October Guild Weave

Central Pennsylvania Basket Weavers Guild held their October basket workshop at the East Berlin Community Center on Saturday.  Twenty members gathered to weave a Sunflower Basket taught by member Joanne Sheriff.

The basket begins with an eight inch round oak base with a sunflower carved into the base.  Using natural flat oval reed the sides are gently raised for 20 rows.  A row of thin green and wider brown reed is woven to suggest a flower once the golden reed curls are attached. 

The curls are added on both the inside and the outside of the basket to make the petals of the sunflower.

Weaving the Hours Away

The Central Pennsylvania Basket Weavers Guild hosted the 19th annual Weaving Odyssey in Gettysburg Sept 19-22.  Twelve different instructors from around the USA came to share their expertise and love of weaving.

I began my weekend of  weaving by making basket in the shape of a Pineapple - the universal sign of hospitality..

Laura Lee Zanger led the class.  The basket begins with a basic round base.  Once the sides are woven the basket is made to look like a pineapple with the addition of reed curls.  The raffia bow and welcome sign complete the perfect welcome basket.






Saturday was spent weaving a tote basket with Dianne Gleixner.  The tote has a wooden base.  The main body is woven with alternating dark brown and smoked weavers with natural round reed using the Japanese Diamond weave to accent the middle band.  A row of paired triple twining is above and below the decorative body.  Leather handles complete the tote .







I ended my Weaving Odyssey with a two-day class taught by Laura Lee Zanger.  She helped us weave a large Cherokee-style  Cowee Burden Basket, traditionally used for gathering corn. 
The basket transitions from one shape with a 1-3-5 twill pattern to another.  The top rounded bowl of the basket features a arrow design band around the basket. 

 

 

 

To learn more about CPBWG go to www.basketry.homestead.com

 

You can contact the instructors via their email. 

diannegleiner@sbcglobal.net

llzanger@aol.com

 

Carroll County Art Centers Member Show

The Annual Members Exhibit is currently on display at the Carroll County Art Center in Westminster, MD.  The show run through November 2nd.  It features a wide range of styles and media in all of the gallery space. 

I submitted this twill weaving.  It is woven around a wooden 12' x 36" frame. 

This collage of past arts center events is also on display. The Arts Center is preparing to celebrate 50 years of bringing the arts and culture to Carroll County. Imagine my surprise to see a blast from my past included.  Can you find it?

August Guild Weave

Members of the Central Pennsylvania Basket Weavers Guild gathered on Saturday to weave market style caddy baskets.

Using the "Lucy" pattern from Bright Expectations Baskets we first wove an inner basket directly on top of the base.  The larger basket sides were woven, the handle inserted and the rim was attached. 

It was a fun day and we all left with a basket suitable for holding picnic supplies, craft supplies or baby diapers.

Large Round Reed Flowers

During the July Central Pennsylvania Basket Weavers Guild meeting, members wove a simple square basket with a handle for this years service project.  The completed baskets will be filled with toiletries and delivered to the VA  Family House in Pittsburg.






After lunch member Marilyn Julius lead us in making large reed flowers for outdoors.  We used dyed #7 round reed to form the petals  and #3 round reed to create the flowers center.  The flowers were attached to a 1/2" dowel to serve as the stem.    It was suggested to seal the reed flowers with a poly spray before "planting" them out doors.  I also painted my stem green.

A Month of Basket Classes

The past 4 weeks have been a busy, fun time of basket weaving.

I lead a Rib Key Basket with a group of outdoor women at a picturesque lodge retreat in Hancock, MD.  We sat on a wrap around porch over looking a breathtaking vista as we wove the key baskets.  Participants selected their individual color schemes, resulting in a wide variety of key  baskets.  

Once again I taught two week-long basket classes for Common Ground on the Hill at McDaniel College.   It is a time to catch up with old friends and make new acquaintances.  Week one students learned to weave a rib hen basket starting with a Josephine Knot.  We also had time to make a hair clasp featuring the same Josephine Knot.



















The second week students wove two baskets featuring a cat head bottom.  Emphasis was placed on perfecting the cat head "ears" and shaping of their basket.  One basket included a handle and one did not.   Color choices  made each basket distinctive and their own.







I so enjoy sharing my craft with other basket weavers, both beginners and experienced weavers.  There is nothing better than weaving baskets in the company of others.  I invite you to join a basket guild, class or casual group of friends and take time to fellowship as you weave. You will end up with more than just a basket!

Happy July Fourth!

 

Red, White and Blue flat wall basket