Weaving Your Cares Behind.....in Bedford, PA

I spent a beautiful fall weekend in Bedford,  PA attending the Basketweavers Guild Weaving Your Cares Behind  convention.  Basket classes were offered on Friday, Saturday and Sunday morning.   This year I took all three classes taught by basketmaker Anne Bowers of Kearneysville, West Virginia. 






 Friday I made a round colorful 2 /2 twill basket.  The base measures 8" square and the finished diameter of the rim is 10".  The rim is lashed with a piece of heavy waxed linen.

 
 

Saturday I wove  two square ribbed baskets.  The larger basket began with an 8" square handle, while the smaller basket used a 6" square.  After making a decorative handle and God's eye,  all the whittled ribs were inserted into the basket behind the God's eye at the same time.  I used thin cane to begin the weaving and hold the ribs in place.  The remainder of the basket was woven with colored flat reed.

On Sunday Anne had a collection of old potato mashers for us to weave around.  Some mashers had round bases and others had square bases.  I selected a rusty round potato masher with a brown wooden handle.  Splints were attached to the holes of the masher and I row of twined a row of round reed to secure it to the potato masher.  Additional splints were added to the twined row.  The base was woven out to the desired size, twining the round reed. The sides were brought up and woven in a start/stop weave.  I used brown, mustard and rust colored accents on the side to coordinate with the potato mashers color.

Magic Basket

I was commissioned by a magician to make a large basket for his Basket Girl Illusion act.  He had been unable to find a suitable basket in any magic shop or catalog.   Another magician he knew had an antique basket used for the illusion, so I was able to see it to take measurements and for a visual reference.  I decided to take up the challenge.   It is the largest basket I've made in some time.  I can't wait to see him use it in a performance.


BASKET GIRL ILLUSION  -   The illusion starts with a girl to stepping into the basket.  A large cloth is thrown over the girls head as she is pushed into the space.  The basket lid is put on a the cloth is removed and stomped on to show the girl is still in the basket.  The magician now runs 4 swords through the basket - one on each side and through the top of the lid. The swords are removed from the basket.  The cloth is thrown over the basket and the lid and cloth are removed together, revealing the girl is still in the basket.  The cloth is again thrown over the girl as she is pushed down in the basket.    Then the magician steps into the basket to show it is now empty.  The cloth is thrown aside.  A form seems to appear under the cloth.  The magician walks over to the basket and throws the cloth in the basket.   The cloths suddenly starts to move and raises higher and higher .    Upon being thrown aside the girl suddenly reappears!