BA Spring School 2026 – Square Shopping Basket Masterclass – Peter Dibble

Tickets available from 10am Saturday 10th January 2026

Spring School at Harrogate Ladies’ College offers four full days to immerse yourself in basketry with top-class tutors. There is also plenty of opportunity to relax and get to know fellow basketmakers from all around the UK and beyond.

Both residential (single-occupancy room, shared bathroom, all meals) and non-residential (includes lunches and Sunday evening meal) options will be available. In 2026 the ticket prices are:

• Residential: £645
• Non-residential: £380

Only one ticket is available per BA member, and material costs are payable directly to tutors at the end of the week.

By purchasing a ticket you are agreeing to the cancellation policy as detailed in the Basketmakers’ Associations Terms and Conditions

The course

The aim of this course is to delve into the minutiae of square work without using corner posts, so called ‘blunt cornered squared work’, a technique more common in the UK.  There will be a variety of skills to master from making bases using a screw block, staking up using both slyped and scallomed stakes, upsetting and slewing, but most importantly, keeping those corners square right through to the border.  Then, with the addition of a handle, you will finish with a beautiful, sturdy basket.  A four- day course should give you enough time to make two baskets, which will help you hone the techniques.

Suitability: improvers

Estimated cost of materials: £12 per basket made

Your tutor

Peter started to learn basic basketry from his father-in -law in the mid 1990s and since then has been self taught.  Drawing inspiration from the many baskets he has seen over the years, Peter has developed his own style using a combination of traditional methods and his own techniques.  He has been a full-time basketmaker since 1997 and in recent years he has stepped into the world of teaching.

Peter also grows many of the willows he weaves with having inherited the original willow bed from his father-in-law.  Being involved in the basket making business from start to finish is important to him and gives great satisfaction.