I spent an enjoyable Friday evening and Saturday with the Central Pennsylvania Basket Weavers Guild. They held their Spring Retreat at the Gitt Memorial Library just outside of Hanover, PA. The beautiful 2 story home, built in the late 1920's, features wrap around patios over looking the landscaped grounds bursting with spring flowers. Jean Poythress Koon, an artist from Morattico, VA was the featured guest instructor. Friday evening we used a Dremel drill press to create three drilled bases - hardwood, seashell and hand hammered copper.
Using glycerin-treated pine needles, we coiled around the bases using synthetic sinew to sew the pine needles to the base.
Saturday was spent coiling the pine needles around the hand hammered copper base made the night before. In addition to the sinew to bind the coils, copper wire was used to add both strength and ornamentation to the basket.
By using glycerin-treated pine needles, there was no need to dampen the needles while we wove.
All in all it was a fun and productive weekend!
To learn more about the basket weavers guild check out their website: www.basketry.homestead.com
Very pretty. I guess because I was primarily self taught in pine needle coiling I have never dampened the needles other than the first bundle if starting from a coil. I also don't use a gauge either, that really makes coilers crazy.
ReplyDeleteThanks. This was the first time I had used a coil gauge and glycerin treated pine needles myself.
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