"Weavers Words" Vol. 1 Iss. 26 Compiled By David Collins Owned By Weavers Everywhere Date Sent: July 4, 1997 Subscribers: 234 Back Issues: http://www.iei.net/~davidc/basketry.html @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hi, As stated at the beginning of Weaver's Words this is an open forum and I do not edit anyone's comments. I'm sorry if some of the postings offend some people, but I for one do not feel I have the right to decide what does and does not get posted. I hope everyone has a safe 4th of July weekend and enjoys the wonderful weather and fireworks. Happy Weaving, David @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Subject: Smoking Date: Wed, 2 Jul 1997 07:10:15 -0400 From: "Kim Renich" To: The "joke" about the smoking section was blatantly posted in poor taste and I for one, did not appreciate it. If you want to ridicule and condemn smokers, then go to a chat room where the TOPIC is smoking... it has no place in Weaver's Words. Kim Goldsboro, NC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Subject: Re: "Weavers Words" Vol. 1 Iss. 25 Date: Wed, 2 Jul 1997 11:43:52 +0000 From: Pamela Woodbury To: davidc@iei.net Hi Weavers/Makers I thought everybody was swamped with the sarcastic remarks about underwater basket weaving. I don't know exactly what it is supposed to mean but anytime someone calls me an underwater basketweaver I usually tell them I'll teach all the other old folds when I make it to the home to weave under water with me. This usually shuts them up. Does anybody know where the remark underwater basket weaver comes from. My son who was hurt in an auto accident several years ago and needed to go back to college to change careers as he was an Electrician and could no longer do that line of work was assigned a person from his insurance company to find him a new line of work. In MI no fault auto insurance, which we pay dearly for, must pay your 80% of your wages up to 3 years, pay all medical expenses, and find you a new line of work equal to what you were doing or reeducate you. As he already had a college education and was a journeyman electrician to find him an equal job without retraining was difficult. The insurance company sent this one nasty lady to convince him to take a much lesser job and not go back to college. She really never stood a chance because he had a Mother Tiger on his side and I had read and studied the law. After bullying us at our home and her questioning me about all the baskets and I told her I was a basketweaver and that I sold and taught basketry, she thought perhaps she could bully us better via the telephone. Now I don't know if she forgot I was a basketweaver or it was just a rude remark, but she said it's not like we want him to be an underwater basketweaver. Of course I came unglued and they did pay for a new college education. Now what do you suppose she meant by that? As I am not a smoker I am not really trying to defend the act of smoking, but whoever wrote that rude remark about smoking perhaps offended a lot of us who do smoke. Next time before writing something hurtful, please stop and think. Pam @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Subject: summer conv. boy scouts Date: Wed, 02 Jul 1997 09:09:38 -0500 From: monast@iquest.net To: davidc@iei.net Good morning weavers! It's hot but the weather is supposed to break for the 4th. To Darleena Jones: Your boy scout experience sounds hectic, but the stuff that memories are made of. In the latest Martha Wetherbee news there is a large and wonderful article about Hubie (Williams?) who started the basketry badge for the boy scouts. I read a friend of mine's copy and hope you can get a copy for yourself. To Joy Moody-One Woman Show: I use my free standing basket trees for shows. I am usually able to sell one or two as well as have three dimensional display area. To Donna: I, too have considered a summer show. It's not something I'm prepared to pursue, yet, but have checked with Ball State University and they were more than willing. I have always thought the Colleges and Universities were an overlooked resource. You (we) would just have to find one with air-conditioned rooms. At the time I checked with BU they offered a very affordable (compared to big basket convention) price for rooms and meals. I, too, find myself dawdling in the flowerbeds. My day-lily garden is about to explode and my babys breath is spectacular against the lavender. The bees are humming, alas, so too are the mosquitoes. Time to sign off and visit the darlings, They do so like to be told they-re beautiful and wonderful. Don't we all do better with praise. On that note, David- you ARE wonderful. Thanks so much for doing the "Words". Kristin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Subject: To all Basket/Weavers/Makers/Cases Date: Wed, 02 Jul 1997 16:16:14 -0500 From: The Ray Ohana To: davidc@iei.net Hey, Pat: Let's really stir up a hornet's nest...Who made the TREE?! No flames, please - I'm just joking around. Have enjoyed the discussion.... Carey Ray Bossier City, LA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Subject: Date: Thu, 3 Jul 1997 08:11:50, -0500 From: BDKE97B@prodigy.com (MRS BILLIE A DORRIS) To: davidc@iei.net Well, folks it's me again. I have been thinking about the discussion about what to call ourselves. I think we should be more concerned with what others think of us. We know what we are and what we do and the title doesn't really matter. But we do need to "upgrade" our image with the public and our fellow artisans. As Pam(I think) said earlier we are often the "butt" of many unkind comments and it's time that we try to change this. I think this was the idea behind my earlier comment about the types of shows we do. I also did not mean to offend anyone when I said I did art type shows that wouldn't allow discounted baskets. But I do feel when we offer our work too cheaply we ourselves are undervaluing our own product. When I started doing shows 15 years ago I too had inexpensive baskets and was proud of them. But as I have continued to improve my weaving skills I found there was no challenge in this type of weaving and began to hate what I was doing. Since I have started weaving more intricate patterns I have found that I enjoy my craft much more. I have never understood it but years ago I was told by an artist that if you price your work too cheaply then the public thinks that you don't value what you have done and therefore they don't either, and I have since found this to be true. I still have some inexpensive baskets although my lowest price is 35.00. However I have found that the 50.00 price range is the best selling. When I moved to this area about 3 years ago and started doing shows I found the attitude among the other artist a little condesending. They too like the public didn't see my work as art. But now that they have seen what I do their attitude has changed and the other exhibitors frequently stop by my booth and comment on the quality of my work. This is the type of attitude that we need to work on. There are many basket weavers/makers out there whose products are truly works of art ie. The Arawjo's, the McColleys, Leon Niehaus, Kari Lonning just to mention a few. The answer is that what ever type of weaving you do be the best that you can be at it. Do not sell baskets of which you are not proud. I frequently pull baskets from my inventory after I look at them awhile and decide that they are not as good as I would like them to be. I am sure at the time that I made them I thought they were great but now I'm not so sure. So if I can't resurrect them they go in the reject pile(my friends love to get a chance at my rejects.) Recently when I did a show the best think that happened (other than good sales) was when customers would stop at my booth and describe my work as exquisite-not the dreaded word cute. None of us are getting rich at this so we must get our satisfaction is other ways. I often tell people that if I really wanted to make money I would get a job at MacDonalds. As I read this back I know I sound like I am rambling and am not sure I got my point across but it is early in the a.m. after a nigth of not sleeping well so perhaps my thoughts are confused. (Those who know me well know that I am always perfectly well spoken and never have a problem getting my ideas across HA) One question I have that I have seen refered to recently is what shows/ fairs are called in different parts of the country. I notice Lois in Hawaii always refers to them as fairs as have several others. In the mid Atlantic states they are called Art/Craft Shows. I do know that Sugarloaf one of the major promotors of professional shows in this area had to change the name of their shows when they tried to start a new one in the New England Stares. If I'm not mistaken(and that's always possible) they problem was that in NE if something was called a Craft Show it was assumed that it was country crafts so they now call them Art Shows which means a different thing in that area. Also when you say a craft fair is it only craft booths or are there other things going on as well-ie music, children's activities etc. In this area when it is something more they call it a Festival. Any way this is just a matter of curiosity for me so thought I would ask. Billie in rain deprived Va. Beach(never thought I would say we need rain after the spring we had.) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Subject: What colors are selling right now? Date: Thu, 3 Jul 1997 19:11:52 -0500 From: Theresa Williams To: "'davidc@iei.net'" Question, What colors seem to be most popular in baskets right now? I'm getting ready to dye some 1/4" reed and I use Rit dye. I've never used 2 boxes to get a deep color, always used just one and the color seems ok, but never real rich and dark. Any suggestions would be much appreciated. I've seen some real rich looking hunter green and deep burgundy colors in other people's baskets that I would 'dye for'. Is it really necessary to use two boxes of Rit dye to get that deep, dark, color? Thanks in advance for any help in this area. Theresa Williams Rossville, Indiana @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Subject: guild problems Date: Thu, 03 Jul 1997 14:50:51 -1000 From: The Keener Clan To: davidc@iei.net Aloha from sunny, breezy Honolulu, I*ve lost motivation for weaving temporarily, I hope. I*ve been working in our yard which was sadly neglected by the previous people and the weeding and planting and discovering is doing great things for this soul! I agree: Pat Steinmetz--no apology is necessary--I believe, from the replies, that it*s pretty much up to the individual what they wish to be called--weaver/basketmaker or even what my instructor back in Florida called us: fiber artists. Restoration sells a nifty bumpersticker that I placed on my truck. It simply says BASKETMAKER. That*s me. Darleena Jones: There was a lady in my class last week who is coming your way. I don*t know which branch of the military she*s involved with, but I told her there was a pretty active group of weavers in Okinawa and to find you all. I don*t know if there*s an instructor in Panama City, Florida, but Linda Scoggins has a shop and teaches basketmaking in Valpariso, Florida. This little town is outside of Ft. Walton Beach which is about a 45 minute drive from Panama City. I took classes from her for 2 years and she*s most patient. Her shop is called Woven in Time. Protocol on bad weather at craft fairs: Make sure you*ve checked the contract you signed with the organizers. One of the largest fairs in Hawaii gives out a contract that says you WILL stay until 3 pm, regardless. Even if you sell all your wares in the first hour, your booth has to stay until 3 pm. Probably nothing short of a monsoon would be excusable. Andrea in Palm Island-this move was the worst--I find that a cross town move is more traumatizing that one across the world. Everything is settled except there are no pictures on the walls. This house is so Hawaiian--so open--that we have fewer walls than we*ve ever had and I*m still deciding what hangs and what doesn*t. Moving is the pitts. Now about our guild....some HELP! please. When another weaver and I organized (loosely) our guild almost 3 years ago, our goal was to share, to learn and to promote friendship among basketmakers. We found that some people didn*t share as readily as others, but that we could live with. Our president is on the mainland on vacation and the VP is coming up with some pretty heady stuff. (we have only a president, VP, treasurer, and newsletter chair--which is me-- on our board). We voted last Monday on what we wanted to weave together for August-November (we have a social in December) and those projects are: a large wagon, a wooden based sleigh, a BIG snowflake from 1/4", and the VP*s own creation--a pineapple shaped basket with curls and a wooden bottom. Now she thinks we shouldn*t offer such masterpieces for guild weaving, but thinks we should teach more "technique" than weaving and should save the 4 elected projects for a workshop and therefore the instructors AND the guild could make money from this event. When someone teaches at the guild, the basketmakers bring their own supplies and the instructor doesn*t receive any money. The Vp believes a lot of our members are "taking advantage" of the guild by just getting "free classes" and not contributing anything except dues. I can kind of see her point as we get low participation for special things such as basket swap, handles swap, etc., but if the original goal of our guild was to share, to learn, to foster friendship, does it sound as if we are losing that? Is my idealism showing? So what I*m asking is: should we starting weaving fewer baskets at guild--instead asking them to bring an already woven basket so someone can teach braided borders or something along that line--concentrate more on workshops, paying instructors, etc.? Or should we just continue doing what works? Our guild membership is constantly fluctuating as most members are military and we work hard to find and keep members--and most people seem to enjoy the friendship and the weaving together. I don*t think the President will go for this, but who knows?? Does your guild weave each month? Please remember, we can*t ask big-name instructors to attend our guild meetings like a lot of guilds can....and things have been going along pretty smoothly.....and we*re participating in the Creative Crafts Festival in August (where a ton of mainland vendors come over to show us what we*re missing!--the place is mobbed!) giving small workshops and recruiting new members.....I know I*m rambling, but I do believe that our guild is at stake here--whether is survives or doesn*t.....so please offer up any advice you can. thanks mahalo nui loa from the bottom of my basketmaking heart, Lois Honolulu @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If for any you would ever like to cancel your subscription, simply send me a message with "unsubscribe" as your subject.