Anna Pope Design

11/05/2026

It's growing!!! 🌿

My two boys have been so very kind in finding pine needles for me to coil. Most of them have been foraged during local walks around Helston, but I included a precious little batch on our annual trip to St Loy, a location that holds a special meaning to our family :) next up will be some very long pine needles found in Godolphin woods!! I love seeing them slowly grow and take shape

26/04/2026

More pine needle and linen thread experiments 🌿

16/04/2026

There are only a couple of days left to see Withy Lore at the National Lobster Hatchery, which ends this Sunday. This is also our last touring Withy Lore stop for now, whilst we take a moment to reflect and celebrate what we have all achieved !

It has been such an amazing experience working with Storylines throughout the development of Withy Lore. Together we have had the opportunity to explore many ways to document and share this beautiful craft and makers.

We have been so privileged to have some amazing venues to showcase the project, including Cornwall Museum and Art Gallery , Museum of Cornish Life , Kresen Kernow and the National Lobster Hatchery. We can't thank them enough for all of their support!

Also thank you to funders for believing in our ideas! and everyone who has visited one of exhibitions or taken part in workshops :)!
..and last but not least a massive thank you to all of the withy pot makers and withy pot enthusiasts for being so generous with your time, knowledge, skills! Without you, this project would not have happened.

23/03/2026

Withy Lore is very excited to announce it has a new addition to the collection of withy pots currently on show at the National Lobster Hatchery! :) This pot has travelled all the way over from Guernsey channel Isles and showcases another unique style alongside pots from parts of Devon and Cornwall 💖 🦀�

These varying styles each hold hidden stories of the location it was made and the person who made them... This pot was made by Max Gaudion, a retired Guernsey fisherman who learnt to use willow from his uncle. His daughter also practises willow heritage crafts and together they celebrate and share the endangered craft through making and teaching.

If you would like to see this pot up close, Withy Lore is at the National Lobster Hatchery in Padstow, Cornwall until the 19th of April !

Thank you Max and his daughter Claire for kindly donating this pot to the project :) !

Storylines Anna Pope Design

18/02/2026

Earlier this year I had a wonderful chat with Max Gaudion from Guernsey about his style of withy pot! Very different to any I have seen before. I am very happy to share that these photos are now part of the withy pot gallery - photos taken by his son Tim. Thank you! You can see the gallery here 🦀 :

https://www.annapopedesign.co.uk/withypots

https://guernseywillowbaskets.com/

11/02/2026

I am excited to be running a sea glass pendant workshop this half term at Salt Cellar Workshops, Porthleven. ! There are limited spaces! Max of three ❤️ ❤️ ❤️

To find out more or to book a place you can go to :

https://www.annapopedesign.co.uk/jewelleryworkshops

Or I'm always happy to hear from you

01/11/2025

Today was day 2 of our withy pot workshops, created as part of Withy Lore, a project set up by myself and Storylines and developed in collaboration with withy pot makers from around the South West.

Each participant made their own unique withy pot, inspired by varying styles of pots which could be seen at our exhibition upstairs and also taught under the guidance of withy pot makers Tom Chambers from Porthleven, from Mevagissey and Stephen Mathews from St Michael's Mount

We were also joined by 5th generation withy pot maker from Budleigh Salterton and his lovely wife Jean.

Thank you to Rae from Heritage Crafts who popped in and told us all about their brilliant charity and the wonderful things they do and to Kate from Gorran Haven Withy Crafter's.

The participants Rome, Twig and Jess should be so proud of themselves and what they have achieved! We hope to see more withy pot making from them in the not too distant future :)

Thank you also to Museum of Cornish Life for providing us with such a great space to run our workshops from and of course our Withy Lore exhibition upstairs. Myself and Storylines will be forever grateful.

We would also like to thank funders The Basketmakers' Association , The Fishmongers company and Little Parc Owels Trust for supporting this work.

Thank you also to everyone who visited ! 🌿

Next stop Kresen Kernow :) 🦀

31/10/2025

So that was day 1 of our Withy Lore withy pot making workshop at Museum of Cornish Life ! It was so lovely to see withy pot makers share their skills and knowledge with three young and eager participants!!! They did such a super job and I can't wait to see the finished pots tomorrow!

Thank you to withy pot makers Aaron Grigg,
, Barry Mundy and Tom Chambers their wonderful students and last but not least Simon Colgan for capturing the moment on camera!

Storylines

30/10/2025

My two mischievous Piskies have been helping me today! We collected willow with Treetosea along with his freshly made withy pot and pot stand and delivered them to the Museum of Cornish Life in preparation for tomorrow's first day of withy pot making! Then finished it off with some pumpkin carving! ❤️ I'm attempting to make a pumpkin soup, but may not post a photo of that ! Hehe

Looking forward to having everyone together tomorrow for some withy pot making :) ! 🌿

Storylines

29/10/2025

There are only a few days left to see Withy Lore at the Museum of Cornish Life , which ends on the 1st of November, before heading over to Kresen Kernow.

You can learn more about the exhibition by watching a short video of me talking about it in a little more detail here:

https://youtu.be/gdyqaHrHYI4?si=0k8xTdWcgKIIwW_h

This exhibition has been made possible through funding from the Little Parc Owels Trust, Fishmongers Company and The Basketmakers' Association

We will finish it off with a two day withy pot making workshop for three participants aged between 18-25 and tuition from up to 4 master withy pot makers! We are also excited to have a guest from the association on Saturday :) Photos and a blog will follow soon!

Storylines

Anna Pope takes you around the exhibition which celebrates the endangered craft of withy pot making. Along with Storylines she spent time with those involved...

22/10/2025

🦀 There is only one space left on next week's 2 day withy pot making workshops at the Museum of Cornish Life ! Please share away! Thank you! 🌿

ypots