping in the same room with potentially several fellow students, with access to all the classroom amenities.
3. Anni's mom runs a 4-bedroom guesthouse in the town of Viroqua, a 10 minute drive from our venue. Students who want to split an affordable, more private sleeping arrangement can book the guesthouse off-app for a special rate of $150/night + $25/extra person. If 4 students split the guesthouse and commute each day to class, it would be around $60/night per student for the weekend for a private room.
4. Our rustic cabin (bottom of this page) will likely be free for most of our class dates, and if you'd like a cozy solo space a short drive from the venue with the flexibility of being able to book extra nights on either end of class, reach out about this possibility.
Simply indicate in the registration form whether you're interested in accommodations, and which ones if so!
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 work or nonprofit organizations. 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 with a $50 cancellation fee, 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. For more details about our Cancellation Policy, see here.
Words from Past Students
"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."
"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."
"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?"