Alberta's beloved basket weaving retreat returns for its fourth year, and we invite you to join us! Come connect with others and experience the joy of creating something with your hands.
If you're new to weaving and eager to learn, we have beginner-friendly workshops designed just for you. For those with more experience, there are a variety of projects to help you build on your skills and explore new techniques.
We are offering classes in the morning, afternoon, or as full-day sessions. Feel free to mix and match by signing up for both a morning and afternoon session, or choose a full-day session each day. For those wanting to immerse themselves, we also have two-day workshops for more involved projects.
Morning (AM) classes run from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Afternoon (PM) classes run 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM.
If you see 
this icon, the workshop is beginner-friendly.
Click any of these workshops to see what you'll learn and what tools you need to bring.
The Alberta Basketry Guild is gathering for its second Annual General Meeting, and we would love for you to join us.
This is a time to connect with fellow weavers, reflect on how far we have come, and look ahead to the coming year. Whether you are a long-time member or just beginning your basketry journey, your presence and input help shape our growing community.
We will share updates, talk about upcoming events, and celebrate another year of weaving connections together.
Come be part of the conversation and the community that keeps basketry thriving in Alberta.
On Saturday evening, we will gather for our annual Community Celebration. This is a time to sing, share poems and stories, and hear from members of our community about the history of willow and weaving in Alberta.
We are honoured to begin with a presentation from Crys Harse, "My Two Score Years as a Basket Maker in Alberta". Crys will share her journey from the mid-1980s to today, including working with local materials, teaching across Alberta, exhibiting her work, and travelling to international basketry gatherings. Her talk will include a fifteen minute film about a recent collaborative basket project.
We are also delighted to welcome Ken Wright of Wright Nursery for "Native Trees and Shrubs of Alberta". Ken will speak about the value of native woody plants, including native willows, and introduce the methods Wright Nursery uses to select plants, collect seed, and propagate native species from local sources.
Complimentary evening treats will be provided by Elvira of Under the Linden Bakehouse.
Catering will be provided by Custom Creations by Kate. We are thrilled that she has offered a selection of her wholesome dishes.
Lunches will be $25 and suppers will be $30. Please bring a dinner-size plate, a standard soup bowl, a mug, and utensils.
Kate will attempt to accommodate any dietary restrictions; however, it may be wise to bring a few of your favourite snacks if your diet is very limited.
If you are tenting in the greenhouse or just want to join us for an early morning hangout you will need to bring your own breakfast provisions. There will be a toaster and kettle available. We kindly ask tenters to bring a cooler to store their breakfast supplies in their tent, if possible.
Tenting: $30 for the weekend. We will have limited space, so preference will be given to tenters who intend to stay for the whole weekend. Get your registration in as soon as possible, and then email mail@albertabasketryguild.com to secure your spot.
Billeting: We have had a few of our members offer space in their homes for the duration of the retreat. Each home is different, but most people are offering a room for between $0 and $15 a night. If you would like to stay with someone or have room to offer another attendee, let us know in your registration form or send us an email at mail@albertabasketryguild.com
Celebrate the spirit of sharing and creativity at the Give and Receive Station. Bring a basket, weaving, or handmade item to give, and in return, choose one to take home.
It is a wonderful way to connect with others, discover the work of fellow makers, and celebrate the creativity within our community.
The station will be open all weekend so you can join in at any time.
Join us for our Silent Auction, featuring a variety of unique and handcrafted items, materials, and tools. Proceeds will support the Alberta Basketry Guild and future events.
The auction will take place twice on Saturday, once in the morning and once in the afternoon. Do not miss your chance to place a bid on something special.
Payments for the Silent Auction can be made with cash only.
Take a break from classes and join us for an open weave where anyone can explore weaving and creative play. This year we will have materials for making friendship bracelets and small woven pieces using cordage, bark, cattails, dandelions, yarn, and more.
You can make a bracelet for yourself, create one to give to a friend, or leave one for another attendee to discover. It is a fun and creative way to experiment, connect with others, and share in the joy of weaving.
Click map to enlarge
Did you know you can attend weaving connections for free? Come hang out, join our open weave, make friends with other weavers in your area.
If you're planning to take any workshops, note that there is a $25 fee for the weekend. This helps cover our administrative costs.
You can come for the whole weekend, or just one day, or two days, whatever you want.
No matter how you plan to spend your time at Weaving Connections, you need to register. Enter your email address here and we'll email you a link to our registration form.
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Check your email — you'll soon receive a link to log in and complete your registration.
The email will be sent by Val Town, a friendly service we're using for our registration form.
If you don't receive the email within a minute or two, first check your spam folder, and if it's not there reach out to Freyja at mail@albertabasketryguild.com
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Finally — if cost is the only thing that'd stop you from attending, we have a bit of financial aid we can offer. For more info and to apply for funding, reach out: albertabaskteryguild@gmail.com
