Welcome, I’m Mhairi.

Earthbound Basketry is run from my home studio in Kinlochleven, where I spend hours handcrafting timeless baskets and willow creations using sustainable materials.

I’m constantly inspired by the epic landscape and warm community around me. The Scottish Highlands are a special place, and their magic infuses into my work.

I also love to share my passion through workshops, introducing others to the calming and creative world of willow weaving.

My Weaving Journey.

I was introduced to weaving with willow through a basketmaking workshop with Katy Bremer. It’s fair to say I quickly became obsessed!

I’ve gone on to develop my skills through further teaching from Katy, Aurore Whitworth, Anna Turnbull, Kate Sankey and Hermione Toulson. I’ve also spent hours pouring over books and YouTube videos, with increasingly less wonky results.

I’m grateful to every Basketmaker who has shared their skills with me, and I continue to be a life-long learner.

Before becoming a Basketmaker, I spent over ten years working for not-for-profit organisations, mainly in community development and climate action.

I bring this expertise to my workshops - creating welcoming spaces to bring people together and engage with our natural world through craft.

Sustainability.

The eco-friendly nature of basketweaving is one of the main reasons I’m captivated by the craft.

Willow is fast growing and renewable - the crop is harvested annually without killing the plant. This means it absorbs more carbon from the atmosphere than it produces.

I source my willow from Musgroves in Somerset and Barfad in Ardfern, Argyll.