"Weavers Words" Vol. 1 Iss. 32 Compiled By David Collins Owned By Weavers Everywhere Date Sent: July 23, 1997 Subscribers: 259 Back Issues: http://www.iei.net/~davidc/basketry.html @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Subject: Unfinished Projects Date: Thu, 17 Jul 1997 15:20:13 -0700 From: Mary Irvine To: davidc@iei.net Thought it was high time I post something again, even though I haven't caught up with reading all the issues. Re - unfinished projects. I have LOTS!!!! I have always tended to get things started, get onto something else and not get back to it, and it's not because I don't like the baskets either. I always have good intentions, but... I did want to share one of the things our guild has done - some years with more success than others. We don't meet in July or August, so at the June meeting, anyone wishing to participate brings in an unfinished basket. The baskets get exchanged & you take home someone elses basket to finish. The finished baskets are brought back in Sept. and go home with the original owner. It's fun to see what someone else does with the basket. Well, back to catching up on Weavers Words. Thank you David for the great job you're doing! Mary Irvine, Seattle, Wa mairvine@ricochet.net @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Subject: Re: "Weavers Words" Vol. 1 Iss. 30 Date: Sun, 20 Jul 1997 22:23:51 -0400 (EDT) From: JFerrency@aol.com To: davidc@iei.net Thanks, Donna for the tips on weaving with Virginia Creeper. I would never have thought of freezing extra materials to use later! It was a fine New England day to work on baskets out under the hickory tree - sunny and warm with enough breeze to keep the pesky 'skeeters away. How about two or three weeks of this? The hickory tree is dropping some immature nuts and they go right into the dye bucket to soak. There have been lots of comments about dying with walnut hulls, but I don't recall anyone mentioning hickory. I use shagbark hickory, and the hulls provide a nice warm brown color. It is my guess that any hickory, including the one called "pignut" whose nuts are not good eating, would provide a similar dye. Jacquie Ferrency Milford, New Hampshire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Subject: New Basketry Chat Room! Date: Mon, 21 Jul 1997 07:28:15 -0400 From: Donna Weber Organization: DW Baskets To: "Collins, David" Hi Everyone! Hope everyone is enjoying this summer as much as we are! My husband, 2 1/2 year old son Joshua and I just got back from a camping trip on Lake Bomaseen in Vermont and had a wonderful time! Camping and weaving are a perfect match! I got lots of projects done and felt good about it. To Carey Ray and everyone: I tried getting into the Basket Chat at the Biggest Little Craft Mall this past Saturday night as well and was disappointed that we now need to be a paid member to use the chat room (as well as the bulletin boards and everything else on the site). Not sure why they chose to do that, but I was talking to my husband about it and he did a little research and discovered that WE could have a chat room on our web site! So, now you can come and chat about baskets (and family and whatever else!) here at: http://www.bcwan.net/~cweber Once you get to the site just click on "DW Basket's Chat Room" and you are there. It does take a minute to load so be patient. It is the same one that the CraftMall uses on their site so it will look familiar to you. We are available to "chat" throughout the week but I thought I would continue having the "official" basket chat night on Saturday at 9PM EST since most people have that in mind but I am open to any suggestions. I am hoping that it will be informative as well as fun. Maybe we could have "topic discussions" as well as general basket chat. Maybe have part of an evening devoted to beginner weavers with questions.... whatever you all want to do! Please let us know! We are very excited about offering this (it IS FREE and always will be!) and hope you all will come join us. So, bring your cup of coffee or tea and let's talk baskets! Hope to see you all this Saturday night! Happy Weaving## Donna Weber DW Baskets 64 Blotz Road Washington, MA 01223 cweber@cbcc.bcwan.net http://www.bcwan.net/~cweber @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Subject: Re: "Weavers Words" Vol. 1 Iss. 31 Date: Mon, 21 Jul 1997 08:49:34 -0400 (EDT) From: Linda Braun To: David Collins Yes, Carey, there is a new Chat Room, thanks to Donna Weber of DW Baskets: Here is the notice posted yesterday on the Baskets, Etc. website: Donna Weber of DW Baskets extends this invitation to all basketmakers: Please come to the NEW Basketry Chat Room at http://www.bcwan.net/~cweber Just click on "DW Baskets Chat Room" and you will be on your way to chatting with basket weavers and basket enthusiasts from around the country and the world! We are available for "chats" throughout the week, but our "official" basket chat night is Saturday at 9:00 p.m. EST. You will need a Java enhanced browser just like you did for the Craftmall Chat Room...there is no "membership fee" for this one. Linda Braun - Ashland, OH Baskets, Etc. Linda J. Braun e-mail: lbraun@ashland.edu Ashland University Phone: 419/289-5730 Ashland, OH 44805 FAX: 419/289-5949 Baskets, Etc. website -- http://www.ashland.edu/~lbraun/baskets.html @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Subject: Re: "Weavers Words" Vol. 1 Iss. 31 Date: Mon, 21 Jul 1997 13:35:45 +0000 (GMT) From: KHOURY LORA L To: "davidc@iei.net" Annetta: Kathy Halter at Royalwood (1-800-526-1630) is an excellent resource for information on waxed linen miniatures. Also, I think egg (actually melon) baskets are an excellent first basket. I think the reason I've found this to be true is because you don't have to rim it, and on a melon you don't have to do any fill in, so once they get going, they continue to do the same thing until they meet in the middle. Lora Khoury Indy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Subject: Museum Talk Date: Mon, 21 Jul 1997 09:50:21 -0400 From: Julie To: davidc@iei.net It has been so nice to read up on the WW's and catch up on the weaving aspect of our lives! First, to contribute to the ongoing basketweaver vs. maker conversation...I do a whole lot of slab construction and folding of birch bark. I can't imagine using any other term but basket to describe the finished product. However, I only weave as an accent or for handles, so I can hardly be termed a basketweaver! In fact, I call it plaiting! Does this make me a basketplaiter??? I was at the Renaissance Fair in Sterling, NY yesterday! It was a gorgeous day on the hilltop for galavanting around in medieval peasantry! I met the basket weaver, Willow was her name. She did gorgeous natural willow basketry, mostly twined. Her "sign"? A VERY large round willow basket standing at least 3 - 4 feet tall!! Hurrah for willow. She was the ONLY basketmaker on the premises, in which I was quite surprised. Where were you all?? Went to a local Indian museum in a two-bit little local town, researching birch bark baskets. Went there looking for information and found that they were looking to ME for info!! Quite the turnaround. So, I am working on their Indian Basketry exhibit and also they look to include a couple of my pieces!! How exciting! I feel a bit nervous to have my baskets sitting aside ones that were skillfully crafted by "old masters". What an honor! They have 5 birch bark items, 3 of which are with etched designs. One is a maple sugar basket from Leech Lake, MN. There is an example of dyed quillwork--awesome! I had only seen pictures of this in books to this date. Found a whole bunch of books in their archives, including some booklets from the Bureau of American Ethnology written by a certain Frank G. Speck. Excellent photos of etched bark containers!! Don't overlook your local museums as a research source! They had more books on Indian Basketry than the public library in Binghamton! I plan on visiting the Cooperstown Museum next to observe the bark basket collection. Does anyone know of other museums that may have baskets made of birch? I am looking to get photos of other examples that I can enlarge, mount on foamboards, and hang up on the walls to enlarge and enhance my exhibit. I appreciate any help from you great listers of the world! Keep On Creating!! Julie Sadler Kirkwood, NY @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Subject: Re: "Weavers Words" Vol. 1 Iss. 31 Date: Mon, 21 Jul 1997 09:57:51 -0400 From: "drpain@net-gate.com" To: davidc@iei.net References: 1 I hope everyone has cooled off a little. The heat wave here in NJ broke the other day. Thank Heaven, I needed to dye reed for my Kentucky basket classes I am doing. It doesn't help if it is hot when you are dyeing reed. I did around 35 pounds of reed. Annetta, what a great thing you should be really proud of your children. My one students just own a ribbon at our Farm Fair for her cradle she made. We were all really proud of her for even entering. About the mellon basket for the first basket. I think I like to teach this basket because it doesn't seem to take as much in supplies. All I have to take to class is some round reed for the ribbs, flat reed to weave with and round hoops. I do not teach with kits. I pass out instructions, and then let the students take the reed right from the coil. Also I can teach this basket in a two hour class and have more then half of the students finish. It is neat to see some of their faces when they are done. I love the line, I really made this I can't believe it. I have really good instructions for the gods eye. ( Does anyone know why it is called a gods eye?). Does anyone know if we can start a chat room on one of IRC servers. I think all we have to do is just be online at the same time. Forrest glad to hear you finished your antler basket, I sure would like to see a picture of that one. Maybe with you head in it. Maybe you could post the picture on a home page or website. By the way I really like your book and when I get back from KMW in am sure I will need to purchase some more copies. Kentucky Music Weekend is a free weekend with concerts and workshops going on all weekend. It is in Louisville in the city park starts on Friday 25th and ends Sun the 27th. If anyone is in the area stop in and say hi. I will have some of my baskets their on display. Thankyou David for this list and keep up the good work. I am leaving on the 24th so anyone who would like to e-mail me I will be back on Aug. 4th. Thanks Mary Carty South Jersey Piney Basket Maker/Weaver I have a question to ask: What kind of Music does everyone like to weave to? I myself like Harp/Hammered Dulcimer ( a singing just instrumental) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Subject: home shops Date: Mon, 21 Jul 1997 11:59:27 -0700 From: mandy To: davidc@iei.net Hello everyone! Hope everyone is getting all their weaving done for their shows. Am looking for any input or information on doing a home gift shop. We live on 4 acres in a farmhouse with a detached 4 car garage that is heated. We live on a main route that gets alot of weekend traffic from tourist. I was thinking of turning my garage into a gift shop and maybe to carry supplies too. Has anyone done this? I never stop at homes with gift shops when it is actually in the home and wouldn't want strangers being in my home. But, I thought it being a separate building that it might work out good. Any suggestions would be great. I want to make sure I think this one through before I kick my husband out of the garage.....LOL Happy Weaving! Amanda Popelka Mandy's Hopechest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Subject: Unfinished Baskets Date: Mon, 21 Jul 1997 13:14:54 -0600 From: ANDREA & TOM OKEEFE Organization: SAVANNAH HOUSE To: davidc@iei.net, coltsfan@usa.net Hi David and Everyone! I hope you're all enjoying the summer and are getting to weave outside in the nice weather. I'll have to wait til winter to get that pleasure as it's been very hot and humid here. I just wanted to join in on the discussion about unfinished baskets. I just attempted to weave a Japanese vase basket that turned out to be the most misshapen looking thing I've ever seen. I'm not even going to hide it in the closet - out it goes!! Oh well, on to something more manageable - I need to bolster my sagging confidence. Stay cool everyone! Andrea Palm Island, FL @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Subject: weavers words Date: Mon, 21 Jul 1997 17:59:19 -0700 From: Mary Ann Gullo Organization: Baskets by Mary To: davidc@iei.net Dark plum, yes I have used it and it is a really different colors. I leave it in to get a rich effect. Rit also has a pumpkin which I find is a good seller. It is a deeper orange. I find people are not peach and blue, anymore or "southwest" even here in California. Mauve remains popular though. It seems the deep rich colors are what is going,the ones that seem as if they really came from dye plants. There is a dye, called brownberry, I think it is a jadvick, that one sells well too. It is a good substitute for wine, mauve(with just a quick dip) mulberry. Its kind of brown, but kind of berry, I guess more berry than brown. People seem to like the what I would call "warm" colors. Unlike a lot of people, we use alot of color in our baskets, we even dye the seagrass sometimes. David, thanks again for this forum, I have been learning many tips and techniques, and I have my pattern now for that laundry basket, and am ready to start it!. Mary Ann @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Subject: I HATE RIB BASKETS! Date: Tue, 22 Jul 1997 15:05:13 -0400 (EDT) From: KWeaver3@aol.com To: davidc@iei.net There, I've said it! Hi my name is Kathy Westphal, I have hung around reading long enuf! I had to jump in and agree with Annetta, I can't believe the people who weave a rib basket as their first basket and go on to weave more! I have only started 2 rib baskets in all of my 3 years of weaving, one was an egg basket to learn the basics before i took a class with Jill Choate ( with the guild I belong to ) to make an antler basket. Well I never finished the egg basket and ( Pam and Marty close your eyes ) I have not finished the antler basket either! I just don't enjoy weaving them. I find it frustrating, and the main reason I weave is to relax. Well, I told myself that I wasn't working on another basket till the rib baskets were done. That was on June 15th, needless to say, this morning I put them both out of site Because our guild meets tonight and I miss making baskets! Maybe there will come a time when I feel up to the challenge, maybe not. Life is to short to make a basket that ain't fun!! And to Carey Ray, No your not the only person that finishes every basket, I have a friend (sue ) that sounds just like you, she finishes a basket if it kills her! I wish I had that kind of discipline! Well, I have to go finish dyeing reed for the wonderful basket I get to make tonight. I only hope it isn/t a twill !! Have a good day! Kathy From breezy Saginaw MI @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Subject: weaver's words Date: Wed, 23 Jul 1997 07:04:01 -0700 From: Terri Brenner To: davidc@iei.net What an exciting weekend this was...my Michigan class schedule came in the mail! I've got two classes with Judith Olney, her Lattice Basket and Baskets from Africa and a white oak class with the Blocks from Arkansas. There are 4 of us going together and most of us got our first or at least almost top choices. My only disappointment is that my classes are over on Saturday afternoon (everyone else has something Sunday morning). I'm hoping there are extra classes to pick up. Has anyone heard anything about that? Last year they sent me a list of classes that still had space, but nothing this year. Oh well, I guess I can spend two days shopping. Maybe I should bring along all the kits I bought last year and still haven't gotten to! It's going to be a long summer and fall waiting for October to roll around... If anyone else is going to Michigan and would like to get together there, let me know. Thanks for all your work in keeping this list going David. We appreciate it! Terri Brenner Cincinnati, OH @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Subject: Weavers Words Date: Wed, 23 Jul 1997 12:18:42 -0400 From: "Joy Moody" To: Hi Everybody. I don't know if I should be writing or not because I'm still fuming, but here's my basket story of the week: As some of you know, I've been working on a Web site for the Fall & have been planning to do my sales entirely through the internet. BUT, I was approached & asked to do a basketry show/display at a local restaurant. The Opening Reception was last Friday night. Tuesday someone walked in & stole one of my biggest baskets right off the display pedestal & walked out without a soul seeing a thing. And this is in a shopping plaza too. Unbelievable. Now, I don't have insurance since, as I said, I really have not planned to do fairs etc., but this is one more example of what's possible. Annetta: I can't believe anyone would consider a melon basket to be the best beginners basket. The first one I did, I tore out the fill ins (triangular area appearing after the rim is filled) about 6 times & never was satisfied with the result. I haven't made one since. Also, congratulations to your girls on their ribbons & merit! You must have taught them well. Forrest: Great job! Your basket sounds wild & wonderful. Hope you had as much fun making it as I did reading about it! Why don't you take a color photo of you wearing it as a hunting hat & use it as a promo? Better yet, if you are interested, I will put it on my web site this Fall as an "amazing basketmaker feat" & you could be famous worldwide. Anybody out there know Margaret Grune? I don't know how she spells it. How does one find her patterns? Now that I've emptied the studio of baskets I feel postpartum blues coming on. Guess I better get to work & weave, weave, weave! Joy Sign of the Crow Hampden, Maine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Subject: Re: "Weavers Words" Vol. 1 Iss. 28 Date: Wed, 23 Jul 1997 16:04:41 EDT From: froggestow@juno.com (Roberta R Comstock) To: davidc@iei.net References: 1 Greetings to all you WW folks! I'm still lagging some, but have decided I have to comment on old issues of the list as I go over them, 'cause there's no telling when I might get back to them later. Jacquie Ferrency in Milford, NH: Your supply of basket materials from your yard sounds great! I'm working toward a 'supply farm' too. Besides, the more I plant that takes care of itself, the less Bob has to mow! The thing to keep in mind when using stuff you harvest is that the softer and fleshier the material is, the more it will shrink as it dries. Woods and woody vines shrink less than non-woody items like leaves. I dry my gathered materials before using them (unless I'm just cutting enough for an on-the-spot basket). If I'm on a roll harvesting, I don't have time to stop and weave right then anyhow! Soaking rewets, but doesn't counteract the shrinkage that occurred in the original drying. When I cut heavy vine pieces for rims, spokes or handles, I tie or tape them to the shape I want (if I know what it will be) and let them dry that way. Wire twist ties, odd bits of string or twine, and nylon fiber strapping tape all work well for this. I'm also experimenting with wrapping vines (such as bittersweet) around a bucket to dry. That should give me some uniform curves for rims and ribs. Another project is to twine some rings of living vine and let them grow another year or 2 before cutting and binding some living handle shapes for future harvests. I consider peeling vines and branches to be mostly cosmetic & seldom do it (I like the 'bark on' look). However, a fibrous bark like that of young mulberry trees, might be good lashing material, so stripping it to save & use would be functional. One of the best reference books available for basket materials is Elizabeth Jensen's 'Baskets from Nature's Bounty.' It was published in 1991 by Interweave Press, 201 East Fourth Street, Loveland, CO 80537. The original price was $24.95 Many yarn and fiber stores carry Interweave's publications. There are other good books, but I don't have my copies handy. Tracy : I haven't used Thompson's water seal on baskets, but I have friends who use it on their custom built historic tents. It should work ok on baskets. Amanda Popelka, Oregon, IL: I don't know what size booth you need, but I use an E-Z UP shelter for a portable classroom/activity center. It's about 10 feet square & can be set up by 2 people in less than 5 minutes. The company is in Oncarto, CA, but I bought my through my local Sam's Club. It's currently available in several colors with or without removable side walls. Something of that sort might be good for starters. The frame is strong enough that I can hang displays from it. Barb Cordell, Charlotte, NC: I would expect good results from using the black to deepen colors as Lyn Siler suggested. I do that routinely when mixing paints. If I want more control, I sometimes use the black as an afterbath or overwash especially on paintings and textiles. To tone down loud colors, I use a strong afterbath of tea or coffee, or an umber paint color. Bert Comstock, Independence, MO @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If for any you would ever like to cancel your subscription, simply send me a message with "unsubscribe" as your subject.