Storing and Organising Natural Craft Materials

Why Natural Materials Need TLC in Storage

Willow, raffia, twine and dried dye plants all behave a little like the plants they came from. They take on moisture when the air is damp, fade when light hits them, and turn brittle when they dry out too fast. Get the storage right and a bundle of willow rods will still weave beautifully two winters from now; get it wrong and you will find mildew on the raffia and a nest of shredded twine where the mice have been.

The good news is that none of this needs expensive equipment. A dry, airy, dim corner with sensible shelving and honest labelling will do more for your materials than any gadget. The three rules are simple: keep it dry, keep it off the floor, and write on everything.

Storing Willow Rods Without Ruining Them

Willow is tougher than most people expect, but it has two enemies: ground damp and rodents. Store bundles horizontally on slatted shelves or a rack, never standing directly on a concrete floor. Concrete wicks moisture upward, and a bundle left there all winter will grow a fur of grey mould along the bark.

• Roll and tie bundles with the butts level, so you can see at a glance how long the rods are.
• Label each bundle with variety and year of harvest — Salix viminalis weaves very differently from a decorative purple willow.
• Keep a through-draught if you can. A shed with a vent at each end rusts less and moulds less.
• Never seal willow into plastic bags or airtight boxes. It needs to breathe.

Brown and buff willow store dry for years, and you re-soak before weaving — roughly a day per foot of rod length, weighted under water. Fresh green willow is a different matter: use it within a few weeks, or stand it in shallow water if you are keeping it for a short while.

Raffia, Twine and Cordage

Raffia is the diva of the basket. Damp air makes it limp and grey, direct sun yellows it, and dry heat makes it snap. Keep it in a lidded basket or tin, in a cupboard rather than on a sunny windowsill, and it will stay supple for years.

Twine and cordage are easier, but tidy storage repays you every time you reach for a length. Wind short leftovers around card bobbins and write the length and thickness on the card. Group the rest by type: cotton string, jute, hemp, sisal and paper twine all handle differently, and mixing them in one tangled drawer is a small daily frustration.

• Hang balls of twine on pegs by the workbench, or keep them in a shallow open basket for lengths you use constantly.
• Add a cedar block or a lavender bag to the drawer to discourage insects.
• Keep natural-fibre cordage away from fuel, paint and fertiliser — it absorbs fumes and the smell lingers.

Dye Plants and Dried Botanicals

Madder root, weld, onion skins, marigold heads, nettle tops and woad leaves all lose colour in light and heat. Store them in paper bags or glass jars, in a dark cupboard away from the kettle and the radiator.

Anything not quite bone dry should go into paper first, so it can finish drying without sweating. Once it is properly dry, transfer it to an airtight jar. Label with the plant name, the part used, the date and where it was gathered. Whole roots and bark hold their dye far longer than powder, so grind small amounts as you need them. If you are storing seed heads or flowers, a few days in the freezer before sealing kills any lurking eggs.

Setting Up the Workspace

Aim for a mix of open and closed storage. Open baskets and shallow trays hold what you use weekly — scissors, string, a few short rods. Lidded boxes, tins and jars hold the seasonal stock. Clear containers help, because you can see when you are running low without opening everything.

Keep heavy bundles low and light materials high. Raise everything off bare concrete with slatted shelves or a simple wooden pallet. Put rechargeable silica gel sachets in drawers of tools and needles, and avoid pushing storage right against an outside wall, where condensation gathers. If your space is small, go upward: a tall, shallow shelving unit holds more than a deep cupboard and keeps materials visible.

A Twice-Yearly Sort-Out

Check your stock each spring and autumn. Look for fine dust, webbing, tiny holes or a musty smell — all signs of insects or damp. Rotate your supplies, using the oldest first, and re-tie any bundles that have loosened.

Autumn is the time to dry and bring in dye plants; spring is the moment to check what survived the wet months. Half an hour with a label pen and a mug of tea, twice a year, keeps a working craft store in good order — and saves you a frustrating afternoon of sorting out a mouldy, unlabelled muddle when you would far rather be weaving.