Hidden Treasures

I have been weaving a lot of baskets while staying inside this month.  I have found some kits I had tucked away and forgotten about.  This double-walled basket is one I made from a kit by Anne Bowers.  It features a inner core of smoked reed and sea grass woven around the outside layer of the vessel.

The square base was woven in a 2 -2 twill of alternating plain reed and smoked reed.

Using only the smoked reed spokes the inner vessel were woven using smoked reed.  A 1/4" plain filler row topped the shape before the spokes were tucked to the outside.They were later hidden in between the two layers of weaving.




The remaining plain spokes were upturned and woven with sea grass in a chase weave. 
 A 1/4" plain filler row topped the shape before the spokes were tucked to the inside, between the two layers of weaving.

Lastly a half oval reed rim was attached with cane, sea grass and a piece of round reed.

A Basket a Day Keeps the Virus Away

A basket a day may not keep the virus away but it keeps me happy as I hunker down at home.

This painted paper vessel is from a  kit by Karen Kotecki that has been sitting on my shelf waiting for me to have time to weave it.  I have time now!

The twined base secures the spokes and  becomes part of the design when diagonal corners and the weave-and-overlay form the shoulders.  The points are overlapped to the outside of basket and secured with a bead. 

For more information on kit contact -  kkotecki@lasmilwaukee.com

Stay Calm and Weave On

In the midst of these challenging days as a result of the  coronavirus, known as COVID-19, I turn to the calming effect of weaving.

Following a pattern by Annetta Kraayveld, I wove this small paper vessel.  The paper strips were pre-painted, black on one side and turquoise on the other.

5 3/4" x 2"  3 1/4"

The rectangle vessel is woven using a 2/2 twill.  Overlays of turquoise paper and copper strips create a diamond pattern on the front and wraps around the side of the shape.

The paper rim is lashed with waxed linen

Bird Nest Melon Basket

I experimented with mixed media in this 12" melon basekt.  I used twisted grapevine for the handle and rim frame.  Flat dyed reed was woven as a God's Eye to join the two circle of grapevine.  I continued to weave with a combination of cane, reed, and some hairy yarn as I inserted ribs of flat oval reed and willow.  The color scheme is nature's brown, greens, ochre and tans. 

The basket reminds me of a birds next.  Often birds will add pieces of thread and yarn to their nests as they build them.

Closeup of the mixed media weaving 

Guilders' Weave 2020 - Weaving for the ❤of it !!

I spent another wonderful weekend with talented instructors, fellow basket makers, friends old and new during Guilders' Weave 2020.   Everyone stayed true to the weekend theme.... Weaving for the  ❤ of it.  There were so many classes to choose from.  It was hard to pick which one I loved best!

Thursday evening I wove a Birch Bark Necklace under the direction of Carolyn Kemp.  The mini basket was woven from birch bark, raffia, and bear grass.  Waxed linen and seed beads
were used for highlights









Friday I concentrated on refining techniques including chase weaving, four rod wale and decreasing rows.  Annetta Kraayveld designed and taught a basket to keep us focused on balanced shaping and finishing with a Gretchen border to have a smooth and seamless rim.   A string of beads was added to the center dip of the basket.

Basket workshops allow for learning new crafts and working with unfamiliar media.  I took advantage of this by working with Mary Normand to make an Angel Wing Broom. I used hurl (processed and trimed boomcorn) and the "stacked bundle method to form a flattened hand broom.  The handle portion was covered in applied broomcorn stems which were woven to make a smooth and decorative handle  This was my first time to make a broom.  Mary also showed us how to make a small whisk and pot scrubber with the same materials.  

I concluded my weekend making a Pine Needle and Cabochon Pendant taught by Jean Koon. I used waxed linen to coil the pine needle bundle around the cabochon one time.  The braided leather necklace is attached to pine needle coil. 

To learn more go to the the Tidewater Basketry Guild's website  -

www.tidewaterbasketryguild.org

Start the New Year off right - Join a Basket Guild.

Why join a basket guild?  There are so many reasons.....continue a traditional art, learn new techniques, make new friends, work with natural materials..... the list goes on and on.

I joined the Central Pennsylvania Basket Weavers Guild several years ago.  Since then I have made numerous baskets of all types of materials, traveled to basket conventions, refined my basketmaking skills and made great friends along the way.

The Jan/Feb issue of the Pennsylvania Magazine includes an article about basketry and the CPBWG guild.  It was written by our guild secretary and includes three of my photos.  Check it out!

Carroll County Artists Studio Tour 2019

        Enjoy a free family friendly self-guided tour or 17 art studios and two galleries around Carroll County.  Meet the artists, see demonstrations and have the opportunity to buy fine art and craft directly from the source.

         I will have a wide variety of my baskets at stop #9 - Cat Tracks Studio.  Come by and say "hi" and get a little something for yourself or for others on your gift list.