Wild Basketry Book
In this book, Ruby brings us into her world of making baskets with wild plants foraged from the landscape. More than just a practical guide, she explores weavings made by our Palaeolithic human ancestors and our animal kin, and describes a connected, reciprocal relationship to harvesting plants and supporting abundance in the living world.
Beautiful photographs take you through a seasonal year of 6 basketry and cordage projects with plants commonly found in the landscape. Step-by-step illustrated instructions cover a range of techniques, with suggestions for further exploration, giving you a thorough grounding in the fundamentals of the craft.
Wild Basketry will inspire you to make baskets and cordage, enhance your appreciation of this universal human technology, and enrich your understanding of how it connects us with the whole earth community.
“An excellent guide by a knowledgeable teacher, a book that is both practical and inspirational.”
Tristan Gooley Author of ‘The Natural Navigator’, Sunday Time bestseller
Publication date May 2025, find out more about the book and pre-order
About Native Hands
As Native Hands*, I offer courses in Wild Pottery, Wild Basketry, and Bushcraft. ‘Wild’ because we forage our crafting materials from the land and hedgerows, and because courses are held in the woods (in Sussex, near Lewes).
These courses have evolved out of a love of making things in the natural world using natural materials, alongside a deep interest in ancient crafts and technologies. Connecting with the living world, with ancestral knowledge and keeping traditional skills alive, are core aspects of Native Hands.
An extraordinary couple of days – so enriching to learn exciting new skills in a completely new way.
FD, Sussex
It’s easy to take the objects and resources we use in our daily lives for granted, so it’s really valuable to experience the whole cycle of production: harvesting / gathering materials in a sustainable way, processing them and finally creating a useful and beautiful object. It’s an empowering opportunity to learn and develop practical, life-long skills.
Inspired and informed by traditional wisdom and knowledge in ways of interacting with the natural world and with natural materials, we harvest what we need with respect and sensitivity.
Just fabulous. Fun, creative, incredibly informative (Ruby’s hugely inspiring teaching) and in a place of such simple beauty. Way beyond all hopes, an experience I’ll never forget – shared with lovely people. RJ, Brighton
Such a holistically structured and enjoyable day of learning in the woods. Soul food.
Andrew G, Sussex
A short film about why I do what I do, filmed on location in the Sussex woods where I teach Native Hands courses.
“If you are among the tens of millions of people who spend most of their days indoors, embedded in the ‘man-made’ world, it’s to be expected that your concept of life will be largely human-centered.
When you begin weaving more of nature into your everyday existence, however, your sense of life may open up to encompass the much richer, more complex, more communal and more timeless universe that you’re actually part of.”
C. Cook, ‘Awakening to Nature’
Connecting with the natural world can deeply nourish and rejuvenate us. Taking time out of our daily lives to be creative in the woods round a fire, with birdsong, wild plants, creatures, dappled sunlight and like-minded people, we can find a sense of space and connection…to ourselves, to each other, and to the web of life itself.
‘Nature deficit disorder’ is widely recognised as a serious issue in many peoples’ lives, and the importance and benefits of working creatively with our hands is well-documented.
These issues, along with a deep concern for sustainability, are at the heart of Native Hands.
Feeling the benefits and echoes of the days under the trees. You inspired me and instilled a sense of calm I’ve not felt for a long time. Appreciating very much how you held the space and taught us so much. You’re an excellent teacher with a calm, kind and grounding presence. TW, Cheshire
*Here in England the word ‘native’ is used as an adjective to describe belonging to a place. It doesn not denote a cultural identity.
I co-founded Native Hands in 2010 as a small educational collective, friends who share a love of the living world, of making with natural materials, and respect for ancestral knowledge. As friends we still meet, share ideas, and inspire each other.
I also offer training and courses for heritage and cultural organisations. I’ve recently worked with:
