"Weavers Words" Vol. 1 Iss. 29 Compiled By David Collins Owned By Weavers Everywhere Date Sent: July 14, 1997 Subscribers: 252 Back Issues: http://www.iei.net/~davidc/basketry.html @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Subject: Re: "Weavers Words" Vol. 1 Iss. 28 Date: Fri, 11 Jul 1997 23:01:20 -0400 From: nhedberg@preferred.com (Nancy Hedberg) To: davidc@iei.net David, thanks so much for this forum. It's really a treat to read what other basketmakers are doing. We're a talented bunch. I've spent this week working on a 14 in. footed Nantucket bowl and would like to make a lid for it. I have a flat lid all laid out, but am not sure how to make it fit so that it doesn't slip off. I plan to turn a bone finial for it if I can figure the lid out. Any suggestions?? Diane, the number for the Nantucket border is Sturbridge Yankee Workshop 1-800-343-1144, or Country House 805 E. Main St. Salesbury, MD 1--800-331-3602. They will both send samples. they each have the same border, but one of them had a blue background and the other had a brown one. How nice it is to finally be finished teaching until mid August. This is my first week of vacation and my workshop has been buzzing! Nancy in warm and pleasant Tennessee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Subject: Re: "Weavers Words" Vol. 1 Iss. 27 Date: Sat, 12 Jul 1997 12:51:13 +0000 From: Pamela Woodbury To: davidc@iei.net Hi Basket Friends, I thought I'd just like to write and say what being a basket maker means to me. I think it is a good topic and I'd enjoy hearing what others feel about being a basketmaker/weaver. When my youngest child started kindergarten I thought it was time for me to further my education and go to college. College wasn't something my family particularly thought girls needed so I married at 17 right out of high school, had 3 children by 24 and started college at 29. I had always been the artist in the family, but as girls weren't college material when I decided to go to college I needed to go do something a man could do. HAHA I decided to major in accounting. Had I been older and wiser and not ready to prove I was smart as the men in my family I surely would have majored in art, but majoring in art would have merely meant Pam was a bored housewife and was looking for something to do. After graduating from college with a major in accounting. I set out in the business world. Of course by this time I was 33, a little older and a little wiser and accounting and the business world were boring. All of my art projects that everyone seems to love were shelved away because they were too womanly and I was out to prove something. Don't ask me exactly what. I had always loved history and all the crafts from the pioneer days. I loved to sew and conquered that, I loved to quilt and conquered that, crochet, knit, I did them and loved them all, but hated accounting and now I had a degree in accounting. Stupid, I know. After 5 years of working in the business world I took a basket class. Maybe I had shelved my artistic talents for too many years because I was dumb as a rock for the first 3 classes, after the 4th I caught on and was hooked. Six months later I quit my job and went back to doing what I loved. Of course, it helps that I still have my husband who can afford for me to do what I love. HAHA I find it amusing that when I am doing a show that people cannot believe that a white American and probably a black American can make baskets. I cannot tell you how many times I have had people ask me if an Indian made all these baskets. Now why do you suppose they think an Indian can make a basket and a white or black American cannot. I have had people argue with me, there is no way you made these baskets. Finally I tell them I picked them off the basket tree. They seem to believe this before they believe I could have made them. I would love to make baskets from scratch, but because of the lack of trees to work with, time and most importantly the damage I have already done to my wrists I used commercial reed. If commercial reed became unavailable I do have resources for birch bark, willow, sweet grass, just to name a few. I am now proud to once again call myself an artist, or basket person or whatever and I assure you I never want to have to quit what I am doing now to add up numbers ever again. Now for a couple of questions. My first outdoor show this year is the first weekend of August. I have gambled without insurance for long enough and am in the process of getting liability insurance. I am, however, going to continue taking the chances of not insuring the baskets because of the extra cost. My insurance man seems to think that it would be cost effective for me to set up a limited liability partnership with my husband or a corporation. He says limited liability partnership there is less paperwork and probably all I need. Does anyone know anything about either the limited liability or corporation? I'd appreciate any input. Thanks Pam @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Subject: weavers words Date: Sat, 12 Jul 1997 13:11:36 -0700 From: Mary Ann Gullo Organization: Baskets by Mary To: davidc@iei.net I thought I would chime in, haven't in a while. I do use Rit dye, Their moss green is the only one that will do. All other moss greens are very pale and lifeless. However I do use Basketree,Jadvick and Franks dye from Franks cane and rush. I also use Procion(the best) but I feel like I should file an EPA document when I use it. It is very troublesome. I also use natural dyes, which often leave a lot to be desired. Things that dye wool do not dye reed as well. I do use vinegar to help set the dye. I also dye raffia, cotton and hemp twine for hats, I use up that dye till the water is pale. I also use black or cocoa brown to change my colors and deepen them. TO the lady who was looking for natural basketry advice, there are several books, Royalwood in Ohio carries them, One is called Natural Basketry if I recall correctly. Some one else also e mailed me(i"ve been on vacation-my son took down messages sorry!) about old fashioned baskets, and sad to say the rib baskets I have been making have been around forever and a day, those Appalachian people came over on the boats from England, moved up in those hills and stayed there. Any of that style is going to be historically correct period wise. My personal favorite is the Key or D or Wall basket. Originally used to hold the lady of the house keys. Mind you ,there were no pockets at the time and keys were mighty big. If you spun the wool or linen or cotton and then wove the material for your garment you sure did not want big iron keys against it to wreck it. Besides, the bigger the key basket(worn on the belt) the more you could brag about the size of your house, the amount of cupboards you have and how many servants you had-without saying a thing. These baskets were used in the Americas until the Civil War, especially down south, where the mistress rarely carried them herself, if you know what I mean. So,I hope I answered all questions directed to me while I was galavanting in NJ ( I am now ready to move back after 20 years here in CA) and hope everyone doesn't mind the history lesson. I have tried the fair and the craft show, and frankly, I mostly do FAIRES, where you have to dress up and talk strangely, and the hoot of it all is I sell Double when I dress up in 30 lbs. of costume, go figure> I have done craft shows and been dissatisfied with my sales there. So many people buy what I and my husband call "pink flamingos" they are not actually pink flamingos but usually garden signs about 4 feet high that have barbed wire, bird houses or little planks on them with sayings I don't know why but they aggravate me -perhaps its because they sell so well! I think every one should be buying my hand woven treasures! I also love that underwater basketweaving comment that I often get, because when people ask me how I learned how to make baskets I tell them-in college, where I really did learn how! It was one of those adult ed classes which are very popular here in LA LA land-calligraphy, stained glass, tai-chi, etc etc... but I realize peoples lame comments are there for a reason. I used to hate them but realize it is just a conversational opening like "what's your sign" People want to talk to you, but don't know how to go about it. so, the comments. Thanks for letting me chime in, I seem to have saved it all up, hope I didn't make the file too long. Mary Ann @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Subject: Weavers Words Date: Sat, 12 Jul 1997 22:32:15 -0400 From: martyhln@juno.com To: davidc@iei.net Hi David and World Basketmakers, First off I want apologies I made a mistake, as hard as that is to admit :-) when I said Sharon Wright's Pattern with the tulip handle was in AMB 1995, of course I meant AMB 1996, My finger hit the wrong key. No one even said a word about it, wake up. Now to some serous business. Donna Kallner, what is Job's Tears. Denise I'm ready to weave on the beach under the Palm Trees Lois I belong to 3 Guilds, and in all of them we weave once a month, if anyone is having a problem someone is always willing to give advice and incouragment.we don't all always weave the same chosen basket. Some weave on other baskets but the most fun for me is we go out to eat, after a hard night of weaving :-) . As in any group there is a few you don't like, for me I just ignore them,life is too short to be a people pleaser. Please yourself trying not to offend others is the best I can do. One of mister Webster descriptions for a basket says something resembling a basket, in shape or function. Thus I believe gourds fit into this category. As for basket case one meaning is-- In a completely hopeless or useless condition. Another is--Psychological basket case--desperately in search of love and identity. Neither sounds very good. Having said that I'm a Basket/Maker/Weaver/ and a Basket Case. Whatever title you would like to bestow upon me is fine you all have a right to your opinion, thanks for giving me your time. David you are doing a great job, I cant wait for the next issue of Weavers Words Thank you, Thank you, so very much. Also does anyone know WHERE is Shirley? Regards, Marty Holihan dholihan@genesee.freenet.org martyhln@juno.com @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Subject: Re: Supply source request Date: Sun, 13 Jul 1997 08:10:15 -0400 From: "Serena Crossfield" To: HI! I am trying to locate the JADVICK Enterprises Inc. I have the address from a package of dye listed as Norcross GA 30093. According to the telephone directory information operator there is no such business listed in Norcross GA. Can any help me? I am interested in getting a catalog or more information. Serena Crossfield Humphrey and Company Penn Yan, NY e-mail at humpco@vivanet.com @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Subject: Re: "Weavers Words" Vol. 1 Iss. 28 Date: Sun, 13 Jul 1997 17:28:20 EDT From: sandybsk@juno.com (Sandra L Drexler) To: davidc@iei.net References: 1 to Diane: I carry the Nantucket wallpaper border in all three colors. If you are interested please e-mail me at Sandybsk@juno.com. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Subject: Weavers Word Date: Mon, 14 Jul 1997 09:49:35 +0900 From: Steve & Kat Montminy Organization: 909th ARS To: davidc@iei.net Greetings Everyone, Well the humidity has set in and the Okinawan summer is upon us. This heat is impossible-- its hard to keep you your hairstyle! I've been reading the discussion between weavers verses makers and it really doesn't make a difference seeings we all achieve the same thing and the feeling we get after we've created something beautiful. Its the stigma we have attached. I've been living with that for the past 14 years as a cosmetologist. Alot of people think that beauty school is for the girl that can't do anything else with her life. Little does anyone know that you have to learn the bone, muscles and blood supply to the hands and face! Plus all the chemistry that goes into the making of perm, colors, shampoos and conditioners. And yes-- I get the same feeling when I do someone's hair as I do when I create a beautiful basket! How lucky I am to have found things that make me happy in life!! Isn't that what its all about? As far as the Great Lakes basket..I don't know what they look like. Can someone send me a picture or a web site that has one. I would send my friend who lives in Bar Harbor to the store and take a picture for me but you didn't mention the name of the store. My husband and I have land there and plan on living up there after he's done with this military stuff. I want to wake up every morning and look at those mountains and breath that Maine air! Sandra-- Steve is planning on going to the class reunion. He scheduled leave and is planning on leaving here August 1st to get there in time. It sounds like they didn't get a hold of anyone! There were alot of people on the missing list. David as always your doing a wonderful job at keeping everyone informed with the basket world. You don't know what it means to us who are overseas and so far away from everything. Darleena-- thanks for being a wonderful teacher. You have the patience of a saint. If ever I have a question I feel comfortable in calling and you always have the right information. I feel sad that you only have a year left on Okinawa. Where am I going to go on Thursdays?! Hope the summer is going good for everyone else. Kat Montminy Okinawa Japan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Subject: Re: "Weavers Words" Vol. 1 Iss. 28 Date: Mon, 14 Jul 1997 19:29:43 +0000 (GMT) From: KHOURY LORA L To: "davidc@iei.net" Unfinished Baskets: I have four, but the most infamous is a Choctaw style. I have a passion for twills, and was hooked immediately the first time I learned the Choctaw style of weaving, as was one of my good friends. Two winters ago, we sat down to do a Choctaw basket with 264 spokes. Our goal was to figure out how to change colors part way up, so that we could have a scattering of different diamonds throughout the basket. I think we've got that figured out, but we're only about 4 inches up the side of the basket. We get a week off every Christmas and always think we'll work on it - maybe this year. Okay, and I haven't finished my Judy Wilson, but the end is in sight, about 1" left at the bottom. Guilds: All of the guilds I belong to (three) have the members pay the instructor for the month $5, which includes the pattern and instruction. Not all of the members will weave the featured basket at a meeting, and some won't weave at all, but we always have a good time. I often use guild to finish up things I've started elsewhere, because I tend to talk too much and don't want to concentrate on anything too intricate. I'd rather walk around lashing a basket and visiting. Lora Khoury Indianapolis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Subject: Pattern Problems Date: Mon, 14 Jul 1997 17:06:19 -0500 From: "Roberta Huisman" To: Hi Fellow Weavers: I was recently doing a pattern that called for hairpining #3 r.r. around spokes and then twining around each pair of hairpinned spokes. I have never seen this before. Can't understand it. Can anyone help? Thanks Berta Parkersburg, IA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If for any you would ever like to cancel your subscription, simply send me a message with "unsubscribe" as your subject.