Discover the beauty of this living craft tradition first-hand with Claire Gaudion

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PONIER À COU

THE GUERNSEY WILLOW BASKET

Guernsey fishing baskets have been crafted for generations, for centuries probably. Perhaps the most iconic of these is the Ponier à Cou, a basket with a unique and distinctive form. Once made for function, these baskets are now celebrated for their sculptural beauty.
Guernsey willow basket ponier à cou

“It was a real treat to be totally absorbed in the making of such a lovely basket, so rich in heritage and with lots of uses"

Linda L.

  • Basket making with willow whilst sitting on wooden bench and looking out of window

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN

  • STEP BY STEP

    Claire will show you exactly how to make the traditional Guernsey willow basket, a Ponier à Cou. You will see every detail demonstrated and explained, from making the basket frames, to weaving the sculptural form and the intricacies of packing, to splicing the rope strap.

  • FINESSE YOUR SKILLS

    Finesse your basket making skills and learn how to achieve a refined and beautifully woven frame basket. Focus in on the nuances of hand movements and willow twists and turns. Gain a new perspective on working with willow, and how to make your best baskets.

  • BONUS LESSONS

    Once you have mastered the traditional Ponier à Cou, elevate your craft and make the much-admired willow frame basket, Le Viaër Ponier à Cou.

ONLINE COURSE COMMUNITY

When you enrol on the course, you also have access to our vibrant online course community. Engage with other makers, pose your questions and share your progress.

COMPREHENSIVE GUIDES

  • YOUR BASKET BLUEPRINTS

    Refined through years of making, Claire gives you access to her coveted Ponier à Cou blueprints. Download jig patterns for the frame templates ready for you to create the perfectly shaped wire and willow ribbed baskets.

  • NOTES ON MAKING

    Every filmed lesson is supported by Claire’s illustrated and descriptive ‘notes on making’. Downloadable for easy reference to support your learning.

MAKE YOUR GUERNSEY WILLOW BASKET

LIFETIME ACCESS TO THE FULL COURSE £155

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COURSE CURRICULUM

    1. Welcome to the Course

    2. Materials and tools

    1. About the Guernsey Ponier à Cou

    1. Preparing the handle, shaping the wires, making the frame

    2. Notes on making: Making the wire frame

    3. Wire rib patterns

    1. Weaving the willow

    2. Inserting the ribs

    3. Weaving in the ribs

    4. Notes on Making: Weaving willow and adding ribs

    1. Explaining the 'packing' technique

    2. Packing variations

    3. Notes on making: Packing and techniques

    1. Adding the back ribs

    2. Weaving into the back

    3. Notes on making: Adding back ribs and weaving the back

ABOUT THIS COURSE

  • £155.00
  • 25 lessons
  • 2.5 hours of video content

ABOUT CLAIRE GAUDION

Claire's connection to basketry is as deep in her bones as Guernsey’s St Peter Port harbour, and began long before she picked up her first strand of willow. Raised in Guernsey, she grew up watching her father, Max Gaudion, weave the baskets that accompanied him through a lifetime of fishing. The knowledge had travelled through the family, passed from his uncle before him. Like so many traditional crafts, these skills were never formally taught. They were observed, practised and passed through necessity from one pair of hands to the next. As fewer island fishermen continued weaving their own baskets, that chain of knowledge became increasingly fragile and it is a lineage that has almost disappeared. Today, Claire remains one of very few people keeping these traditional techniques alive.
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Claire Gaudion standing in doorway

“It was fascinating to learn about the history of the basket and something of your family's working life and continuing of traditions. Heartwarming stuff!”

Jill E.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Yes, you certainly are! If you have made few baskets and know how to prepare the willow ready for use, you will learn a lots from this course. The online course is divided into lessons that walk you step-by-step through the full process. You can watch and re-watch the lessons as many times are you need. Once you begin making this basket you will continue refine your work with more practice. You will also find that many of the techniques covered on this course will benefit your overall basket making.
You have lifetime access to the online course, so you can start whenever you wish, and revisit the lessons and download content as many times as you wish.
The course includes a huge amount of detail of the making process, both through the filmed lessons, and in the companion notes on making. I am confident that you will find everything you need within the online course to make a Guernsey basket that you will be immensely proud of. The online course also includes access to the Community where you can engage with other course participants and share your progress. I will also login here from time to time to make sure everyone is enjoying the course and getting on well.
No. This course is designed for makers with some previous basketry experience with the expectation that course participants will already know how to source their willow, and how to soak and mellow it ready to weave.
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This online course is designed for basket makers with some experience — from keen beginners to professional makers. The full basket making process is explained in detail from start to finish, but how to prepare the willow ready for making is not covered in this course. If you are a keen craft maker, ready for a challenge, come and join us! There are many resources to be found online about sourcing and preparing willow for basket making. My willow suppliers, for example, Musgrove Willows in the UK, share a range of free resources on their website about how to soak and mellow the willow ready for use.
The advantage of this being an online course, is that I can share my heritage craft teaching with you, wherever you are based. All of the lessons are accessible within the Thinkific learning platform.
While it can be great to weave together with friends, please respect the huge amount of work that has gone into preparing this learning resource. Please do not share it, or your login details, or the download materials, with anyone else. This online course is for your own personal use. The course is extremely reasonably priced for the experience you will receive. My hope is that it is accessible to as many makers as possible at this price, but this is the price per person.
This online course is hosted by Thinkific, and all purchases are managed by Thinkific Payments. For UK customers, there will be no additional costs added when you pay for this course. The price listed on this page, is what you will pay. For overseas customers, it is a little more complicated. Thinkific Payments handle currency conversion based on your local bank or card issuer's exchange rates. In the United States and Canada, Thinkific is required by law to collect and remit taxes. Thinkific automatically calculates any taxes owed based on your location. These taxes, if applicable, will be added to the course cost at the checkout stage. Any currency conversion costs, or international taxes are beyond my control and are not received by me.
No. The course does not include a package of materials sent to your address. Instead, it is designed for makers to use their own materials. However, a full list of all the materials and tools recommended, is included, so you will know exactly what to source from your local suppliers.

With thanks to

  • Film and photography: Cecelina Tornberg | Art Direction: Studio Theia | Film location: Les Caches Farm, The National Trust of Guernsey | Worshipful Company of Basketmakers Charitable Trust | Mum & Dad