Five in the Nest
a blog about natural crafts and a simple life.
Now all my FREE tutorials are in one place…
Basketry & Natural Crafts
Making Baskets with New Zealand Flax
I've had the chance to work with lots of different plants, at this point in my basket making journey, but my favourite above all others, has to be New Zealand Flax (Phormium Tenax). I was missing working with these glorious fibres. My own plants are just babies and...
Using Rhubarb and White Clover for Basketry
Rhubarb grows very well in the Orkney Islands and as you drive around the islands in late spring and summer, you will see it growing in gardens, on the roadside and even on the cliff edge. In the little courtyard between our house and its collection of outbuildings,...
A Simple Life
Contentment – Making Each Day Count
Suddenly, winter seems to be upon us and harsh winds and pouring rain make it difficult to get outside. But the coming of winter of brings with it a wonderful opportunity for reflection and healing, a chance to slow life down and make sense of the long days of summer....
Hello Autumn!
The changing of seasons is always a special time. Each season brings with it memories from childhood, traditions, celebrations, things that you look forward to and sometimes things that you don't. Whatever the seasons mean to you, they are such an important part of...
Family Crafts
How To Make a T-Shirt Jersey Basket
Today, I thought that I would show you how to make a coil basket from old t-shirts, as part of my Making Hard Times Good Times project. The cost of living crisis is going to have a huge impact on families like mine, who struggle to get by at the best of times. I think...
Wren’s Ammonite Ribbon Twirler Tutorial
aWren is always interested in what I'm making. The other day, she was looking at some samples of coil work that I had made for a tutorial and started swishing one of them about, like a ribbon twirler. We both decided that it would be fun to make one with proper...
Orkney Islands
Moving On – Big Dreams and a New Island
I haven't been writing here much, over the past few months. The stress of selling our old home and finding ourselves temporarily homeless, relying once again on self-catering holiday accommodation to put a roof over our heads, has made it difficult to settle to...
A Walk to Sacquoy Head
We took a walk to Sacquoy Head, Rousay at the weekend, to celebrate our oldest daughter's birthday. Some spring warmth and sunshine returned to us, just in time and the stunning scenery made it a birthday to remember. We haven't rushed to explore every inch of Rousay,...
