{"product_id":"16-scottish-oak-swill-basket-with-peeled-hazel-handle","title":"16” Scottish Oak Swill Basket with peeled hazel handle","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-sheets-value='{\"1\":2,\"2\":\"Known as swills, swales, spelks and spales, these oak baskets are from the Furness area of South Cumbria (old Lancashire). They were used for everything and anything, including as charcoal scuttles to provide charcoal to the iron industry, transporting coal onto steam ships and trains, tatty \u0026amp; turnip baskets on farms, collecting bracken “ont fell”, and cockle pickers used a specific pattern in their work on Morecambe Bay. The term swill basket comes from the action of swilling the cockles in water to rinse them. \\n\\nSpelk is a dialect work for a splinter or a splint of wood, they could be called split wood or splint baskets but locally they have always been spelks or swills.\\n\\nIn it’s simplest form making spelk baskets involves splitting green wood along the grain into strips, in my local tradition these are called spelks and taws. \\n\\nA stem of oak is cleft using wedges or a froe before being boiled in a trough overnight to soften them. They are then riven in half and again until they are of weaving thickness, usually 1-2mm, but it is all about the feel rather than a measurement. After a re-soak and a bit more fettling the oak is woven into baskets and other items.\\n\\nSwillers would have travelled after their apprenticeships and set up shop in other areas of the country, there were some in Stirling, Sheffield, and there is a tradition of oak baskets in the Hereford woodlands. Sadly the industry has gradually declined and now there are only 2 of us left as full-time weavers. \\n\\nIts an honour to carry on this tradition and I often think about the generations of basketmakers and woodland workers before me, the skills and knowledge they have kept alive.\\n\\nThe oak and the techniques used to handle it are incredible and deserve celebration, so I also endeavour to design and make contemporary products that show off the unique strength and flexibility of the wood. The baskets are extremely durable. When I’ve made a basket I want people to cherish it and use it and pass it down to the next generation.\\n\\nThis lifestyle can be a solitary one, hiding away in my spelkshed from sun and wind that dry the oak too quickly. But I enjoy the balance between the heavy outside work in all weathers, weaving oak in my workshop, and meeting customers or sharing my place of work with others for training courses.\"}' data-sheets-userformat='{\"2\":769,\"3\":{\"1\":0},\"11\":3,\"12\":0}'\u003eThis 16\" Oak Swill Basket is made by Simon Cooper\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e, The Bumbling Basketeer, at his workshop in Scotland, near Perth. Swill basket making is a critically endangered craft, with only a small handful of makers now able to produce these traditional baskets. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eThese oak baskets were originally native to the southern Lake District. They're surprisingly strong, and have been used for everything from carrying potatoes to transporting coal onto steam ships. In fact, they're so strong that they say swill making apprentices would test their product by standing on it (not that we've tried this ourselves - attempt at your own risk!). \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eToday, you can put these baskets to hard labour to carry produce, firewood and more. Equally, they make a lovely picnic basket or farmers market accomplice. Ours looks great holding cosy blankets, next to the sofa. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan data-sheets-value='{\"1\":2,\"2\":\"Known as swills, swales, spelks and spales, these oak baskets are from the Furness area of South Cumbria (old Lancashire). They were used for everything and anything, including as charcoal scuttles to provide charcoal to the iron industry, transporting coal onto steam ships and trains, tatty \u0026amp; turnip baskets on farms, collecting bracken “ont fell”, and cockle pickers used a specific pattern in their work on Morecambe Bay. The term swill basket comes from the action of swilling the cockles in water to rinse them. \\n\\nSpelk is a dialect work for a splinter or a splint of wood, they could be called split wood or splint baskets but locally they have always been spelks or swills.\\n\\nIn it’s simplest form making spelk baskets involves splitting green wood along the grain into strips, in my local tradition these are called spelks and taws. \\n\\nA stem of oak is cleft using wedges or a froe before being boiled in a trough overnight to soften them. They are then riven in half and again until they are of weaving thickness, usually 1-2mm, but it is all about the feel rather than a measurement. After a re-soak and a bit more fettling the oak is woven into baskets and other items.\\n\\nSwillers would have travelled after their apprenticeships and set up shop in other areas of the country, there were some in Stirling, Sheffield, and there is a tradition of oak baskets in the Hereford woodlands. Sadly the industry has gradually declined and now there are only 2 of us left as full-time weavers. \\n\\nIts an honour to carry on this tradition and I often think about the generations of basketmakers and woodland workers before me, the skills and knowledge they have kept alive.\\n\\nThe oak and the techniques used to handle it are incredible and deserve celebration, so I also endeavour to design and make contemporary products that show off the unique strength and flexibility of the wood. The baskets are extremely durable. When I’ve made a basket I want people to cherish it and use it and pass it down to the next generation.\\n\\nThis lifestyle can be a solitary one, hiding away in my spelkshed from sun and wind that dry the oak too quickly. But I enjoy the balance between the heavy outside work in all weathers, weaving oak in my workshop, and meeting customers or sharing my place of work with others for training courses.\"}' data-sheets-userformat='{\"2\":769,\"3\":{\"1\":0},\"11\":3,\"12\":0}'\u003eMaking swill baskets is a long and laborious process, involving \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cspan\u003esplitting wood along the grain, cleaving, dressing, and weaving each piece by hand, echoing the methods passed down by the last remaining swill makers. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-sheets-value='{\"1\":2,\"2\":\"Known as swills, swales, spelks and spales, these oak baskets are from the Furness area of South Cumbria (old Lancashire). They were used for everything and anything, including as charcoal scuttles to provide charcoal to the iron industry, transporting coal onto steam ships and trains, tatty \u0026amp; turnip baskets on farms, collecting bracken “ont fell”, and cockle pickers used a specific pattern in their work on Morecambe Bay. The term swill basket comes from the action of swilling the cockles in water to rinse them. \\n\\nSpelk is a dialect work for a splinter or a splint of wood, they could be called split wood or splint baskets but locally they have always been spelks or swills.\\n\\nIn it’s simplest form making spelk baskets involves splitting green wood along the grain into strips, in my local tradition these are called spelks and taws. \\n\\nA stem of oak is cleft using wedges or a froe before being boiled in a trough overnight to soften them. They are then riven in half and again until they are of weaving thickness, usually 1-2mm, but it is all about the feel rather than a measurement. After a re-soak and a bit more fettling the oak is woven into baskets and other items.\\n\\nSwillers would have travelled after their apprenticeships and set up shop in other areas of the country, there were some in Stirling, Sheffield, and there is a tradition of oak baskets in the Hereford woodlands. Sadly the industry has gradually declined and now there are only 2 of us left as full-time weavers. \\n\\nIts an honour to carry on this tradition and I often think about the generations of basketmakers and woodland workers before me, the skills and knowledge they have kept alive.\\n\\nThe oak and the techniques used to handle it are incredible and deserve celebration, so I also endeavour to design and make contemporary products that show off the unique strength and flexibility of the wood. The baskets are extremely durable. When I’ve made a basket I want people to cherish it and use it and pass it down to the next generation.\\n\\nThis lifestyle can be a solitary one, hiding away in my spelkshed from sun and wind that dry the oak too quickly. But I enjoy the balance between the heavy outside work in all weathers, weaving oak in my workshop, and meeting customers or sharing my place of work with others for training courses.\"}' data-sheets-userformat='{\"2\":769,\"3\":{\"1\":0},\"11\":3,\"12\":0}'\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBy purchasing Simon's work, you are supporting a critically endangered craft. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-sheets-userformat='{\"2\":769,\"3\":{\"1\":0},\"11\":3,\"12\":0}' data-sheets-value='{\"1\":2,\"2\":\"Known as swills, swales, spelks and spales, these oak baskets are from the Furness area of South Cumbria (old Lancashire). They were used for everything and anything, including as charcoal scuttles to provide charcoal to the iron industry, transporting coal onto steam ships and trains, tatty \u0026amp; turnip baskets on farms, collecting bracken “ont fell”, and cockle pickers used a specific pattern in their work on Morecambe Bay. The term swill basket comes from the action of swilling the cockles in water to rinse them. \\n\\nSpelk is a dialect work for a splinter or a splint of wood, they could be called split wood or splint baskets but locally they have always been spelks or swills.\\n\\nIn it’s simplest form making spelk baskets involves splitting green wood along the grain into strips, in my local tradition these are called spelks and taws. \\n\\nA stem of oak is cleft using wedges or a froe before being boiled in a trough overnight to soften them. They are then riven in half and again until they are of weaving thickness, usually 1-2mm, but it is all about the feel rather than a measurement. After a re-soak and a bit more fettling the oak is woven into baskets and other items.\\n\\nSwillers would have travelled after their apprenticeships and set up shop in other areas of the country, there were some in Stirling, Sheffield, and there is a tradition of oak baskets in the Hereford woodlands. Sadly the industry has gradually declined and now there are only 2 of us left as full-time weavers. \\n\\nIts an honour to carry on this tradition and I often think about the generations of basketmakers and woodland workers before me, the skills and knowledge they have kept alive.\\n\\nThe oak and the techniques used to handle it are incredible and deserve celebration, so I also endeavour to design and make contemporary products that show off the unique strength and flexibility of the wood. The baskets are extremely durable. When I’ve made a basket I want people to cherish it and use it and pass it down to the next generation.\\n\\nThis lifestyle can be a solitary one, hiding away in my spelkshed from sun and wind that dry the oak too quickly. But I enjoy the balance between the heavy outside work in all weathers, weaving oak in my workshop, and meeting customers or sharing my place of work with others for training courses.\"}'\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMaterials: \u003c\/strong\u003eCoppiced oak, boiled and woven and peeled hazel handle.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions\u003c\/strong\u003e: circa 40cms high (incl. handle) x 43cms long x 36cms wide\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Simon Cooper, The Bumbling Basketeer","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53500684108099,"sku":"SCOO-004","price":170.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0913\/0229\/7923\/files\/Photoroom_024_20251002_121115_462f59b9-a763-4ef3-86ed-a1ecb9054fc5.jpg?v=1759404405","url":"https:\/\/btfjhp-bv.myshopify.com\/products\/16-scottish-oak-swill-basket-with-peeled-hazel-handle","provider":"The Haud","version":"1.0","type":"link"}