"Weavers Words" Vol. 1 Iss. 11 Compiled By David Collins Owned By Weavers Everywhere Date Sent: May 27, 1997 Subscribers: 161 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Subject: Haida Baskets, Waxed Linen Date: Fri, 23 May 1997 02:48:56 -0700 From: Mary Irvine To: davidc@iei.net Ann (& Avis?) - I haven't been ignoring your request for more info on the Haida baskets - I've just not had time to respond. I spent the last two weekends in Holly's workshops, and when you do one, it's weave, weave, weave. The projects we pick all take at least 30 hours of weaving, so classes are a full 9-10 hours with " homework". She loves to have us captive in a retreat setting. She's an excellent teacher and we learn so much. To the person who was wondering about the Haida Baskets. The Haida live/d on the Queen Charlotte Islands in B.C. and in South Eastern Alaska. They are known for the fine quality of their work, and especially their "little pearly stitches". The baskets are twined, started at the base and woven with the top down. Their technique for twining really does give "little pearly stitches" when you do it properly. When Holly teaches, she teaches only the Haida techniques, her mother Dolores Churchill teaches several of the styles done in that area. The materials used are primarily spruce root or yellow cedar bark over red cedar bark, with maidenhair fern, canary grass, or dyed bark for decoration. Ann asked what I was doing - this was my fourth class with Holly. My first was in SE Alaska at Jeanne McFarlands. We had started in the Queen Charlottes with a gathering trip with Dolores. I was fortunate enough to have gathered enough spruce root of the same sizes to be able to make a small trinket basket (rattle top) of the spruce root with an overlay pattern in maidenhair fern (which we also gathered and prepared on that trip). My second basket in this technique was also a trinket basket, but this time using yellow cedar bark over red cedar warps and learning to do the self weave pattern which had always intrigued me. This is where your pattern is made strictly from the way you vary your stitches. I've done a small covered bottle, and then these last two projects were a small utilitarian basket that incorporated several different stitches and repeats the pattern so you really get a chance to learn what you are doing and then a full size cedar bark hat. I've always like working with the red cedar bark, and really like the combination of the two. For those who haven't worked with either material, the cedar bark is firm when dry, but like leather to work with when it's wet. And each time we take a class with Holly we learn a little more about how to prepare and work with it to get the best results. I will say that over half the success of your basket is in the preparation of the materials and the quality of the bark or root. Ann, if you have the Fiber Arts Design Book IV you can see one of my contemporary cedar bark baskets, although not using the Haida techniques. Re Waxed Linen - (and this may have already been given as info, I'm behind on my reading) - this is one of my other favorite materials to use. It works well for looping, knotting, twining or coiling. You can knot, twine or coil over small to large warp or core. The polished hemp (available thru Royalwood and other resources) is a nice core or heavy spoke material. For my miniatures I use either the waxed linen or a small hemp for spokes. It comes in a wide variety of colors so you can have fun with color and pattern. This is great to work with if you are traveling or don't have alot of space or time to prep materials. No soaking required, and for miniatures (and even some of the larger baskets) every thing I need fits in a small pouch. It's easy to pick up and put down and great to incorporate beads with. As you look through photos of contemporary baskets you will see wonderful examples of coiled and knotted pieces by artists like Jane Sauer, Marilyn Moore, Fern Jacobs, and many more. Well - this has gone on longer that I thought, so it's time to quit and go read the newest copies of the digest. Then, start getting organized for what I need to take to Basketry Focus. Hope to see some of you there. (Ann, are you going?). Mary Irvine, Seattle, Wa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Subject: nantucket Date: Mon, 26 May 1997 00:31:09 -0500 (CDT) From: Carol Oslage To: davidc@iei.net Dear Norma Where did you get the patterns for the nantucket baskets , moses and the bushel basket, it you sell the patterns I would be interested in purchasing them. Carol @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Subject: Re: "Weavers Words" Vol. 1 Iss. 10 Date: Mon, 26 May 1997 09:18:02 -0400 (EDT) From: JSarge8230@aol.com To: davidc@iei.net Hi Fellow Weavers This is new to me, Andrea gave me this address. I only weave Nantuckets. I tried grapevine wreaths and ended sitting on the ground laughing at my efforts. I am sure the rest of the class thought I was crazy. There are some things that I cannot do and so I give up struggling and weave a project I enjoy. Periodically I put oak rims on a Nantucket and swear never to do it again but I always go back to it because I love the look. I have been weaving 10 years. Elizabeth Geisler in Sarasota, Fl was my first teacher and now I take weekly class from Linda Faulkner In Venice, Fl. They are very patient teachers. My name is Joyce Sargeant, E-Mail address JSARGE8230 @ aol.com. I grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio, married 37 years to Jim, retired Managent Consultant and Industrial Engineer, 2 girls ,Cindy a stockbroker and Sherry with PBS. We are cat lovers to a fault. I am a Home Economist and taught at Edgecliff College in Cinti. in addition to 20 years of volunteerism for the hospital, mental retardation, Volunteer Bureau and 15 years in 4H. I have become self centered since we moved to Florida. We sail a lot on SeaDream. I take my weaving with me. The front cabin is devoted to my crafts. I also make Tamari balls, balls wrapped in thread with geometric designs embroidered around the balls. they are fabulous and great to take in the car or on the boat. I forgot something, I am a Nature Printer . I would like to master tatting, but haven't taken the time. Anyway, I have fun and have met wonderful people in the weaving classes. Glad to be included. Joyce @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Subject: Re: Joan Moore's swirling star bowl and other twills Date: Mon, 26 May 1997 11:31:23 -0400 (EDT) From: Pweaver246@aol.com To: davidc@iei.net David, It is so nice to be receiving Weaver's Words. I have not found any local weavers to associate with and am most appreciative of the information everyone shares so freely. Forrest, You mentioned Joan Moore's swirling star bowl. I recently made it using 2 shades of blue and a green. I was so impressed with the finished basket. I am primarily self taught (when I had teachers around I had no idea how much I would continue to weave. I took all that they offered and now would love to take more. I'm from Minnesota and have found some classes there next month while I'm home on vacation. Ronda Brugh summers in northern MN close to my sister's cabin. It's meant to be!) Back to the swirling star bowl. I'd be interested in the weaving level you would classify that twill? I found it most comfortable to weave from the inside. Patti Hawkins, Your twill trinket bowl pattern is currently sold out from Basketpatterns.com. I'm anxiously waiting my back order. I've not done much twill, but had my interest increased with the above basket. Lois, I was so sorry to hear about your show experience and now your chicken pox. I'm so happy to see you on this list. I have learned a lot from you and thank you for sharing so freely on Shirley's list and now this one. If anyone knows of weavers in the Albuquerque, NM area I'd appreciate hearing from you! Happy Weaving! Pat Wilson pweaver246@aol.com @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Subject: Getting a Handle Date: Mon, 26 May 1997 11:16:55 -0700 From: "Forrest Davis" To: "Weaver's Words" Hello Everyone, Invariably you all talk about the intricacies of weaving to such an extent that I do well to keep up. Well, seems I've finally got something to add to the discussion. To Ann Moum: reference wire handles, I found I could replicate any shape by tracing its outline on a 2x4 and subsequently hammering small, smooth nails along the trace line. I purchased various gauge wire spools from a local hardware store and continued experimenting until I (actually Grace) was satisfied with the result. Simple as it seems, it proved somewhat of a physics problem. At first I could get a tight wrap on the outline and see a beautiful handle before me. But by the time and wrenched it off the mold, it looked like something my dog decided was evil. Hmmm-mm. Oh well, over time I perfected the technique and managed to make everything from the apple, house, a pig, star, cross, and (my favorite) a silhouette of a cat playfully chasing a butterfly in a meadow of Bavarian wild flowers. To all you Shirley Reed Veterans: remember my posting about my day-long search for deer antlers and return with only a quartz crystal? Military installations are wildlife refuges by default and, in my tramplings over the nearby hills, I wandered upon first a deer leg, then a rib cage, then--wa-la!--a set of bleached-white, four-point antlers (with the head still attached). Maybe it was only a matter of time. . . Honestly, this place is Wild Kingdom. . . my neighbor chased a bear out his fruit tree last summer, I did battle with a family of raccoons over our dog's food bowl, skunks routinely perfume the air, and, some two weeks ago, a mountain lion killed a deer in the Commanding General's front yard! Grace and I are a bit cagey taking walks at night, but our youngest thinks it's kinda neat. After all, how many twelve year old boys get to wear full body armor every fun-filled day? Anyway, now that I've got the antlers, I'm facing a new dilemma. Do I cash them in building one of Jill Choate's marvelous antler baskets or do I exploit them for their full potential? I pursued them with Jill's baskets in mind but, now that I have them, I'm being pummeled with fascinating options. For example: 1) they'd make a great truck hood ornament, adding credence to my otherwise lackluster "hunter" image; 2) I could bronze them, get a rather large chain, and really compete in the hip-hop world of celebrity fashion; or finally, 3) I could work with a local taxidermist to alter the skull somewhat (I'm thinking space alien, jackrabbit, large-mouth bass--endless possibilities!), mount it in my living room, and weave some really good yarn about my brush with the heinous monster (that's right, we're talking Sally, Montel, maybe even Oprah). Tough, really tough. Any suggestions? Forrest -- Grace and Forrest Davis 118 Mills Circle Ft Huachuca, Arizona 85613 (520) 417-9325 lamar@c2i2.com @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Subject: sanding sealer Date: Mon, 26 May 1997 15:56:23 -0500 From: monast@iquest.net To: davidc@iei.net I have been reading with interest about the sanding sealer. I asked my local carpenter about it's use. His wife is a weaver. These were his thoughts. He uses sanding sealer cut to a 4:1 ratio only on pine. This is because pine accepts stain unevenly.(as already mentioned) Whatever stain he uses on top of this will be considerably lighter than normal. He does not recommend using it on a "hard" wood as it would not accept stain. Perhaps on a pre-stained handle it would be nice, but he warns that sanding sealer does water spot. I would love to hear the results of field trails. To Kat in Okinawa: Like many, I also have used Minwax to stain baskets. I was originally advised to cut this oil based 3:1 or 4:1 with mineral spirits. This not only makes it last longer but also flows into crevices nicely. The problem is what to do with the leftover mixture. Save up baskets until you have a quantity to dye. Because of the free-ness of homemade walnut stain I use this. I do use Liquid Gold on the baskets when completely dry to brighten the colors and wood tones. QUESTION: Is there another homemade/cheaper solution to Liquid Gold? It's raining in the Indianapolis/Muncie area. Weave, Weave, Weave me the sunshine, out of the pouring rain!!! Happy weaving Kristin M. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Subject: pack basket straps Date: Mon, 26 May 1997 20:53:46 -0400 From: Culleen Doolittle To: Weavers Words Hi I'm so glad I found Weavers Words, it is a great connection to the world of basketmakers that I didn't know existed. I learn many things from each issue that I read. What a great idea!! I would love to find a Adirondack pack basket strap in other colors than the drab pea green that is available. Does anyone have a source for straps in other colors? Culleen Doolittle msdoo@northnet.org @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Subject: Book address Date: Mon, 26 May 1997 21:32:46 -0700 From: edwinb@erols.com To: davidc@iei.net Hi Weavers, So glad to have this way to write again! I want to get the book :Weavers Friendly Handbook for Pricing and Selling , but lost the address. Did someone write that it is available through mail? Please list the address again. Thanks Nancy in Md. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Subject: answers Date: Tue, 27 May 1997 08:22:17, -0500 From: BDKE97B@prodigy.com (MRS BILLIE A DORRIS) To: davidc@iei.net About the sanding sealer in a spray can. The brand name is Enterprise and is made for the Valspar Corporation of Wheeling Illinois. (don't know if that is spelled right but my computer mad the abbreviation look really strange Ill) The are several ways that you can camaflogue the ends of dyed reed. One is that if you are lucky you can find a magic marker that is the same color and then fill in the ends. Another is to save some of the dye and use it. But then you have to think ahead which is not one of my strong points. I had an interesting experience with this recently. I had a round reed basket that was navy blue and had faded badly (in fact it was now purple) So I striped the color in rit color remover. However the color didn't come out of the ends that I had touched up. Finally I realized I had used a ball point pen to color them in so it was permanent. I really envy all of you who are able to go to Stowe. It is one that I am really interested in but it comes the same weekend as my first show of the year. Of course as bad as my shows have been this year I probably would have been better of at Stowe. I certainly would have had a better time. Guess I'd better get to work. Billie in cold windy Virginia Beach. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If for any you would ever like to cancel your subscription, simply send me a message with "unsubscribe" as your subject.