North House Folk School

Steen Madsen discovered basket making through his early love of old handcrafts such as Stone Age flint knapping, rope making, hide tanning, and wood carving. In 1979, he was introduced to basket making while working with 7500-year-old Danish Stone Age eel traps made of willow. Soon he was growing his own willow and teaching workshops in basket making.

For the last 25+ years, he has been a full-time basket maker, growing willow, teaching basket making, educating three apprentices, and weaving baskets. Much of his weaving work is for museums, film and theatre productions, and for artists. Steen has written two books about basket making: Flet med Pil, a beginner book and Basket with Corners about square basket work.

He is an avid collector of old baskets and his collection of several hundreds extends from 1840-1965. This is all part of his searching for knowledge about the cultural history of baskets and basket making, which could lead to his third book. When he’s not in the willow world he goes fly fishing or swing dancing.